Take a deep breath and think about how
your body’s feeling right now. Are your teeth clenched? Maybe your shoulders
are tense? Or your neck feels sore?
In
today’s busy world, stress can sneak up on you and wreak havoc on your body and
mind. A few common effects of stress include headaches, fatigue, an upset
stomach, trouble sleeping, anxiety and angry outbursts – not fun, right?
It’s
important to recognise the symptoms of stress and nip them in the bud before
they turn into more severe health issues. A fantastic way of helping you identify
the difference between tension and relaxation is through a technique called progressive muscle relaxation (PMR).
What is progressive muscle relaxation aka body
scan?
Progressive
muscle relaxation (PMR) is an anxiety reduction method that’s been around since
the 1930s. PMR involves actively tensing specific muscle groups in your body
for five to ten seconds before relaxing and moving on to the next muscle group.
For example, you can start by making a fist with your right hand, followed by
your right upper arm, your left hand and upper arm, your forehead and so on
until you’ve worked through tensing and relaxing your entire body.
It helps you develop a better awareness of
stress within your body
While
intentionally tensing your muscles may sound like a weird way to relax, PMR
helps you learn what your body’s supposed to feel like when you’re entirely at
ease. If you suffer from anxiety or face high levels of stress in your
day-to-day life, you may not even realise you’re holding tension in your body,
which is where PMR can come in handy.
With
practise, you’ll eventually be able to cue the relaxed state brought on by PMR
when you’re feeling tense and in turn, reduce the physical and mental problems associated
with stress.
How else can you unwind and find a better
balance between mind and body?
Like
the sound of getting to know your body better but not sure if PMR’s your thing?
Meditation is another great way of releasing tension and is often incorporated
into yoga
classes. This technique is similar to PMR, but instead of tensing your
muscles first, you simply zero in on the areas that feel most tight and
actively slacken them.
Two
classes offered at Virgin Active, Yin
Yoga and Yoga
Calm, teach you this practice using floor-based poses that bring your
attention to your breath and mind – no sweat required! As well as helping you
find your inner peace, calm yoga classes also aid in improving your flexibility
and mobility, making for the ultimate self-care activity, regardless of whether
you’re a beginner or a pro yogi.
Ready
to find your chill? Take some time out from the daily grind and book in for a yoga class at Virgin Active to stretch, relax and restore. You can
also make the most of our recovery
and relaxation spaces, which include pools, saunas, spas, sleep pods and
cafes offering nutritious snacks, shakes and meals.