Best Way to Do Rapid Relaxation Exercise

A few brief minutes is not long enough for deep relaxation, but rapid relaxation can be effectively achieved by first tensing then letting go of groups of muscles. The instructions given below are for rapid relaxation in the corpse position (lying on the floor), but the method can easily be adapted for sitting in a chair or standing up.

Instructions

• Lie flat on your back in the corpse position.
• Take a deep abdominal breath and raise the legs and feet a few inches above the floor, stiffening them as you do so. Hold them tense for five or six seconds then simultaneously breathe out and let go of your legs, allowing them to drop to the floor.

• Now, in a similar way, breathe in and lift your buttocks, tensing and clenching the muscles together, then breathe out and let go. Carry on with the arms and hands, making a fist with your arms, then your upper body.
• Finally breathe in and, without lifting your head, open your eyes and mouth as wide as you can and stick out your tongue as in the Lion. Breathe out and relax. Then breathe in and screw your face up in the reverse of the Lion expression. Breathe out and relax.
• Lie flat on the floor in the original position for a few moments and completely relax. Feel that your body is very heavy, so heavy that it is sinking into the floor.
• To come out of the relaxation bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor, roll over to one side, then push yourself up using the other arm.

For even quicker relaxation, instead of tensing and relaxing groups of muscles, lie in the corpse position as previously, then breathe in and raise the legs, upper body and arms all at the same time a few inches from the floor. Hold the whole body tense for five or six seconds, then breathe out, let go and relax as before.

If you are unable to lie down, you can still use the technique of tightening and then relaxing all the muscles to release physical tension in almost any position.