Personal Well-being: 10

  Personal Well-being: How to relax

By Barefoot Medic

When I feel tense, or get muscle cramps, I recall the teachings of the comedian Bernie Winters who said he learned how to relax by watching his St.Bernard Schnorbitz: 

The dog stretched long and slow, tensing every muscle even neck face & scalp.  Then he relaxed each muscle slowly so he could tell the difference between tense and relaxed.

Bernie said he would lay on his back, close his eyes, tense every muscle for up to a minute, then slowly relax them:

"Feet feet go to sleep."  He would feel his toes and feet relax further.

"Calves calves fall in halves."  After a time his calves would begin to relax.

"Thighs thighs go to bye-byes."  He would wait patiently until his thighs relaxed.

"Pelvis pelvis make like Elvis!" 

"Tummy tummy flat like mummy"

"Chest chest take a rest."

Hands, lower arms, upper arms, neck, face, and brain; he had a rhyme for each.  As he lay there a mist would swirl in his closed eyes and he would try to see through it. 
Breathe in deeply to a count of ten, then exhale until it would be uncomfortable to continue.  Repeat five times...

At this point I invariably fall asleep; if not I will roll over onto my left side in the recovery position and drop off to sleep in minutes.

 I find it particularly helpful when my mind keeps running over the events of a busy day; what went right, what went wrong, what should I have said/done!?  

After ten to fifteen minutes my mind is clear, it's easy just so long as you don't think of a pink rhinoceros with a beach ball 😖...