Stress, tension and relaxation
Some people feel extremely tired, others develop aches and pains which are not due to specific illness, but are related to tension. Tension causes an increase in blood pressure,heart rate and rate of breathing which can lead to feelings of panic as well as overloading the systems of the body. Knowing how to prevent tension is a valuable skill which everyone could use when life is more challenging than usual.Learning a relaxation technique and using it regularly has been shown to reduce mildly increased blood pressure. Women who learn and use it in labour generally cope better with pain and feel more in control. During pregnancy, practising relaxation will help you to rest more effectively and can also help you to get to sleep again if you wake during the night.
Relaxation
You can relax in either a sitting or lying position. Using a pillow, make sure your head is supported as well as your arms and legs.Go through the list of movements below.Do one movement, let go or stop the movement, then check that the joint is resting in a comfortable position.
• Pull your shoulders down towards your feet. Let go.
• Move your elbows outwards from your sides. Let go.
• Stretch all your fingers out. Let go.
• Roll your knees outwards. Let go.
• Point your feet downwards. Let go.
• Raise and separate your eyebrows. Let go.
• Look up towards your hairline. Let go.
• Drag your bottom jaw downwards. Let go.
• Focus on your breathing.
Take some time to enjoy this sensation, focus your thoughts on something pleasant.If you get up too quickly after a period of relaxation you may feel dizzy.