Chronic Pain Switzerland

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques

By Rosemarie Kayle, our Relaxation Techniques Trainer within our telephone support training program.

This is a brief introduction to our RELAXATION and STRESS MANAGEMENT section concentrating on RELAXATION skills.

Relaxation skills should be included in every professional and non-professional course as Lifeskills to help coping in an increasingly stressful world.

The next important thing is the willingness of a person to be guided through an exercise to feel trusting enough to follow the instructions and concentrate to let go of tension.

Imagery

Imagination is something we use in everyday life. In pain management we use it as a helpful diversion to relax and by relaxing reducing our pain. We use everyday imagination when we sew a dress, either using a pattern or imagining our own creation. Building a house we can use existing plans or in our mind create our own design. Planning a meal we may use a safe recipe or use our own imagination and create our own concoction. In pain management we use imagery to reduce tension in the body brought on by the suffering of pain, and we can create ways in our mind to reduce pain to live more comfortably to not let pain rule our life.

Even people who LOVE doing what they do may find the pace draining and wish they could take a break more often, let go of tension and replenish their energy.

People who feel drained by stress or pain over a long period of time may suffer burnout, become less or non-productive and in need of health care.

Regular relaxation exercises can becalm and re-energise a person. They are a skill, and like any skill, the more it is practiced, the more effective it becomes.

Relaxation skills are now widely taught in industrial arenas and in health care. Research has shown the benefits of practicing relaxation:

Control of breathing rate and depth.
Reduced pulse and blood pressure
Reduced muscle tone.
Reduced brain waves per second (enhances clarity of thought)

Altogether a person can learn relaxation skills to attain a more calm state of mind. A calmed state of mind is a less tense state and less tension has proved to reduce pain.

Our relaxation exercises are for our telephone support people as well as for our callers. We have created a number of exercises for different situations. Our telephone support people may find a very short FOCUS/CENTRING exercise helpful before and during a call in order to be 100% there for the caller.

Also, after an involved call, to help let go of residual feelings, another specific exercise for calming and re-focusing. Our other exercises can be offered over the phone if it seems like a caller could benefit and it is readily agreeable to participate.

Pivotal to a relaxation exercise users BREATHING AWARENESS and BREATHING CONTROL. It is common knowledge that our breathing patterns change according to an emotional and physical states. Starting a relaxation exercise with breathing awareness is simply making practical use of this knowledge to help a person starting to relax.

Safety is important: guiding someone through an exercise, person-to-person or over the phone, we need to insure that person is safely positioned to avoid falling off a chair, should they nod off during an exercise, which can happen if they are very tired. Therefore, we start each exercise with instructions for the recipient to make sure to be sitting in a comfortable and SAFE position, with both feet firmly on the floor. That is if they are not resting in bed or wish to lie on the floor during the exercise.

Relaxation exercises are usually a combination of BREATHING - MUSCLE RELAXATION and IMAGERY.

Exercise A

This is the most straightforward very short BREATHING AWARENESS EXERCISE. Participating with full concentration will surprise you, how effective its calming effect is.

Sit upright in a safe position, both feet firmly on the floor.
OR
Resting in bed or lying on the floor if preferred.

In your normal breathing pattern

Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth with lips half closed. Focus on your breathing. On the INHALE and the EXHALE, LISTEN to your breath - FEEL the breathing movement of your body. Closing both eyes helps concentration.

Now place both hands flats between your lowest ribs and your navel so that you can FEEL your CHEST and your ABDOMEN move with each inhale and with each exhale.

Slowly SLOW your breathing rate to a comfortable deep and slow rhythm.

Sitting straight, head UP. Now breathe in deeply and pause a fraction of a second -

Breathe out deeply and pause for a fraction of a second -

Take five more deep breaths IN and OUT like this

As you slowly breathe IN and OUT in this pattern become aware of its calming effect -

Take another couple of deep breaths -

Then open your eyes -

And return to your usual breathing pattern.

Exercise B

This is a WHOLE BODY BREATHING EXERCISE to feel refreshed and calm.

Sit upright in a safe position, both feet firmly on the floor
OR
Resting in bed or lying on the floor if preferred.

In your usual breathing pattern

Breathing IN through your nose and breathe OUT through your mouth with lips half closed.

Focus on your breathing.

LISTEN to your breath -

FEEL the breathing movement of your body.
Closing both eyes helps concentrating.
Fully concentrate on your breathing -
And slowly SLOW your breathing rate and depth.
Take 3 deep and slow breaths, and keep breathing comfortably slow like this.

Now imagine with each INHALE
Breathing fresh air into every cell of your feet and legs and hips -
And breathing OUT all the used air and tiredness.

Breathing fresh air into every cell of your lower body -
And breathing OUT, all used air and tiredness.

Breathing fresh air into every cell of your upper body -
And breathing OUT all the used air and tiredness.

Breathing fresh air into every cell of your hands, arms and shoulders -
And breathing OUT all used air and tiredness.

Breathing fresh air into every cell of your neck and head-
And breathing OUT all the used air and tiredness.