With the current pace of life, anxiety disorders and problems derived from stress are frequent. That is why any technique that helps us relax and release tension is welcome. Thus, many people opt for yoga to find the long-awaited harmony between body and mind. Other people prefer meditation to get to know oneself from the inside, and lately a relaxation technique that is not exactly new, but that is gaining followers, is becoming fashionable. This is the Jacobson progressive relaxation.
What is Jacobson’s progressive relaxation?
Jacobson’s progressive relaxation is a relaxation method that seeks mental tranquility and the elimination of stress and anxiety by gradually eliminating any muscular tension. Those who have tried this technique praise its effectiveness, as it is also capable of eliminating muscle contractures.
Jacobson’s relaxation method is based on tensing and relaxing each muscle in the body accompanied by breathing exercises. Thus each person manages to take control of the pressure and muscle tension caused by stress. Of course, if you manage to learn the technique, it is an important resource to find emotional calm.
However, it is not an easy method, but requires practice and learning time. Experts recommend first going to a professional therapist to guide us in the first steps until we manage to handle the technique by ourselves. But if you want to know in advance if this type of relaxation suits what you need, we have some basic points to start.
How to relax with the Jacobson method?
As in any relaxation exercise, the first thing is to prepare the environment. You have to get a space where you feel comfortable, where no one bothers you and with a moderate temperature and lighting. The ideal position to practice Jacobson’s progressive relaxation is sitting in an armchair, keeping the neck and back supported.
Sitting in your chair and wearing comfortable and spacious clothing, you can close your eyes and start doing deep breathing exercises. With each breath you take, think of a word like “calm” and repeat it mentally when you exhale. In this way you will fill yourself with peace of mind.
Now is the time to focus on each muscle in your body. Tense your arms as you continue to breathe, and then relax them. Gradually tense strongly and then suddenly relax each part of your body, the pelvis, thighs, abdomen, neck, back, jaw, etc. But while you do it, try to concentrate on the sensations emanating from your own muscles.
