Relaxation Techniques

Does anyone use them? If so, have they helped your anxiety at all? This CBT self help workbook I got has a chapter on relaxation, it goes into things like progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, breathing exercises etc. I'm finding it difficult to get into the right frame of mind to even begin any of this, maybe if I set up a certain time in the morning and do it after my workout it will help. Working out actually relaxes me after I'm done so maybe that's the best thing to come before I start working on these techniques. Just wondering everyone's experiences with it.

Hard for me too. Funny thing about these techniques is they are easy to do when you really don't need them, but when you really do need them it's very hard to initiate them let alone work thru them completely. I do believe they work for a lot of people and I still try them. I just don't get in to it when I need it most.

I agree with Indie, I do like relaxation when I am well but find it harder to do when I need to do it most. I am still searching for a relaxation technique that works best for me, there are a lot out there!

I relax better when I need to focus on something, so progressive muscle relaxation, mindful yoga and things like focusing on a candle flame or fire to be most effective for me.

Im going to try holosync next. When I listened to the demo (after he stopped blabbering on) I actually felt really relaxed, so I have high hopes.

I use relaxation with progressive muscle relaxation. One thing I have noticed from other people that say it is difficult is that they do not do it often enough and it is not done on a schedule. You have to do the relaxation everyday but do it at the same time or if you do it a couple of times a day make sure you do one of them at the same time. Also incorporate deep breathing with it. Studies show that you can make it a habit if you do it for 21 days in a row. Well I am well passed that. I do it every night before bed and I get better sleep. I have used it when I have gotten anxious and it has helped me relax and calm down. I actually have an audio file made by my therapist which I use. If you want it PM me with your email and I will send it.

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I use progressive muscle relaxation when I am lying in bed trying to sleep. I squeeze my toes and thank then for what they did for me that day then let go and work my way up to my head. I usually don'y make it to my head before I fall asleep. If I try to force it into a time slot in the day it is much harder to do.

I do the muscle thing before falling asleep too. And controlled breathing helps too.

Usually during a sever anxiety attack, my muscles are trembling, so I try to relax those by sqeezing all the muscles really tight and then letting go. It stops the trembling for a moment or two and for that time, my mind kind of clears.

Also I can't breathe during an attack so consciously trying to breathe slowly and deeply sometimes helps.

But when I'm just having some anxiety, I just watch a movie or listen to music/sing to get my mind off of any triggers.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I'm going to try to start using deep(abdominal) breathing twice a day and see how I do from there, then work on progressive muscle relaxation and visualization. I tried the deep breathing earlier this morning, it was really nice.

I find that if I meditate regularly - just breath awareness meditation for even 10 minutes daily - my emotions don't get hold of me so easily. My husband notices this, too.

Muscle relaxation - helps a lot, because I hold tension in many places in my body. I find simple stretching, tai chi or chi-gong are better than "progressive relaxation," however.

And Holosync - I was quite offended that the tryout CD was actually a longer sales pitch than a sample, and also that he's using this "powerful" thing UNDER the sales pitch. Quite unethical. That thing is a scam, in my opinion, and is not real meditation by any stretch. The bells and rain sounds are nice, but I'll take a plain old environmental recording CD instead, thanks.

I used to have anxiety levels described by observers as panic attacks. Meditation and general exercise really helped me with those.

I like Progressive Muscle Relaxation because it gives me something to do. also, I can do it anywhere. I didn't expect to like it at first, but not I do it alot.

Yeah I thought it was not quite right having the sales pitch over the sounds either. I tried to do the awakening cd, more talking... I could only get halfway through it before I was just thinking "SHUT UP" and got sick of it. I'll try and get through the rest of it later today and onto the next cd but if there is talking on that one too Im going to give up. I feel like they are trying to plant subliminal messages.

I might try an environmental cd next, I havent tried those in years, I hate the bird sounds (I get more than enough of that waking me up everymorning haha) but rain or the ocean would probably be soothing for me.

Supernova, if you like ocean sounds I use an app on my phone named relax melodies. I do not know if anyone does binaural beats but I like them. I use an app names ambiscience. You can look them up on the play store for android. I use the relaxation binaural while I am doing the relaxation and deep breathing exercises. I also do binaural beats when I just want to relax and I am not able to do the execises. I know they do not work for everyone but it does not hurt to try.

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Binaural beats are the technique under the surface sounds in Holosync, just for anyone's information. If you like them, that's great. The claimed science behind it is bogus, but that doesn't matter if you like the sounds, right?

Binaural Beats: Digital Drugs

H3rmit, so true. I know the science is lacking but the way I see it is. If I like it why not. Some people say it works I am one of them some say it does not. To each it's own right?

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Visualization. I would say, that's close to the technique I use.

Certain, aspects of my anxiety, I accept the med route, but other times, I just 'focus', visualize that I will get through this, distract myself with other thoughts. What not. Something, I developed, early in life, playing sports.