Relaxation in psychotherapy

The benefits of systematic relaxation sessions are recognized in modern psychotherapy. The theory about the positive impact of relaxation on the psyche is based on a statement about the relationship between mind and body. It is known that in a person under stress, muscle tone increases. It is assumed that there is also a feedback relationship: as muscle tone decreases, mental stress also decreases. In this case, mental stress can be reduced by deep muscle relaxation.

The most important concept when practicing relaxation for psychotherapeutic purposes is generalization, that is, the spread and consolidation of the relaxation effect. Unsystematic and superficial relaxation exercises give a temporary, incomplete effect. Only regular exercises in compliance with the methodology lead to persistent generalization of the effect and long-term positive influence of relaxation.

Psychophysiological relaxation techniques

Psychophysiological relaxation techniques refer to methods of relaxing muscles through the mind and exercise. To use these techniques, comfortable conditions are important: absence of bright light, comfortable temperature, non-restrictive clothing, absence of disturbing noises and other irritants. It is not advisable to practice relaxation on a full stomach, since the digestion process interferes with relaxation.

Progressive muscle relaxation

Jacobson initially developed about 200 special exercises to tense all skeletal muscles of the body, including the smallest ones. But in modern psychotherapy it is considered sufficient to consistently exercise 16 muscle groups in this way:

1. Dominant hand and forearm (clench your fist as hard as possible and bend your wrist in any direction).
2. Dominant shoulder (bend your arm at the elbow and press your elbow firmly into your body or onto the nearest surface - bed, armrest, etc.).
3. Non-dominant hand and forearm.
4. Non-dominant shoulder.
5. Muscles of the upper third of the face (raise your eyebrows as high as possible and open your mouth wide).
6. Muscles of the middle third of the face (close your eyes tightly, frown and wrinkle your nose).
7. Muscles of the lower third of the face (clench your jaw tightly and move the corners of your mouth back towards your ears)
8. Neck muscles (pull your shoulder joints high to your ears and in this position tilt your chin to your chest)
9. Chest muscles and diaphragm (take a deep breath, hold your breath, bring your elbows in front of you and squeeze them)
10. Back and abdominal muscles (tighten your abdominal muscles, squeeze your shoulder blades together and arch your back)
11. Hip dominant (tighten the front and back of your thigh, keeping your knee in a tight, bent position)
12. Dominant shin (pull your foot towards you as much as possible and straighten your toes)
13. Dominant foot (extend your ankle and flex your toes)
14. Non-dominant hip
15. Non-dominant lower leg
16. Non-dominant foot

The word “dominant” means right for right-handed people and left for left-handed people.

Of course, there are more detailed methods of progressive relaxation (for 30, 40 muscle groups, and more) for those who want to achieve a high degree of mastery in relaxation.

For the first two months, Dr. Jacobson recommended exercising daily, then gradually reducing the frequency to 2 times a week. In the first month, it was recommended to exercise 2 times a day for 20-30 minutes. In the second month, once a day for 20 minutes. Then 10-15 minutes.

Once you reach a certain level of mastery, Jacobson recommended learning to induce relaxation simply by imagining the feeling of relaxation in a certain muscle, without tension.

Abdominal breathing

This method considered one of the simplest. It is also called "diaphragmatic breathing." The method involves 1-3 approaches (with breaks) of 10 respiratory cycles (inhalations-exhalations), performed as follows:

• Inhale slowly through your nose. When inhaling, you should try to make the stomach “swell” as much as possible, and the chest does not swell as much.
• Hold your breath for a few seconds.
• Exhale slowly, preferably through the mouth. The exhalation should be longer than the inhalation. When exhaling, all the air must be completely expelled from the lungs, for which a slight effort must be made at the end of the exhalation.

When you inhale deeply, the stomach rises because the diaphragm - the main respiratory muscle - drops very low, as if “inflating” the abdominal area. It is the low descent of the diaphragm that is the main indicator of the completeness of inspiration, that is, complete filling of the lungs with air. And a complete exhalation ensures complete renewal of air in the lungs, which does not happen with shallow breathing.

This exercise promotes good oxygen saturation of the blood and, with long-term practice, helps develop correct everyday breathing. The technique also helps with emphysema.

The method can be combined with self-hypnosis, saying with each exhalation keyword, for example: “relaxation”, “calmness”, “serenity”, etc.

Self-hypnosis

In self-hypnosis, relaxation can be achieved by repeatedly repeating a suggestive phrase, for example: “My left hand is completely relaxed.” Similar suggestive phrases are composed and repeated sequentially for all parts of the body. Self-hypnosis is best performed with your eyes closed. The technique usually takes a long time to master.

Medicinal relaxation

Relaxation can be achieved through the use of special medications - muscle relaxants. Medicinal relaxation is used before surgery, for illnesses and injuries. Muscle relaxation is also side effect some other groups of drugs.

Physiotherapy

Warm baths and gentle massage promote muscle relaxation.

• Ebert, D. Stress and relaxation // Ebert, D. Physiological aspects of yoga / Transl. with him. R. S. Minvaleeva. - Leipzig: Web Georg Thieme, 1999. - 166 pp.: ill. - ISBN 5-85663-059-3. - Ch. 5.4.3.

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Synonyms:

See what “Relaxation” is in other dictionaries:

- (from lat. relaxatio weakening, reduction), the process of establishing thermodynamic equilibrium in macroscopic. physical systems (gases, liquids, solids). Macroscopic condition system is determined by a large number of parameters, and the establishment... ... Physical encyclopedia

relaxation- (from the Latin relaxation, reduction of tension, weakening) a state of peace, relaxation that occurs in the subject as a consequence of the release of tension, after strong experiences or physical effort. R. may be involuntary (relaxation when leaving... ... Great psychological encyclopedia

Relaxation- – the process of gradual transition of a thermodynamic system from a nonequilibrium state caused by external influences to a state of thermodynamic equilibrium. Examples of relaxation processes: gradual change in tension in the body... ... Encyclopedia of terms, definitions and explanations of building materials

- [lat. relaxatio reduction of tension, weakening] honey. relaxation of skeletal muscles; relieving mental stress. Dictionary foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006. relaxation (lat. relaxatio reduction of tension, weakening) 1) physical. process … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

relaxation- and, f. relaxation, German Relaxation relaxatio reduction of tension, weakening. 1. physical The process of gradually returning to a state of equilibrium. system brought out of such a state after the cessation of the factors that brought it out... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

RELAXATION, the process of establishing thermodynamic equilibrium in a macroscopic physical system consisting of a large number of particles. Characteristics of the relaxation time process. For example: for a system of electrons in a metal, the relaxation time is t 10... ... Modern encyclopedia

In physiology, relaxation or a sharp decline tone of skeletal muscles up to complete immobility. May arise as pathological condition; artificial relaxation is achieved by using muscle relaxants... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Relaxation, thermorelaxation, attenuation, weakening Dictionary of Russian synonyms. relaxation noun, number of synonyms: 6 autorelaxation (1) ... Synonym dictionary

Relaxation, relaxation came from Latin language"RELAXATIO", which can be translated as relaxation, easing, reducing tension.

Not so long ago it also meant a technical concept " self-reducing stress reduction at a given permanent deformation."

Nowadays, it refers more to psychology and means rest, relaxation after hard work, and stress relief.

"Relax" synonyms:

• Discharge
• Pacification
• Serenity
• Rest
• Peace
• Calm
• Relaxation

And perhaps the most accurate synonym is meditation, which is essentially a state of internal relaxation that allows " dive into yourself", to escape from internal (intellectual, emotional, physical and other stress) and external (light, sound) factors of existence.

Conditions for relaxation:

• Slow, correct breathing
• Privacy
• Silence
• Self-hypnosis
• Comfortable position

- Breath- deep and slow, most important, correct breathing in nature, in the open air;

- Privacy- for most, the concept is practically unattainable, but you can try it in the bathroom;

- Silence- if you live in a big city and silence is almost unattainable, you can turn on soothing, pleasant music;

- Self-hypnosis- required condition. You need to forget about your problems, worries, work. Stop thinking about work. It is advisable not to think about anything at all at this time. In fact, this is the most basic part of relaxation, self-focus, meditation. However, to achieve this will require years of training. Of course, true relaxation for a person of Western thinking is almost an unattainable dream, even if you lie down in the bathtub, on the sofa or on the grass, you will only waste your time. It is better to get a good sleep before the working day.

- Pose- sit with your back resting or lie down. You need to trust your body, it will make the choice itself.

The section is very easy to use. Just enter the desired word in the field provided, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-formation dictionaries. Here you can also see examples of the use of the word you entered.

The meaning of the word relaxation

relaxation in the crossword dictionary

Dictionary of medical terms

relaxation (relaxatio; lat. relaxation of tension) in medicine

relaxation of skeletal muscles;

relieving mental stress.

Names, titles, phrases and phrases containing "relaxation":

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

relaxation

in physiology - relaxation or a sharp decrease in the tone of skeletal muscles up to complete immobility. May occur as a pathological condition; artificial relaxation is achieved by using muscle relaxants.

Relaxation

Relaxation, muscle relaxation- decreased skeletal muscle tone. Relaxation can be achieved through the use of special psychophysiological techniques, physiotherapy and medicines. It is believed that relaxation helps relieve mental stress, which is why it is widely used in psychotherapy, hypnosis and self-hypnosis, yoga and many other health systems. Relaxation, along with meditation, has gained great popularity as a means of combating stress and psychosomatic diseases.

Relaxation is especially effective for people with increased muscle tone. It has been proven that increased muscle tone leads to the development of diseases. For people with reduced muscle tone, the relaxation effect will be less. A sharp or progressive decrease or increase in muscle tone may be the result of illness.

Relaxation (physics)

Relaxation- the process of establishing thermodynamic, and therefore statistical equilibrium in a physical system consisting of a large number of particles.

Relaxation (disambiguation)

• Relaxation (from Latin relaxatio - weakening, relaxation) - deep muscle relaxation, accompanied by the release of mental stress.
• Relaxation (from Latin relaxatio - weakening, decreasing) is the process of establishing balance in any physical system.
• The relaxation method is an iterative method for solving systems of linear algebraic equations.

Examples of the use of the word relaxation in literature.

I propose the following interpretation, applicable to obstetric practice: relaxation is a state of the body when muscle tone throughout the body is reduced to a minimum.

Hell, akasha, alcoholism, Angel, antimatter, antigravity, antiphoton, asthenia, astrology, atom, Armageddon, aura, autogenic training, delirium tremens, insomnia, dispassion, God, divine, divine path, Buddhism, Buddhi, future, future of the Universe, future solar system, vacuum, Great Vow, substance, virtual, influence on fate, extraterrestrial civilization, Universe, flood, incarnation, time, Higher Mind, Higher Knowledge, galaxy, geological periods, Hermes Trismegistus, hyperon, hypnosis, brain, horoscope, gravitational waves, gravity, guna, Tao, double, depersonalization, mass defect, demon, Zen Buddhism, good evil, DNA, Ancient Knowledge, continental drift, Spirit, soul, dhyana, devil, Unified Field Theory, life, mental illness, origin life, star, earthly life, knowledge of the future, knowledge, zombies, zombification, change of fate, altered states of consciousness, measurement of matter, Emerald Tablet, immune system, instinct, intelligence, intuition, bending of light, art

Of course, Mokha gathers a fairly decent company, these gentlemen are in good terms with the law just enough to enjoy the company of Sir Kofa, but my current profession, and, moreover, my dark past, somehow do not contribute relaxation those around you.

If this condition continues to worsen for several more days, weakness and relaxation.

By moving your arm or leg or changing your posture, you interrupt the internal relaxation process, and those muscles that have already reached a certain degree relaxation, will have to start the whole process again in this case.

The Institute of Physical Problems, after a long and persistent search, managed to find a metal alloy that, at a temperature separated from absolute zero by only two hundredths of a degree, turned into a superconductor with an unusually high energy intensity and for a long time relaxation, that is, the time the current is maintained after the cessation of the electromotive force.

Leia touched Luke's temples with her fingertips, and he took a deep breath, resorting to the technique relaxation to remove excess blocks.

Philip Limborch speaks of punishment by work in the galleys and even relaxation However, if the guilty person professed a false doctrine about the essence of his motivation for an evil act and if he did not persist in this, the inquisitors, I am sure, never went to this extreme.

Anyone subjected to torture was considered an unscrupulous heretic, unrepentant, and as such was sentenced to death. relaxation, having previously been declared exposed and stubborn.

Indeed, no matter how weak the contradiction may be, it gives rise to suspicion of duplicity, denial or false confession and can serve as a motive for the tribunal’s refusal to reconcile the prisoner with the Church, even if he asked for it, and often even for sentencing him to death. relaxation.

Relaxation: the key to calmness in childbirth The uterus during pregnancy The muscles of the uterus Fear - tension - pain Preparing for relaxation How to recognize tension Practice relaxation Poses for relaxation Residual tension Chapter 5.

Muscular relaxation is a condition in which muscle tone throughout the body is reduced to a minimum.

The pelvic floor is extremely elastic: in the absence of spasm, the levator ani muscle is in a state relaxation and does not provide resistance to the descending fruit.

Logroño celebrated the most solemn auto-da-fé, awarding fifty-two people: eleven to relaxation, twenty - for reconciliation with the Church and twenty-one - for various penances.

When he gets there, the sentence is read to him, followed by either reconciliation with the church, or relaxation, that is, handing him over to a secular judge, in other words, condemning him to be burned according to the royal civil law.

Reading time: 3 min

Relaxation is a conscious reduction in muscle tone. Relaxation can be achieved by using special technicians, exercises or medications. The goal of relaxation in any of the techniques is to achieve complete relaxation of the body, thanks to which an increase in performance and a decrease in mental and physical stress is achieved, which has a positive effect on the psyche.

Relaxation techniques are quite popular in yoga, psychotherapy, and various health systems. It is believed that the relaxation technique is a method akin to , which are both effective ways to combat stress.

Various ways Relaxation exercises are especially effective for people who have increased muscle tone, since it is the cause of many diseases. People with decreased muscle tone experience less of the relaxation effect. When a stress factor affects a person, muscle tension is created in the body. This tension is a defensive reaction, preparing the body for action. The body receives a danger signal - stress, and turns on active defense.

Stress has come a long way in evolution, from the crouching tiger to the modern stress of people - problems with writing a thesis, civil strife with superiors. Such stressors require long and intense thinking. It turns out that the muscle tone remained as strong as before, because there was no discharge, but on the contrary, everything had accumulated inside and put pressure on the person.

Chronic stress, small or insignificant, becomes an obstacle to the spontaneous release of muscle tension and the muscle clamps formed by it. Muscle clamps absorb a large number of energy, interfere with good blood flow, make attention scattered and the state tense.

Many people know about the relaxation method that it is very useful way restoration of strength, which gives an invaluable effect, it does not require material investments and is quite affordable for every person. Despite daily stress, a person can protect himself from it in this way. negative impact.

The effectiveness of systematic relaxation sessions is recognized by modern psychotherapists. According to the theory of the positive impact of relaxation on a person’s mental state, there is a specific strong connection between the mind and body and a person needs to maintain it. An important point in psychotherapy using relaxation techniques there is generalization. Generalization is the spread and consolidation of the effect. If you do not do it systematically and superficially, then the effect will be just as temporary and of poor quality. Through regular, persistent practice, you can achieve generalization and long-term positive effects of relaxation on the individual.

What is relaxation

Many people have heard the word relaxation, but not everyone knows it. Relaxation is a technique that is used to relax the body and have a general beneficial effect on it.

Many individuals believe that it is necessary to specially set aside time for exercise, but they themselves do not realize that every day there is a certain relaxation technique in their actions. For example, a person had a lot to do during the working day, he is tired, stressed, wants to leave work as quickly as possible, and so he leaves the office, gets behind the wheel of a car, starts his way home, and it already becomes easier for him. Tension decreases, a person understands that all work is behind him, and a wonderful evening awaits him, he relaxes - this is relaxation.

The ability to relax correctly will help a person prevent pain, feel a surge of strength and vigor. A cheerful person is more efficient than a passive and tired person. There are many relaxation techniques; you can choose the most suitable one for yourself and actively use it.

Relaxation technique “Deep breath”. It is very effective in stressful situations when negative emotions predominate in a person. If anxiety takes over, you need to take a very deep breath, count to ten and finally exhale. During this time, you can evaluate the situation, think about how hopeless it is, try to convince yourself that there is a way out and everything will work out for the best. Thanks to these thoughts, during relaxation a person calms down and neutralizes stress. To improve the relaxation effect, you can do meditation for cleansing.

Not many people realize that hugging is also a way of relaxation. Hugging with children is especially beneficial. It is important that a person has the warmest feelings for these children. Children's spontaneity and sincerity will make you forget about all the bad things. Hugs have a positive effect not only with children, but also with other loved ones. You need to hug your loved ones, parents, brothers, sisters, friends. Hugs help relieve tension and restore strength.

Relaxation method - massage. Many people know about the benefits of massage and its healing effects on the human body. A certain massage helps the muscles of the body relax and tension goes away. One session should last at least 30 minutes. A person who is engaged in many activities and is in a tense state should attend massage sessions. This is a great way to relax and recover.

Aromatherapy sessions have a beneficial effect on a person’s mental state. Have a calming effect essential oils mint, lavender, pine nut, ylang-ylang, bergamot and others. If you combine massage and aromatherapy sessions together, accompanied by a pleasant melody, you will get a very pleasant relaxation.

Music is a great way to relax. She can both relax and pacify, and invigorate. One song can make a person laugh, another can make a person sad. But it is true that they evoke strong emotions. It has been proven that listening to classical music has a very calming effect and helps relieve stress. There are even separate special collections of music for relaxation. Therefore, a person exposed to frequent stress must have such records at home. If you also drink tea while listening to music, this will give you a double relaxation effect.

If a person is stressed, he can relieve it by drinking a mug of warm herbal tea. There are herbs that have a calming and relaxing effect, such as mint, sage, lemon balm, valerian, chamomile, oregano and others. The process of drinking tea itself is relaxation; it has a calming effect on a person who has to stop for a minute in the whirlwind of his worries. At this time, you can calmly assess the stressful situation, weigh its various sides and recharge. Thanks to herbs, a person’s condition can instantly improve. Sipping tea slowly is a wonderful way to relax.

Relaxation methods

There are a huge number of relaxation methods, we will look at some of them.

Breathing relaxation method. Breathing techniques are actively used in yoga and are considered basic in any relaxation exercise. The lesson should be conducted alone, in a room with minimal distractions. You need to take a comfortable position and close your eyes. You need to concentrate your attention on your breathing, feel its rhythm and depth, monitor the direction of the air into the lungs, and then out. It is necessary to imagine how air penetrates a person through his skin, arms, legs, and so on. Then you need to feel how your hand is filled with air, how air enters and exits through small tiny pores, carefully observe your sensations, how they change. This must be done until there is a feeling of complete relaxation of this hand. Next, you should do the same with the other arm, legs, neck and back, thus achieving complete relaxation of the body.

Relaxation method using imagery. This method includes . It is very pleasant to practice, especially with special relaxing music. This technique involves first looking for images, the visualization of which helps to feel relaxation. So, for example, it could be an idea of ​​how a person lies on the warm sand, near the sea, how he takes a bath with foam, basks in bed, or relaxes under a palm tree, feels the freshness of the mountain air, and more.

It is important to find your own image for relaxation, which will be the most close to a person and will convey a feeling of his inspiration. a person should draw an image of the highest bliss, there are several such images, you can concentrate on them one by one, then determine which of them cause a stronger state. Analyze how sensations change when each image appears, and choose a more suitable and pleasant one.

It is important to understand that this image is not just a picture in your head, but a complete identification of yourself in this image. That is, a person must also feel the impulses mountain wind, and the salty taste of sand, the scorching sun, ladybugs crawling on the body, and so on. You need to stay in this state for quite a long time, look at all the details, feel the sensations. And if you practice such relaxation very persistently and for a long time, then at one moment a person can simply remember his favorite image and the body, with the help of muscles, will be able to relax itself.

The method of relaxation using self-hypnosis or words is very effective for those people who trust only themselves and their logic. To do this, certain verbal formulations are created and recorded, which can be learned or recorded on a voice recorder. These phrases should include words that denote warmth and heaviness, as well as “relaxing” phrases. Example: “The right hand is relaxed. I feel her warmth. Each finger on the right hand fills with a pleasant heaviness. The brush becomes heavy. My right hand completely relaxed."

Afterwards, you need to relax the rest of the body one by one. Relaxation formulations should be spoken quietly and slowly to allow enough time to concentrate on the sensations. The words should be simple and easy to understand, so that immediately after pronunciation you can understand what needs to be done. The entire process and effectiveness of relaxation depends on the formulations, because in this process the body is associated with certain words. If everything is done correctly, then after several relaxation trainings a person will be able to achieve complete relaxation of the body, using only the wording “My body is relaxed.”

Relaxation method using muscle tension. It is based on the physiological laws of the body. Muscle relaxation involves four approaches. The first approach is the Shavasana exercise, in which a person concentrates on the processes occurring in the body. The second approach involves the Progressive Relaxation method, which uses the contrast of relaxation with tension. The third approach is autogenic training, using self-order. The fourth approach involves the use of images.

Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation is a unique relaxation technique; it is represented by alternating a relaxed state with tension in different muscle groups. Muscle relaxation has several stages. At the first stage there are three points that must be completed. The first thing is to lie on your back, bend your arms at the joints and strongly tense your arm muscles, concentrate on muscle tension.

The second is to relax the muscles of your arms, straighten them and direct your attention to the feeling of muscle relaxation. You should repeat the first and second steps several times.

Third, contraction of the biceps. Tighten the muscles very strongly and relax very slowly, while being aware of each weak contraction. Remain completely still, relaxing your flexor muscles for fifteen minutes.

It is advisable to learn to achieve complete relaxation, to the point of no longer feeling the weakest contractions of the biceps. Next, exercises should be used to relax other striated muscles, neck, shoulder girdle and so on, the very last should be the muscles of the face, larynx and tongue last.

The second stage is called “differentiated relaxation”. A person in a sitting position relaxes muscles that are not involved in maintaining the body in an upright position. This is followed by contraction and relaxation exercises. Exercises come down to contracting and relaxing those muscles of the body that are not involved in this moment.

In the third stage, one observes one's daily life in order to identify which muscles tense during affective states that the person would like to get rid of, for example, anxiety or fear. You need to weaken and prevent these local muscle tensions, solve your problems by getting rid of unwanted emotions.

A method of combining performances with movements. The purpose of relaxation is to develop the ability to create images and perceive verbal formulations of self-suggestion in a relaxed state. You need to sit on the edge of a chair, cross your legs so that the support rests on your toes. Straighten your spine; if you feel discomfort, it is better not to straighten too much, pull your chin in a little, put your hands on your hips, palms up. Take a deep breath and exhale twice. During a full inhalation, mentally say “a-o-um.” You need to take a breath on each sound. And take a long exhale, feel how the muscles of the body relax. Then walk around the room, while taking three or four breaths in and out. Sit back, inhale, mentally say “a-o-um.” Hold your breath for two seconds and immediately imagine yourself healthy, active and cheerful. As you exhale for a long time, feel the muscles relax. As you exhale, tense your arm muscles, imagine yourself cheerful and in good mood. Repeat the exercise six or eight times, and when finished, stand up vigorously.

Jog for a minute. At the end of the run, hypotensive people should start doing push-ups, doing exercises with dumbbells, squatting ten times, doing fifteen jumping jacks and walking until breathing resumes. Lie on your back, relax and breathe deeply. Then say to yourself how wonderful the training was, that it gave you joy and health. Then, as you exhale, inflate your stomach three times and draw it in. Repeat three times, stand up cheerfully, sit down calmly, relax your muscles and repeat to yourself about seven times: “The training was successful, I feel an excess of strength.”

It would seem that all methods of relaxation should be less active than this technique, but in fact, since the active phase and relaxation alternate, at the end the person feels a strong influx of energy.

A very popular method of relaxation is associated with the subjective perception of reality and lifestyle; the most natural and easily accessible way of relaxation is laughter. With its help, a person can quickly tune himself into a positive wave. There is even a separate direction called laughter therapy, today it is developing rapidly. Laughter can independently induce a state of relaxation in the body, which contributes to overall health. During laughter, muscles contract and relax. Breathing quickens, as a result of which the blood is saturated with oxygen. Brain cells reduce pain sensitivity. They release endorphin hormones - substances that reduce pain and increase pleasure.

Laughter therapy primarily has a connection with a person’s subjective perception of himself and the world around him. If a person is inclined to look for humor in himself or in external events, he becomes more resistant to stressful adverse effects.

A more popular method of relaxation than laughter, but no less accessible, is sleep. If someone doesn’t like to laugh a lot, at least he’s definitely sleeping. The dream is in a natural way relaxation, with its help the body neutralizes excitement and activity, and protects brain cells from exhaustion. Healthy sleep is the best way to rest and fully recuperate. In addition, Jacobson muscle relaxation can be performed just before bed, which will provide deep and complete relaxation of the body's systems.

Postisometric relaxation

Before performing manual manipulations, it is imperative to relieve pain, spasm and stretch the muscle itself that will be manipulated. For this purpose, post-isometric relaxation classes are used, which are performed using massage.

Postisometric relaxation technique is a combination of short isometric work of the lowest intensity and inert muscle stretching. Isometric work, like stretching, lasts 5-10 seconds. These combinations should be repeated up to six times. As a result of such repetitions, persistent hypotension forms in the muscles and the initial soreness disappears.

For effective post-isometric muscle relaxation, some recommendations have been compiled. The patient's isometric work should be of minimal intensity and short-term. An effort of great intensity causes completely different changes that do not achieve relaxation; significant intervals cause muscle fatigue, too short intervals are not capable of causing changes in the spatial contractile substrate in the muscles, which does not have a therapeutic effect; the expected therapeutic effect is muscle relaxation.

Human isometric work can be replaced by muscle tension, which appears as a result of synergy (interaction) during the output. The activity of volitional tension is more pronounced than muscle activity, although the therapeutic effect of relaxation is the same.

The next thing is the connection of synergistic muscle tension, with different gaze directions. When a person directs his gaze upward, his neck and back muscles tense; when looking down, his neck and torso muscles tense; if he looks to the right, his rotator muscles work, turning his head and torso to the right. Best effect achieved by simultaneously applying respiratory and oculomotor synergy. Inhalation increases the tone of the activated muscle, exhalation helps to relax it. The practical execution of this combination involves the sequence: look to the right, take a breath and hold it, look to the left, exhale. This combination is quite effective.

The process of post-isometric relaxation begins with identifying the muscle or muscle group that a person wants to work. It is necessary to observe in which position the muscle is more stretched and in which it is contracted. The starting position is stretching to elasticity, without effort. If you try to stretch the muscles even more, you can get injured, feel pain and unpleasant tension, such efforts will not be good for anyone.

You need to fix the most comfortable position, take a deep breath, then hold your breath for a few seconds and slightly tense the muscle (fixing its length), contract it, reduce the length of the muscle. Then take a calm, deep exhalation, gradually reducing the force of muscle contraction. Wait a few seconds, make sure that the muscle is completely relaxed and slowly stretch it for 10-15 seconds without resistance. In this way, the extreme stretch position is reached. Fix the position and repeat the cycle several times.

If the stretching is not enough or the desired relaxation has not occurred, then muscle tension and the isometric phase with breath holding should be increased to 30 seconds. Approximately after completing the third isometric relaxation phase, the tension goes away and relaxation occurs.

It is better to start your first sessions of post-isometric relaxation with classes with an instructor and a rehabilitator. So, a person tenses a muscle, holds his breath, the instructor stretches this muscle and fixes it in this position. Not all muscle groups can be performed with an instructor. Some muscles need to be stretched yourself, since the rehabilitation therapist does not know what exactly the patient feels, how sensitive he is to this sensation. Therefore, you need to be able to perform this technique yourself.

Postisometric relaxation is used for conditions such as musculoskeletal pain; warming up the muscles before performing various types of manipulations; local hypertonicity; neurological manifestations of spinal pathologies; muscle contraction due to local postural imbalance.

When performing post-isometric relaxation, it is necessary to take into account contraindications, including skin diseases, transit ischemic attack, high temperature, headaches, damage to the skin in the affected area, severe pain during performance, arrhythmia, thrombosis, pulmonary failure, refusal of the patient himself.

Speaker of the Medical and Psychological Center "PsychoMed"