Of all the strategies aimed at reducing the physical impact of stress, Jacobson’s progressive relaxation technique is one of the most effective, if we practice it several times it will be an excellent tool to gradually relieve all muscle tension.
One curious thing about this technique, created by Edmund Jacobson in 1920, is that once we have learned to apply it, it immediately becomes a wonderful “pocket” resource, a tool that we can all do at any time to find calm in a stressful environment. Situation.
“It’s the tension you think it should be. Relaxation is who you are?-Chinese proverb-
Frequent situations such as an exam, conference or job interview often involve a sense of alarm on the part of our brain, so muscle tension, abdominal pain, tremors, dry mouth and intrusive thoughts that can rob us of power and efficiency when performing any task appears immediately.
The gradual relaxation of Jacobson allows us to focus all our attention on a series of muscular exercises with which, little by little, tensions are mitigated and, above all, those disturbing ideas that cause us discomfort and vulnerability.
Here’s how to apply it in your daily life
We’ve all been in some occasional stressful situation or, worse, maybe you’re going through a period of continuous and persistent anxiety, the good news is that you’ll be able to get rid of this anxiety, the least good thing is that you’ll have to be consistent in applying the technique. Before we get to the heart of it, let’s talk about three points to consider.
“There is no stress in the world, only people who create stressful thoughts and act on them. -Wayne Dyer-
Let’s take an example to understand the usefulness of Jacobson’s progressive relaxation: Miguel is a neurologist, an excellent professional who suffers anxiety attacks every time he attends a convention, congress or conference where he is obliged to speak in public.
Then, as can be inferred, the strategy created by Edmund Jacobson allows us to achieve a state of mental calm through muscle relaxation. Once we have achieved this inner balance, it is time to restructure our thoughts, change our focus and face our fears.
In addition to being a fantastic strategy for channeling anxiety and reducing stress, Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation has several health benefits: does it lower blood pressure, promote deeper and more restorative rest, reduce seizures in people with epilepsy?
“Welfare and health are essential; without them, we could not keep our minds strong and clear. -Bouddha-
There is one aspect that needs to be clarified: this technique requires several tests before you can get the most out of it, your benefits will be faster and more effective as we put them into practice, here’s how to do it.
The first thing you need to do is find a comfortable position, take off your shoes and wear comfortable clothes, rest your arms on your lap and start this simple relaxation sequence.
To conclude, we must practice this simple sequence daily, in search of a moment of tranquility and loneliness that promotes a good muscle relaxation with which to connect the mind to calm it, relax it and become aware of the here and now. , our gifts needs. Therefore, progressive muscle relaxation works and can become your best strategy to deal with any stressful situation.