[sunflower55]

I am adding relaxation exercises here because many people think that smoking helps relax them.

It doesn't.

Nicotine is a stimulant. It increases your heart rate, your blood pressure and other things. But, because it ends the mild withdrawal you feel, when the nicotine level is down in your blood, it feels relaxing. That's one reason why it's so addicting!

Use the following relaxation exercises to help calm yourself during triggers for a smoke. It will help calm the cravings. Remember, a craving lasts for only about 3 minutes. You *can* get through it!

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is a good relaxation skill for new nonsmokers. When you smoked, if you inhaled deeply, you were breathing in a way which actually promoted relaxation. People who stop smoking often forget to continue such deep breathing and therefore experience increased tension. This exercise will show you how to breathe without cigarettes in a way that slows down the pace of your body and promotes general relaxation.

Correct deep breathing should be done with your belly muscles. The idea is to let your stomach go out as far as possible as you inhale. In this way you will fill your lungs more completely. Try one breath this way before doing the exercise. Put a hand on your abdomen and, as you inhale deeply, feel your stomach expand as though it were being filled by a balloon. Now, let the air out and feel your stomach return to its normal position. As you do the exercise, pause comfortably at the end of each exhalation until you feel ready to take the next deep breath. You can achieve even greater relaxation if you close your eyes during deep breathing and let your mind focus on a restful scene or a word like “calm” or anything that gives you a feeling of mental quiet.

Breathe in deeply, letting your stomach expand until your lungs are filled. Now, pause for a moment and then exhale until you have emptied your lungs. Pause for a moment. Now, take another deep breath in, filling your lungs from the bottom. Hold a moment...and now let the air flow out, focusing your mind on restful thoughts. Keeping the pace regular, again breathe in deeply...hold a moment...and now let the air out, feeling more and more relaxed. Take another breath in ...hold it for a moment...now gently breathe out, letting the tension escape from your body. Once more breathe in...pause a moment... Now, exhale, feeling deep relaxation. Continue this exercise with your eyes closed.

Hope this helps!

Peace!

[sunflower55]

Deep Breathing and Muscle Relaxation

This exercise combines deep breathing and muscle relaxation. It is a good idea to record this on a tape or CD, or ask or someone else to read it to you. Ideally your buddy will read it slowly, with a low voice tone to encourage relaxation. You will soon learn to do this on your own.

Close you eyes, take a deep breath and let your body become as rested as possible.

Now, I am going to name different parts of your body. As I do this, focus your attention on each area and just let the muscles there relax even more completely as you take a deep, quitting breath. As you let the air out, allow all your remaining tension to flow away.

First, focus attention on your forehead. Take a deep breath in and, as you release the air, let the muscles there relax completely. Think about your eyes, take a deep breath in and relax your eyes as you exhale. Now, your jaw muscles: take a deep breath in and, as you breathe out, let your jaw relax completely. Now, your neck: take a deep breath in and, as you exhale, let any tension in your neck muscles flow away.

Now, your shoulders: breathe in deeply and, as you breathe out, let your shoulders droop and relax completely. Your right arm: breathe in deeply and, as you exhale, let all tension flow from your right arm. Your right hand: breathe in deeply and, now breathing out, let your hand relax. Your left arm: breathe in deeply and, now breathing out, let your arm relax. Your left hand: breathe in deeply, then exhale, letting your hand relax.

Your stomach: breathe in deeply and, as the air flows out, let all tension leave your stomach. Your buttocks: breathe in deeply and, as your breath flows out, let your buttocks relax. Your right leg: breathe in deeply and, breathing out, let your leg relax. Your right foot: breathe in deeply and now breathe out, letting your foot relax. Your left leg: breathe in deeply and, breathing out, let your leg relax. Your left foot: breathe in deeply and now let the air out as your foot relaxes.

Now, take another deep breath and see the number “3” in your mind as you exhale, feeling calm throughout your body. Take another deep breath and see the number “2” and relax further as you exhale. Now, breathe deeply again several times and each time you exhale allow any remaining tension to flow out. (10-second pause) This ends the exercise. Now open your eyes. Stretch your arms and legs, and get up when you are ready.

Doesn't that feel so much better than a smoke?

Peace!

[sunflower55]

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Again, it's a good idea to tape this portion on a tape or CD and to ask your buddy or someone else to read it to you. Ideally your buddy will read it slowly, with a low voice tone to encourage relaxation. Soon you will learn to do this on your own.
Get as comfortable as possible. This exercise will help you relax all of your muscles. It will also teach you to be more aware of parts of your body that are especially tense and show you how to relieve most stress. The object of this exercise is to tense and then release the pressure in different muscles. In this way, you will progressively achieve deeper relaxation.

Start by raising your eyebrows as high as possible, feeling the tension build. Hold that tension for a moment. Now relax, and feel the tension flow out. Now squeeze your eyes shut as tight as you can. Hold that tension. Let it build. Now relax your eyelids. Feel the relief from the tension.

Now clench your teeth together tightly. Let the tension build. Hold it. Now release your jaw, letting it go loose. Now squeeze your whole face up into a knot and hold it there. Hold it. Let the tension build as you squeeze your eyes, mouth and nose together hard. And now relax. Notice how loose and relaxed your whole face feels.

Now bring your chin slowly down toward your chest, feeling the tension building in your neck and shoulders. Hold it. And now relax. Feel the relief.

Now make your right hand into a tight fist and raise your right arm to shoulder height, stretching it way out. Feel the tension build as you clench your fist and keep your arm stretched. Now relax, letting your arm fall slowly to your side.

Now with you left hand make a hard fist. Raise your left arm to shoulder height, stretching it out as far as you can, straight ahead. Feel the tension build in your clenched fist and arm. Hold it. Now relax, letting your arm fall back to your side. Now, make fists with both hands and raise both arms to shoulder height, stretching straight ahead as far as you can. Let the tension build. Hold it. Now, let your arms fall back to your sides and relax. Feel the relief in these muscles.

Now, to your stomach. Pull these muscles in tight, as tight as you can. Hold it. Let the tension build. And now, relax.

Now, raise your right leg, tensing your thigh and calf muscles and pulling your toes back toward you. Hold it. Feel the tension build. Now, let your leg back down and relax. Now, raise you left leg and tighten your calf and thigh muscles as you pull your toes back. Let the tension build. Hold it. Now, let your leg back down and relax. Now raise both legs together and tighten your calf and thigh muscles as you extend your toes and point them straight forward as far as you can. Let the tension build. Hold it. Now let your legs back down and relax. Feel the sense of relief.

Now, take a few moments to think about how the muscles feel throughout your body. Check your neck, shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, legs and feet.

Now, spend a few moments experiencing the deeply relaxed restful feeling throughout your body. Sense the quiet and restfulness that comes from releasing the tension in your muscles. Now, take a full deep breath, hold it a moment, and then, as you let out the air allow any remaining anxieties and tensions to just flow away. You are now very deeply relaxed and at ease. Now, open your eyes, stretch your arms and legs, moving them about. Get up when you feel ready.

Peace!

[sunflower55]

Relaxation and Positive Thinking

Once more, until you learn to do this exercise on your own, it's a good idea to tape this exercise or ask your buddy or someone else to read it to you. Ideally your buddy will read it slowly, with a low voice tone to encourage relaxation.
This exercise lets you develop comfortable feelings of heaviness and warmth in your body and helps you establish the word “calm” as an effective relaxation cue which you can use in your daily life. The last part shows you how to combine relaxation with positive thinking to overcome any urges you may have to smoke. Start by sitting back comfortably in your chair. Now, take a deep, relaxing breath in and feel a sense of warmth spreading throughout your body as you continue deep, regular breathing. Feel warmth in your finger-tips...hands...arms. Feel the warmth spreading into your neck and head...down into your chest and stomach...as you become more and more relaxed. Feel the warmth moving into your hips, thighs and calves as they become more relaxed. Now, the warmth moves into your feet and your whole body feels warm and relaxed as any tension flows away. Your entire body is resting comfortably, deeply, fully relaxed.

Now, keeping your eyes closed and continuing deep, regular breathing, let your mind drift as you see a warm spring morning...you are walking through a beautiful green meadow...take a deep breath and smell the fresh grass and wildflowers. See the colors of the flowers scattered in the grass...feel the tall grass brushing gently against your legs as you move slowly along, breathing deeply, filling your lungs with pure air...and letting all the tensions flow out as you exhale. Feel the gentle fresh breeze...it is quiet and peaceful...a bird sings in the distance...enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of the scene...now you lie down in the meadow and gaze up at the clear blue sky...you are completely content, serene and relaxed. You feel calm. As you breathe deeply and regularly, say to yourself the work “calm” every time you breathe out. Wherever your thoughts go, gently bring them back to the word “calm.” Say to yourself, “I am calm, I am calm...”

Sensing this calm, feel how alive you are and know you are a part of the universe of living things. Your body belongs to you. You direct you movements, actions, thoughts and feelings. You can protect your body from things that may harm or damage it. You can control the destructive habit of smoking that threatens your health and well-being...You have the power to overcome this threatening habit...Because you are relaxed, calm and in control, you have no need to smoke. You can overcome your habit. You can resist any urge to smoke and become free from cigarettes. Because you are the master of your body and have the power to relax without cigarettes, you are confident that you no longer have a need to smoke.

You are now free from the urge to smoke. You are free from the smell of cigarettes, dirty ashtrays, the persistent cough. Feel your breath coming naturally, deeply, giving you satisfaction, relaxation and life. Know that you can achieve your goal: To remain a nonsmoker.

Now prepare to end the exercise. Slowly open your eyes and become aware of your surroundings. Stretch your arms and legs, look at the room around you, sit up straight. You are now ready to resume your daily activities rested, refreshed and confident that you can deal with tension using your own resources rather than the crutch of cigarettes.

This one is new to me. I look forward to using it!
I hope that they help you with your cravings and in any other stressful area of life!

Peace!

[sunflower55]

I've used the first three often in stressful times. And the deep breathing I can attest is great for getting past those nasty cravings.

Let's share how these work with each other, ok?
Or any other thoughts you may have.
I look forward to hearing from you!

Peace!