Relieving tension
People often relieve fatigue and nervous overexcitement after coming home from work. After dinner, one prefers to play on the computer, another prefers to watch TV, the third prefers to retire and listen to his favorite music. But such forms of relaxation cannot 100% relieve the stress that accumulates in a person during the day. Moreover, the usual options for spending evening leisure, such as watching news on TV, cannot restore the psycho-emotional background.
Special techniques are needed that will start the process of relaxation in the body (Zen, yoga, tai chi, do-in, etc.). But in order to relieve nervous tension and normalize sleep, it is not necessary to delve into all the intricacies of “Eastern” philosophy. It is enough to devote 15-20 minutes a day to a set of exercises that are not only easy to perform, but also contain elements of ancient relaxation practices combined with techniques for proper breathing. However, the maximum effect in achieving stress resistance is achieved through a combination of physical activity and rest.
Before you start using certain practices aimed at relaxing the body, you should remember that everyone can understand the mechanism of relaxation, but each exercise requires self-discipline. The methodology assumes consistency, which means that classes should not be postponed or postponed to another day. If exposure to stress takes on progressive forms, then it is necessary to devote at least 45-60 minutes a day to exercise. But, even if conditions do not allow it, you need to devote at least a quarter of an hour to relaxation practices. Moreover, some exercises can be performed directly at the workplace or in public transport.
MSUPE psychologist recommends: techniques and exercises to help cope with anxiety and stress
News
April 6, 2020
NIKITA LAVRESHKIN, deputy dean for extracurricular activities, teacher of the Department of Legal Psychology and Law, Faculty of Legal Psychology, shares various self-help techniques in difficult situations:
The first technique is called “White Room” Time to perform: about 5 minutes What the technique is aimed at:
- coping with anxiety and other unpleasant emotions;
- stabilization of emotional state;
- reflection, development of self-awareness
1) During this exercise, you will observe the work of your mind, imagining that it is a white room through which thoughts pass. You can perform it in any quiet place, sitting or lying down. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Breathe slowly and evenly throughout the exercise. 2️) Imagine that you are in a medium-sized white room with two doors. (Instead of the image of a room with 2 doors, you can take an image that is closer to you: for example, a cable car on which thoughts are transferred or a baggage belt at the airport, etc.) Thoughts enter one door and leave through another. As soon as a thought appears, concentrate on it and try to classify it as evaluative or non-evaluative (Example of evaluative thought: “At tomorrow’s performance I will look stupid, they will laugh at me” / Example of non-evaluative: “I am afraid of tomorrow’s performance, how can I anxious..”) 3️) Examine each thought carefully, with curiosity and compassion until it goes away. Don't try to analyze it, just note whether it's evaluative or not. Don't challenge it, don't try to believe or disbelieve it. Just realize that it is a thought, a brief moment of your brain activity, a random guest in your white room. 4) Beware of thoughts that you categorize as judgmental. They will try to take control of you, to force you to accept the assessment. The point of this exercise is to notice how “sticky” evaluative thoughts are—how stuck they are in your mind and how difficult it is to get rid of them. You will determine that a thought is painful and judgmental by how long it stays in the white room, or by whether you begin to feel any emotion about it. 5) Try to constantly maintain even breathing, maintain a clear image of the room and doors, monitor your thoughts and classify them. Remember that a thought is just a thought. You are much bigger than her. You are the one who creates the white room through which thoughts are allowed to pass. You have a million of them, they leave, but you still remain. The thought does not require any action from you. A thought does not oblige you to believe it. Thought is not you. 6) Just watch them walk through the white room. Let them live out their short lives and tell yourself that they have a right to exist, even judgmental ones. 7) Simply acknowledge your thoughts, let them go when the time comes, and prepare to face new ones one by one. Continue this exercise until you feel that you have truly distanced yourself from your thoughts. Do it until even judgmental thoughts begin to pass through the room without stopping. Source: M. Mackay, M. Skeen., P. Fanning - “Cognitive behavioral therapy for overcoming anxiety, fear, worry and panic”
Second technique. Respect for your body The path to accepting it is often long and difficult... but possible! Usually people consider 2 options: Changing their body (probably more frequent) Or accepting it as it is (probably more honest) I think that the optimal way is this:
- understand something about your body and your relationship to it, that is, reflect thoroughly;
- accept everything that you think is good in your body;
- understand why you don’t accept everything else, and make a conscious choice - to change something in yourself or not to change;
- and only at this stage strive for external changes
There is a technique to help you get started on this journey: 1) Divide a piece of paper in half to make two columns, or fold it lengthwise. On one side, list twenty features that you value in your body: long neck, strong shoulders, thick hair, good digestive system, wide pelvis, which makes childbirth easier, strong arms, large breasts, good eyesight, excellent coordination, graceful fingers, endurance etc. If you can't handle twenty, write ten. If this is too much, then write five. And if it is difficult to list at least five, find at least two features, but no less. Having done this, in another column add just one thing that you don’t like about your body. Take a look at your list. And allow yourself to appreciate your body more than judge it. 2) If you find it difficult to create such a list, make a positive statement about your body, even if it seems strange, for example, “I love my belly.” Then write down each counter-critical statement until you have exhausted all negative thoughts. Once you have done this, repeat the positive statement and try to add another one to it. 3️) While sitting or lying down, close your eyes and carefully walk your thoughts through your body from top to bottom and bottom to top. Is there a part that you skipped too quickly? Is there anything that you have rejected and not included in your body image? Is there an area that you are not feeling, perhaps without even knowing that you have rejected it? Is there anything that you don't like and call disgusting or unpleasant? Pay attention to this area. Does it have a distinctive feature: color, sound, appearance, temperature, structure, density, tension - or some other sensation? 4️) Now, with every breath, fill your heart with energy from any sacred source you believe in; With each exhalation, direct love from the heart to the rejected or insensitive area. Breathe until you notice changes. Do you feel like you have softened? Do you have compassion for yourself? Has the color, quality, image or feel of the rejected area changed?
5) But with the only feature that is included in the right column, you can slowly work. Try to answer the questions: why don’t you like her (is it imposed by society/related to some kind of mental trauma/something else)? Is it worth doing anything about it at all? Will you be yourself if you change this feature? And then you can slowly change it.
Source: I. Malkina-Pykh - “Eating Behavior Therapy”
Third technique. Coping with Anxiety So, you feel like it's coming over you. You are anxious, you are shaking. What can you do to make it easier:
1. Step aside (preferably not to be seen)
2. Try to regulate your breathing (you are probably holding it from anxiety, pay attention), try to breathe deeply for 30-40 seconds, at a pace that is comfortable for you, but evenly.
3. Stand in the most stable position, placing your feet as if they were the roots of a tree. Feel how you are standing firmly on the ground and your feet are firmly in contact with the floor (we, like animals, are calmer when we feel/notice that we are on the ground, and not in a suspended state (not falling) - the body feels that we are in safety, psychologically safer too) - 30-40 seconds
4. “Whip Hands.” Try to make your body as “rubbery” as possible by bending over, lowering and relaxing your arms, neck, and torso. Find the most comfortable position and swing
5. Slowly straighten up and shake thoroughly (when we are anxious, our body mobilizes and the body shakes). Voltage. Usually people try to avoid this tremolo and deal with it. On the contrary, I propose to succumb to it and even strengthen it, to give the body what it wants. This way you will be able to feel more relaxed and calm in order to continue to cope with stress “with your head”. If it is not possible to complete this entire cycle, do one thing - what is most convenient now.
Technique four. Coping with anxious thoughts Classic coping (helping to cope with stress) technique. These are difficult times. And of course, many of us often have disturbing thoughts - about health, death, leisure, loneliness, loved ones, etc. Not all anxious thoughts are rational, and often where our psyche feels threatened, there is much less real threat or no threat at all. This technique involves finding alternative statements to your anxious thoughts. Such alternative statements help reduce anxiety and focus on getting out of a difficult situation. Try making a table like this regarding your experiences.
It is important that the alternative statement must contain a realistic assessment of the likelihood of the worst case scenario, and show that the fear is not so justified. I also recommend discussing alternative statements with your loved ones! Our world is not so scary!
Fifth technique. Working with dreams Under stressful conditions, people have nightmares more often. Hypothetically, our psyche, with the help of dreams, processes information (including emotional information), allows us to cope with experiences and “compact” them. However, nightmares/anxious dreams are a beacon that perhaps this stress is too much for the psyche. There are many ways to work with dreams - from Freudian interpretation (which does not work) to immersion in lucid dreams (which is not recommended, as it is harmful to the nervous system). I was impressed and changed my attitude towards dreams by the method of work described by the creator of Gestalt therapy, F. Perls. The point is that Perls suggested viewing different elements in a dream as your own projection: for example, if you see your mother screaming at you in a dream, try to imagine yourself as the mother in this dream and answer the question of what you want, what you get with this cry. So you go to your needs Perls gave a vivid example: his client dreamed of a toilet, Perls suggested that she imagine herself in the role of a toilet and try to understand what this toilet would like, what it feels, etc. And it worked! “Having been in the role of a toilet,” the client came to important thoughts about herself and her needs, which they then worked with in therapy. Now I will give an example of this technique from the book by J. Starak, T. Kay, D. Oldheim “Gestalt Therapy Techniques for Every Day”: 1. If the dream is long, choose part of it to work on. This may be an intriguing or seemingly more significant part of the dream. 2. Having decided what you will work with, try to identify with each of the characters in turn for a while. Start with living characters: even if their ability to speak seems counterintuitive to you (for example, a baby), speak for them. 3. Identify with each of the dream characters for a while and see how they match your personality or behavior. 4. Allow yourself to feel what each character is experiencing, even if you find that these feelings are foreign, unusual or unpleasant. For example: If you never feel deadly rage in real life or never feel cruelty, try to express these feelings through characters you create in your dreams. Once you identify with these parts, you can feel how much effort and energy you expend in refusing to acknowledge them. 5. Not only do the living characters in your dreams personify your projections, so do the animals and inanimate objects you see in your dreams. Try to do the same identification process with them. And finally. Find yourself a team (if necessary). After all, not everyone has enough resources to start doing these techniques. There is much more energy and less anxiety in joint activities, so I offer you an easy way to team up with two more people to form a trio. In this trio you can try techniques, discuss their results, and just communicate. Basically, if you'd like to team up with two more like-minded people, fill out this short form (it takes about 40 seconds)
Take care of yourself!
The best ways to relieve tension
Breathing exercises
Deep breathing helps restore the psycho-emotional background. In particular, in many films, doctors and law enforcement officers recommend that victims first calm down by normalizing the inhalation-exhalation cycle. With nervous tension, breathing becomes chaotic and the person experiences hypoxia. Normal oxygen saturation of tissues and organs is possible with deep breathing.
Methods of self-regulation associated with breathing
Exercises
1. Slowly inhale and exhale through the nasal cavities (in the interval between cycles you can count from 1 to 4). This exercise is effective in the fight against insomnia.
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Complex 2. Muscle relaxation
The progressive muscle relaxation technique was developed by the American doctor E. Jacobson in the 1920s. It is based on a simple physiological fact: after tension of any muscle, a period of automatic relaxation begins. Taking this into account, a technique was developed according to which, in order to achieve deep relaxation of the body, you first need to strongly tense your muscles for 10-15 seconds, and then concentrate on the feeling of relaxation that arises in them for 15-20 seconds.
Exercises:
- Start by focusing on your breathing for a few minutes. Breathe slowly and calmly, think about something pleasant. After this, you can begin muscle exercises, working on different muscle groups.
- Hands.
Squeeze your hand as tightly and tightly as possible. You should feel tension in your hand and forearm. Relax your hand as you exhale, concentrating on the feeling of relief that arises. Repeat the same for the other hand. If you are right-handed, you should start with your right hand, if you are left-handed, start with your left. - Neck.
Tilt your head back, slowly turn it from side to side, then relax. Pull your shoulder joints high towards your ears and in this position tilt your chin towards your chest. - Face.
Raise your eyebrows as high as possible, open your mouth wide (as if you are pretending to be very surprised). Close your eyes tightly, frown and wrinkle your nose. Clench your jaw tightly and move the corners of your mouth back. - Breast.
Take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds, then relax and return to normal breathing. - Back and stomach.
Tighten your abdominal muscles, squeeze your shoulder blades together and arch your back. - Legs.
Tighten the front and back muscles of your thighs, keeping your knee in a tense, bent position. Pull your foot towards you as much as possible and straighten your toes. Extend your ankle joint and flex your toes.
Do 3-4 repetitions of the complex. Each time you rest a newly tense muscle, notice how good it feels and how relaxed you feel. It helps many people cope with stress and anxiety.
Reviews and comments
You can express your opinion about the article, relaxation exercises, as well as share your own knowledge on the topic and experience, using the comment form.
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Key words:1Psychoregulation
Speech techniques for reducing emotional stress
Technique 1. If you are a stranger, say your name and find out the name of the person you are talking to.
Try to say the name of your interlocutor as often as possible during the conversation.
Calling by name does not allow communication to become depersonalized.
It is much easier to insult a stranger than someone you know, even if only for a few seconds.
Technique 2: Adjust the pace of the conversation
Slightly tighten the rhythm and tempo of your speech; if the interlocutor speaks too quickly and emotionally, pause in speech.
Calm, measured speech is difficult to “load” with emotions.
Technique 3. Make it clear that you understand the importance of the problem and are ready to resolve it.
Tell your interlocutor about this.
Technique 4. Emphasize the importance of the interlocutor.
Be prepared to say that you value him and his opinion and relationship are very important to you.
Technique 5. Tell about your well-being, the state that the interlocutor’s words caused, if his status is higher, his position is stronger than yours
“I’m sorry, I’m offended, I’m unpleasant...”
Technique 6. Tell about the state and well-being of the interlocutor, if his status is lower, his position is weaker than yours
“I understand how unpleasant and offensive it is for you... I understand that you are disappointed...”
Technique 7. Address the facts - without emotion, talk through all the details of the situation that caused the conflict
"Let's figure out what happened..."
Technique 8. Offer a specific way out of the current situation
If this is not possible, promise to find him as soon as possible.
Ask your interlocutor what way out of the situation he considers the best.
It is not necessary that you accept it - the main thing is that your communication partner will be forced to control his emotions, otherwise it will be difficult for him to collect his thoughts.
Technique 9. Find and highlight something in common
It could be a similarity of interests, opinions, goals, or even just a desire to quickly cope with the situation in which you find yourself - unity is very important.
If “we” means “ours”, and ours cannot but agree.
Technique 10. Acknowledge that the other person is right about what he is right about.
If you know that the current situation is your fault, immediately admit it.
This will not change the situation, but the opponent will have fewer reasons for overly emotional communication.
He no longer needs to prove that he is not guilty and convince you to admit that you are wrong; he will be ready to discuss the problem on its merits.
Complex 3. Meditation
The most general definition of the concept of “meditation” in psychological dictionaries is: “a method of mental training in which intense, penetrating reflection occurs, immersion in an object, an idea, which is achieved by concentrating on one object.” The recommendations collected in this block concern how to conduct a visual meditation session on your own. Visual meditation is a variation of traditional meditation that is based on the use of not only visual meanings, but also the senses: taste, touch, smell and sound. When used as a relaxation technique, visualization involves imagining a scene in which you feel free from tension and anxiety.
Set of exercises:
- Choose a quiet and secluded place, with nothing to distract you. Find a comfortable position. It is not recommended to lie down; it is better to sit on the floor, in a chair, or try sitting in the lotus position.
- Select a focal point. It can be internal - an imaginary scene, or external - a candle flame. Therefore, the eyes can be open or closed. At the beginning, it is very difficult to concentrate and avoid distracting thoughts, so the focus point should have a strong meaning, understandable and clear, so that you can return to it at any time.
- The focal point should definitely be something calming for you. It could be a tropical beach at sunset, a forest clearing, or an orchard in a village near your grandparents’ house, where you visited as a child. Visual meditation can be done in silence, or you can turn on relaxing music or an audio recording with meditation tips.
- Try to use all your senses as much as possible. For example, your focal point is a forest. Imagine that you are walking through a clearing, and cold dew falls on your feet, you hear the singing of many birds, smell the pine, breathe in the clean air deeply. The picture should be as lively as possible. Meditate for 15-20 minutes.
Remember, relaxation will not save you from problems, but it will help you relax and distract yourself from unimportant details, so that later you can tackle the solution with renewed vigor.
