Jacobson's technique is recommended for anyone who, to one degree or another, has difficulty in relaxing the muscular system. In the civilized world, man lives in excessive haste, in anxiety, in unnecessary causes for anxiety and tension. Over time, overexertion accumulates, which leads to irritability and stress. Since our body is a single whole of soul and body, neuromuscular relaxation allows you to relax skeletal muscles and, as a result, put your psychological state in order.
History of the method
The relationship between the emotional and physical state of the body was noticed by a doctor and scientist from America, Edmund Jacobson. He conducted research on the manifestations of emotions back in 1922. Studying the behavior of his patients, he assessed the emotional state by measuring the tone of muscle tension. The result was an established relationship between physical and emotional stress.
Scientist proved that complete relaxation helps to remove the excitation of the nervous systemmuscles. By restoring their balance, bringing them into a relaxed state, a person is able to independently remove the excitation of the nervous system. Based on these beliefs, Jacobson developed a technique where neuromuscular relaxation became the basis. The name of the technique is Progressive Muscle Relaxation. She allowed patients to get rid of many ailments: depression, stuttering, insomnia. The method was constantly improved until 1948. Having gained great popularity among psychotherapists around the world, he is still a success today.
Neuromuscular relaxation according to Jacobson. Who is the technique suitable for?
- This technique is suitable for people who suffer from some kind of anxiety disorders. For those who, for example, are afraid of flying, right before boarding the plane, it would be appropriate to apply this technique in the airport hall. It will help to remove panic fear, relieve tension, anxiety. The person immediately begins to feel that they can control their emotions.
- Progressive neuromuscular relaxation is also useful for those who suffer from a variety of social phobias. If you are embarrassed by a wide audience, and you have to make a report, apply the exercises of the technique before the speech. This will give a good effect, the body will relax, the nerves will calm down, in front of the audience you will look confident and not tense.
- Relaxation is useful for everyone who wants to relieve background stress. If the day at work passes in a hustle, running around, coming home, many relieve stress and splash out negative emotions on their loved ones. To prevent this from happening, duringworking day, use the technique at least 3 times. Regular muscle relaxation will allow you not to accumulate negative emotions, relieve tension. You will return home calm.
- Jacobson's Progressive Neuromuscular Relaxation is for those who want to relieve any anxiety, even if they do not have anxiety disorders. Everyone has situations when you have to worry, a nervous reaction is a normal state of the body. Relaxation will help you get in shape at the right time, calm down.
Jacobson's technique is perfect. It does not require deep knowledge of anatomy or psychology. A simple technique allows you to relieve tension at any time, restore emotional balance. After using it, you get the feeling that you are the master of your emotions and can control yourself.
Benefits of relaxation
Neuromuscular relaxation has undeniable benefits:
- Efficiency of the technique. Allows you to independently bring yourself into shape, slow down the pace of emotional stress. This is a great way to help yourself.
- Simplicity. The simplest exercises included in the complex are easy to remember and assimilate.
- Versatility. No special environmental conditions or devices are required. Can be performed anywhere and anytime.
- Speed . Applying the technique daily, regardless of panic and stress for three weeks, 3-4 times a day, your body will remember it on its own. In cases of emotionalvoltage you can apply it automatically.
How does the technique work?
Any skeletal muscle after strong tension automatically relaxes. With this relaxation comes emotional peace. You can easily influence your nervous state by controlling your muscles. For this, neuromuscular relaxation was developed. With simple exercises, you can pull yourself together and control your nervous tension.
Psycho-physiological performance technique is a technique for relaxing muscles using exercises and your own mind. For the application of this technique, some comfortable conditions are important in order to be able to relax: no bright light, no tight clothing, no irritating noise. You should not engage in relaxation with a full stomach, digestion can interfere with relaxation. Jacobson recommends bringing the muscle to maximum tension for 10-15 seconds, then completely relax it and fully concentrate on this feeling. It is important to learn to recognize feelings of tension and total relaxation.
Major muscle groups
In his method of neuromuscular relaxation, Jacobson originally included 200 exercises that allowed you to strain all the muscles of the body. Modern psychotherapy believes that exercises are sufficient for the most basic muscle groups:
- Dominant forearm, hand (clench your hand tightly into a fist, bend your hand to the limit).
- Dominant shoulder (bend your arm at the elbow and press hard on anysurface).
- Non-dominant forearm and hand.
- Not a dominant shoulder.
- Upper third of the face (open your mouth as wide as possible and raise your eyebrows high).
- Middle third of the face (wrinkle your nose, frown, close your eyes).
- Lower third of the face (clench your jaw, open the corners of your mouth).
- Neck muscles (raise your shoulders high - to your ears, tilt your chin to your chest at this time).
- Pectoral muscles, diaphragm (deep breath, hold your breath, bring your elbows together and squeeze in front of you).
- The muscles of the abdomen and back (tighten the abdominals, pull the shoulder blades together, arch the back).
- Hip dominant (knee half-bent, while tensing front and back thigh muscles).
- Dominant lower leg (pull the foot towards you, while straightening the fingers).
- Dominant foot (ankle extended, toes clenched).
- Non-dominant hip.
- Non-dominant lower leg.
- Non-dominant foot.
The word "dominant" means left for left-handers, respectively, right for right-handers.
What is relaxation?
So what is complete relaxation? For example, animals or small children. Everyone remembers how a baby can sleep. For him, the place and time do not matter, if he is tired, he falls asleep in any position, his body becomes "as if without bones." Remember how a cat sleeps soundly. You can raise her paw, she will fall involuntarily. Adults accumulate so much in their bodies over timetension that just can't relax like children.
Watching an interesting movie, reading a book does not give complete relaxation. A person simply forgets about what is happening around him, but his body remains in suspense.
Relaxation according to the Jacobson method purposefully strains muscle groups, then relaxes them and relieves emotional stress, the body replenishes the expended resources. Everyone noticed that when we work hard, when we “fall off our feet”, we easily fall asleep.
Passive neuromuscular relaxation focuses on the signals that come from the striated muscles and the subsequent relaxation of these groups. In this technique, there is practically no muscle contraction at the beginning of the relaxation cycle.
Exercise instructions
Jacobson's neuromuscular relaxation primarily requires regular performance in order to be mastered correctly. At first, workouts last 15 minutes. The complex contains 12 exercises. You need to master them one by one.
The interval between exercises should be at least 4 days. On the first day, do only one exercise, the next only after 4 days. Etc. Thus, muscle memory is trained. Over time, it will automatically turn on for relaxation, even when performing one exercise from the complex. For such results, the technique needs to be mastered for at least three months. After how many weeks you will feel good results.
Each exercisemust be done five times. After tension, concentrate on the point where the exercise was performed (arms, legs, etc.), feel what is happening there (warmth, trembling, tingling).
Do not overdo it with muscle tension, you should not feel any pain effects.
Active neuromuscular relaxation is done in a calm environment. During classes, nothing should distract you, interfere. Sit or lie down comfortably, take off your glasses, unbutton your tight clothes, close your eyes, put your thoughts out of your mind, and get started.
Neuromuscular Relaxation: Leg Muscle Exercises
- Squeeze your toes, tighten them harder and harder. Keep tense. Relax. Stay relaxed for a few seconds. Do not make any movements. Repeat. Watch the sensations in the muscles.
- Pull the socks forward, strain, fix for a few seconds in a tense state. Relax. Repeat.
- Pull the socks towards you, strain to the limit, fix in tension for a few seconds. Relax. Repeat. Listen to your feelings.
- Raise your legs above the floor in an extended position by 15-20 cm. Keep tense in an extended position. Relax and lower.
Arm muscles
- Clench the right hand into a fist. Hold tight for a few seconds. Relax. The same with the left hand. Then at the same time with both hands. Relax.
- The right arm should be bent inelbow. Tighten your biceps, hold for a few seconds. Relax, straighten your arm. Repeat the same with the left hand. Then with both hands. Remember to observe your own feelings.
- Strain the right arm in increasing order - the brush, then the biceps and triceps, while pressing it into the armrest or the floor. Relax slowly. Do the same with the left hand. Relax. Perform two arms at once.
Abdominal and back muscles
- Inhale as deeply as possible, tighten your abs. Holding your breath, stay in this position. Exhale and relax the abdominal muscles. Repeat.
- Lying position. Raise the pelvis above the floor, while resting on the heels, shoulders, elbows. Tighten your muscles. After a few seconds, relax, lower yourself to the floor. Repeat.
- Lying on the back. Raise your shoulders slightly above the floor. Lean on the elbows and the back of the head. The muscles are tense, the body is fixed. After a few seconds, relax and lower yourself to the floor.
Muscles of the head and face
- Lying position. Raise your head. Stretch your chin to your chest. At the same time, do not tear your shoulders off the floor. Hold tension for a few seconds. To relax. Repeat.
- Jaws tightly squeeze. Keep tense for a few seconds. To relax. Repeat.
- Wrinkle the forehead, fix the tension for a few seconds, then relax.
- Close your lips tightly. Hold tight for a few seconds. Relax.
- Tip of the tonguehold firmly to the sky. Fix so, support. Release tension, relax.
- Close your eyes, strain your eyelids. Hold the tension for a few seconds. Relax.
Final exercise
Tighten all the muscles of the body at the same time (legs, arms, stomach, back, head) for a few seconds. Then completely relax as much as possible. Stay at rest for a few seconds while inhaling and exhaling deeply. Listen to the sensations in your body. There should be warmth and a slight tingling in the muscles. Gymnastics is over.
