Anxiety, Leave Me Alone by Alex Canny

Author:Alex Canny [Canny, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-01-17T05:00:00+00:00

Relaxing Different Muscle Groups

Anxiety makes our muscles tensed. If you relax your muscles, you will relax your feelings. In this exercise, we’ll learn how to calm the mind by progressively tensing and relaxing muscle groups throughout your entire body. This exercise will show you the difference between tensed and relaxed muscle so that you can recognize the physical feeling of anxiety the moment it arises.

To practice this exercise, sit or lie down in a comfortable posture. Make sure you won’t be interrupted during the exercise session. This exercise will take 10 to 15 minutes; so make sure that you are not in a hurry. Wear comfortable clothing. Remove your shoes.

If practicing in a lying position makes you feel sleepy, practice in a sitting posture. Our goal is to learn to relax the body while awake.

Now take a long deep and slow breath through your abdomen. Hold it for five seconds, and exhale slowly.

Breathe again and watch your body expands with inhalation. Breath out and notice that your body contracts with exhalation. Remember to maintain the natural breathing as you go through each step.

Now raise your eyebrows as high as you can. This will tighten the muscles in your forehead. Hold until you count from one to five, then release abruptly. As you release the tensed muscles in your forehead, notice that tension falls away as the muscles become loose. Pause for 10 seconds.

Smile as widely as you can, and tighten your cheek muscles. Hold to the count of five, then release. Feel the muscles of your cheek soften as you release the tension. Relax for ten seconds.

Now squint your eyelids tightly shut and tighten your eye muscles. Take care not to hurt yourself while tensing any part of your body. Make sure that you are applying gentle pressure. Hold for five seconds… then release. Pause for 10 seconds. Then continue to work on all the other major muscle groups of your body:

Mouth— Open your mouth wide enough to stretch the hinges of your jaw. After five seconds…release.

Neck and shoulders— Bring your head back so that your chin pointing toward the ceiling. Hold to the count of five and relax.

Contract your upper back by making your shoulder blades closer. Stay for five seconds, then release. Now lift your shoulders up closer to your ears. Hold for five seconds, and then let go. Feel the tension melts away as you loosen up the shoulder muscles, and remember to breathe naturally.

Chest— Tighten your chest by taking a deep breath.

Hands— Clench your both fists and hold to the count of five, then let go.

Entire arms— Clench your fists and draw your both forearms towards your shoulders. Tighten your biceps and keep the pressure for five seconds. Then release.

Stomach—Tighten your stomach muscles by sucking in. Stay for five seconds… and let go. Make sure to maintain a 10-second pause between two relaxations.

Buttocks— Tighten the muscles of your buttock by pulling together. Hold for five seconds. Then release. Remember to breathe normally as you contract and release each muscle group.

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