Work, family and a hellish lifestyle put a strain on our nervous system. And the troubles are felt on a physical and mental level. But tensions can be eased. With fitness.
Always tired, unable to concentrate properly, maybe a little depressed… and then you get anxious about everything and you get angry about nothing?
And what about your muscles, sore as if you’ve done who knows what even though, in reality, you’ve spent most of your time sitting at your desk… and maybe that’s why you sleep too and digest poorly?
Nothing strange under the sun: it’s just the consequence of protracted stress. But what stress? Well, that’s already harder to say. Each of us reacts to stressful events or factors differently.
If some can’t stand the noise, too bright light or crowds of people at all, others instead succumb under the weight, albeit slight, of normal family tensions or difficult relationships with colleagues. In short, there is something for all tastes.
Many causes, one reaction
However, the fact that all the “stressed” people have in common is that when exposure to a situation of discomfort, whatever it may be, continues over time, it causes the same response in our body.
That is, the activation of a certain number of structures (such as the brain, adrenal glands and other endocrine glands) designed to put us in a state of alarm, to warn us that something is wrong.
It is a defense mechanism which, however, implements a series of reactions which are all intended to enhance the fight and flight skills that we inherited from our ancestors. And that today we no longer need them.
The consequence is that if this situation continues without the resources made available to us being exploited, some substances put into circulation in excess and muscle tension end up causing us trouble. Both physical and psychic.
To ease tensions
But if our body has still remained at the ancestral canons, we are the ones who have to find the right remedy for our days to relieve stress tension. And sporting activity is an excellent method.
Attention, however, must be done with criteria: if you are not adequately prepared it could even become a source of further stress.
Let us not be fooled by the idea that the higher the tension, the more intense the effort must be to release it quickly. If we leave, the relief remains, if there is any, it is only momentary because we would subject an already contracted musculature and an already stressed physique to overwork for which they certainly won’t thank us.
Therefore, it is very good to practice physical activity by adopting a series of precautions. Muscle tension must be released through gentle exercises and practiced very gradually. And, first, the muscles need to be relaxed.
Body and mind
And let’s not forget that the mind also needs to relax, just like the muscles, and it needs even more to be conducted very calmly and patiently.
The good news is that physical activity also plays a key role in managing psychological stress, reducing anxiety. It can also increase levels of endorphins in the brain, substances that induce feelings of pleasure and well-being.
The best results are therefore obtained by associating physical activity with relaxation techniques through which one concentrates on oneself by passively analyzing one’s sensations.
Progressive muscle relaxation
One method, developed in the 1930s and revisited several times is that of progressive muscle relaxation. Its goal is to rebalance the nervous system by trying to slow down and counteract the hyper-stress caused by continuous stress.
No need to go to the gym or equipment of any kind. The exercises are quite simple and you can do them at home too. The important thing, for it to be effective, is to follow a few rules, many of which are common to all relaxation techniques. Here are which ones.
Choose a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed or distracted; the environment must be relaxing, not too hot or too cold, silent and with soft lighting.
Wear comfortable clothes and lie down on the floor or on a carpet with your arms at your sides and legs slightly apart with your feet relaxed.
Pay attention to how you breathe: inhale through your nose, first inflating your belly and then your chest, and exhale, still through your nose; take a new breath only when you feel the real need.
A few seconds for a great benefit
Once the right moment and place have been identified, here are the exercises to perform for half an hour, forty-five minutes regularly: it is better not to let more than four days pass between one session and the next.
| Exercise | Duration | Relaxation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feet | Extend fingers, hold tension | 2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds |
| Flex your toes, try to touch the sole of your foot to the floor, maintain tension | 2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds | |
| Legs | Contract the leg muscles by holding the foot together, maintain the tension | 2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds |
| Contract the thigh muscles, hold the tension | 2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds | |
| Buttocks | Contract the buttocks, hold the tension | 2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds |
| Abdominal muscles | Contract the abdominal muscles, draw in the belly, hold the tension | 2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds |
| Arm | Clench your fist tightly, bend your forearm over your arm maintaining the tension and trying to reach your shoulder with your wrist. Extend your arm back to the ground and relax |
2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds |
| Back and shoulders | Push the upper limbs against the hips and simultaneously place the shoulders down and forward, maintaining the tension |
2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds |
| Bring the shoulders up until the head fits between them and contract, maintain the tension | 2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds | |
| Face | Frown brow, close eyelids and purse lips as tightly as possible, maintain tension | 2 seconds if the muscles are not trained, up to 6 seconds if they are | About 15 seconds |
At the end, lie down for a few minutes enjoying the deep relaxation. It is recommended to end the exercises with slow but accentuated breathing.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.