Relaxation Techniques

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Relaxation techniques are strategies used to reduce stress and anxiety. These techniques can also be used to manage symptoms of panic disorder and help a person get through a panic attack. Relaxation techniques work to manage the fight-or-flight response, or stress reaction, that is frequently triggered among people with anxiety disorders.

The fight-or-flight reaction is responsible for causing feelings of extreme fear that typically outweigh any actual threat in the environment. For instance, people with ?agoraphobia often fear crowded areas or open spaces, where it would be difficult or embarrassing to escape during a panic attack. The fight-or-flight response often causes uncomfortable physical symptoms, such as accelerated heart rate, rapid breathing, and increased sweating. Relaxation techniques have been found to have the opposite effect on the body by improving the relaxation response, lowering heart rate, reducing bodily tensions, decreasing negative thoughts, and boosting self-esteem and problem-solving skills.

For some people, learning to control their anxiety is all they can hope for if they can't overcome it completely. To help with this, there are various relaxation techniques you can use to calm the mind and reduce the muscle tension anxiety can cause.

If you've any medical conditions such as problems with your breathing speak to your GP before trying any relaxation exercises.

You should try to set aside 30 minutes, 2 or 3 times each day to practice these techniques. The more you practice, the better you will get and the more effective they will be.

It's important to keep using these techniques, even if you don't feel better straight away. It will take time and regular practice before you start to feel the benefits.

Before you start relaxing, make sure your mind, body and surroundings are just right. To prepare yourself:

-find a cool and quiet room where you'll not be disturbed

-lie down or sit comfortably with your legs uncrossed

-put on comfortable clothes and take off your shoes

-lightly close your eyes, or focus on a spot in front of you

-clear your thoughts and focus on your breath

Don't worry if you can't relax immediately. Thoughts might pop into your mind. Don't focus on them just let them pass through.

Make a note of how relaxed you were before, and after, the exercises to see if it's helped.

Breathing to relax

Breathing too quickly, and deeply, can make you feel dizzy, faint or even more anxious. Taking slow, regular breaths can help you to control anxious thoughts and feelings, and make you feel calmer.

To control your breathing:

-place one hand on your chest and the other over your stomach. You want your stomach to move more than your chest as you breathe

-take a slow, regular breath in (through your nose if you can). Watch your hands as you breathe in. The hand on your stomach should move and your chest should not

-breathe out slowly through pursed lips

-repeat this 10 times, twice a day

It might take time to master this technique. Once you have, you won't need to watch your hands or put them on your stomach.