Relaxation
Relaxation is the key to pain relief.
When you relax, your body becomes flooded with endorphins, your body’s own powerful pain relieving chemicals. Relaxation works! All you have to do is remember to do it!
If you would like some support to help you with relaxation we have some wonderful CDs and download tracks in our Shop.
Build relaxation into your day
Become more aware of your body and, as often as you can, remember to…
- Slow down! Concentrate on doing one thing at a time.
- Let go of tension
- Drop your shoulders,
- Unclench your teeth,
- Ungrip your hands
- Uncurl your toes
- Let all those tensions go.
More relaxation tips
- Take a deep breath right down into your abdomen, and, when you let it out, allow all the tension to drain right down your body, down through your feet and away into the ground.
- Stand and sit tall but relaxed, as though there is a golden thread going from the crown of your head straight up into the sky.
- In spare moments, perhaps while waiting for the kettle to boil or the computer to fire up, come into the present moment and concentrate on deep, slow breathing.
- Keep a half-smile on your lips to send messages of calmness to your subconscious mind, which then sends messages of tranquillity back to your body. You don’t even have to feel like smiling for this to happen. Smile, and let your body and mind do the rest!
- Take time every day to get close to nature. Listen to the birds, appreciate a beautiful painting, be near moving water or smell the flowers. Find your own ways to let go and stand back from life for a short while.
Relaxation for Pain Relief
Breathe relaxation and warmth into any part of your body needing special attention. Imagine the area being softened, soothed and calmed. Do this for a few minutes now and then during the day.
Make it a priority to have at least one 10-20 minute relaxation session every day. Tell your family and friends about your need to have a quiet, undisturbed period which will help you to control your pain. Use a CD or download some relaxation tracks or take yourself through the process yourself.
See our Shop page for CDs and Downloads
A Relaxing Body Scan
Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed for 10-20 minutes. Read through the steps below and then, in your mind, go through each step slowly. Take your time with each step and pause to allow relaxation to happen where you see three dots at the end of each line.
Sit or lie down, be as comfortable as you an be…
Close your eyes…
Become aware of your breathing, let it become deeper and slower…
Let your head rest down into the surface beneath you…
Let your forehead soften and relax…
Let your eyes soften and relax…
Let your mouth and jaw soften and relax…
Continue in the same way, taking your attention to each part of your body in turn, allowing it to soften and relax…
Take your time…
At the end, just lie still, enjoying the peace you have created…
Get up slowly at the end of your allotted time, take the peaceful sensations with you as you go about your day.
Remember, you need to make time for your relaxation session. Book it into your day, as you would any other important appointment.
Read about relaxation and build a collection of spoken relaxation CDs or tracks. Go to our Shop for relaxation CDs and Downloads.
