The course of a successful person ways of self-regulation. Methods of psychological self-regulation
The first method of self-influence - breath control
Breathing is not only the most important function of the body, but also an effective means of influencing muscle tone and emotional means of influencing the centers of the brain.
Slow and deep breathing lowers the excitability of the nerve centers and promotes muscle relaxation. Rapid breathing, on the other hand, high level body activity.
Most people in Everyday life use only shallow breathing when only the upper part of the lungs are filled. Full breathing includes filling the lower, middle and upper parts of the lungs. By changing the type, rhythm of breathing, the duration of inhalation and exhalation, a person can influence many, including mental functions.
To start mastering, you can master 2 types of breathing: lower (abdominal) and upper (clavicular).
bottom breathing(abdominal) is used when it is necessary to overcome excessive excitement, overcome anxiety and irritability, relax as much as possible for a quick and effective rest. Lower breathing is the most productive, because the largest number of pulmonary vesicles (alveoli) is located in the lower parts of the lungs.
How to do abdominal breathing?
Perform abdominal breathing in the following way: sitting or standing, you need to relieve tension from the muscles and focus on breathing. Then 4 stages of a single breath cycle are performed, accompanied by internal counting to facilitate learning. At the expense of 1-2-3-4, a slow breath is taken, while the stomach protrudes forward, the abdominal muscles are relaxed, and the chest is motionless. Then, for the next 4 counts, the breath is held and a smooth exhalation for 6 counts, accompanied by pulling the abdominal muscles to the spine. Before the next breath, there is a pause for 2-4 counts. It should be remembered that you need to breathe only through your nose and as smoothly as if a fluff were hanging in front of your nose at a distance of 1 - 15 cm, then it should not sway. After 3-5 minutes of such breathing, you will notice that your state has become noticeably calmer and more balanced.
Upper ( clavicular) breath is used in cases where you need to cheer up after monotonous work, throw off fatigue, prepare for vigorous activity, it is recommended
How to perform upper breath?
It is carried out with an energetic deep breath through the nose with a rise in the shoulders and a sharp exhalation through the mouth. There are no pauses between inhalation and exhalation. After several cycles of such breathing, there will be a feeling of "goosebumps" on the back, freshness, a surge of vivacity.
You can use the following exercises:
"The Geometry of Breathing". In the starting position, standing or sitting, take a full breath. Then, holding your breath, imagine a circle and slowly exhale into it. Repeat this process four times. After that, inhale again, imagine a triangle and exhale into it three times. Then exhale twice into the square in the same way. After performing these procedures, calm will surely come.
"Life Force". Lie on your back. Relax, establish slow and rhythmic breathing. As vividly as possible, imagine that with each inhalation, life force fills the lungs, and with each exhalation it spreads throughout the body.
3. "Good morning." According to experts, a yawn allows you to almost instantly enrich the blood with oxygen and get rid of excess carbon dioxide. The muscles of the neck, face, and mouth that tighten during yawning accelerate blood flow in the vessels of the brain. A yawn, improving the blood supply to the lungs, pushing blood out of the liver, increases the tone of the body, creates an impulse of positive emotions. It is said that in Japan, workers in the electrical industry yawn in an organized manner every 30 minutes.
For the exercise, you need to close your eyes, open your mouth as wide as possible, strain your mouth, as if saying a low “oooo”. At this time, it is necessary to imagine as clearly as possible that a cavity is formed in the mouth, the bottom of which falls down. A yawn is performed with simultaneous stretching of the whole body. The increase in the effectiveness of the pharynx is facilitated by a smile, which enhances the relaxation of the muscles of the face and forms a positive emotional impulse. After a yawn, the muscles of the face, pharynx, and larynx relax, and a feeling of peace appears.
4. "Candle flame." It is performed in any convenient position - standing, sitting, lying down. Promotes the rapid removal of fatigue, cleanses the blood of toxins, increases the body's resistance.
After a full inhalation, exhalation is carried out in small portions through a narrow gap between the lips, outwardly resembling attempts to extinguish the flame of a candle. Each subsequent portion should be less than the previous one. At first, the number of repetitions should not exceed three, and later it can be increased to ten.
5. "Duel". Raise your hands above your head, imagine that you have all your tension, all your stress in your hands ... and with the sound “HA” with a sharp movement, dump your negative state. Repeat several times! The sound should not be pronounced, but formed by the air coming out of the chest. This will help relieve nervous tension, release from a sense of inner anxiety.
After the next exhalation, close the left nostril with the finger of the left hand and inhale through the right nostril;
Hold the breath while inhaling, then close the right nostril with the finger of the right hand and, opening the left, exhale;
After holding the breath while exhaling, inhale through the left nostril;
After holding the breath, close the left nostril with the finger of the right hand and, releasing the right nostril, exhale;
Hold your breath while exhaling;
Repeat the described breathing cycle 5 times. The duration of inhalation, exhalation and breath holding on inhalation and exhalation - 8 sec.
7. Exercises based on breath concentration. Before exercises: imagine an inflatable ball or ball, remember how air comes out of them in a thin stream if the ball is untied or the ball is opened. Try to mentally see this trickle of air. We will represent each of our exhalations in the form of the same trickle of air coming out of the points that we will open.
Focus on your breathing. Breathe normally; notice your inhalation and exhalation. You can say with an inner voice: “Inhale”, “Exhale” (30 seconds).
Feel your knees. Inhale. Make your next exhalation through the points that you mentally “open” on your knees. (In fact, we exhale through the nose, but imagine that we exhale through the knees). Inhale, and exhale - through the points, on your knees (30 seconds).
Feel your spine. Mentally "walk" on it from top to bottom. Find a random point at the very bottom of the spine. Inhale through the nose, and exhale mentally through the point that you yourself have identified on the spine at the very bottom. Imagine a thin stream of air coming out of this point during exhalation (30 sec).
"Climb" up the spine. Find a point in the middle of the spine. Inhale. Exhale - through a point in the middle of the spine. (30 sec). Mentally we try to "draw" your exhalation.
Rise mentally to the cervical spine. Inhale. Exhale through a point on the cervical spine. Breathe like this (30 sec).
Feel your arms, hands. Inhale, and then exhale through the points on the hands (30 sec).
Mentally rise to your elbows. Inhale, and exhale through the points on the elbows. Breathe like this, mentally imagining the outgoing air (30 seconds).
Rise mentally to the shoulders. And on the right shoulder and on the left, find the points through which we will “exhale”. Inhale and exhale through the points on the shoulders. Streams of air go up. We breathe, imagining these streams (30 sec).
We find a point between the eyebrows. Inhale, and exhale through the point between the eyebrows (30 seconds).
Exhale through the point on the crown (30 seconds).
Make the next exhalation through all the points that we have named. Breathe like this. Feel how the air passes through all the pores, through the entire skin (30 sec). Breathe calmly. Stay in this state for as long as you need. Come back rested.
These exercises are useful for relaxing after hard work.
The second technique is exercises aimed at concentration of attention.
The state of emotional tension that accompanies any extreme situation is characterized by a number of changes in psychophysiological processes, including concentration of attention. Behavior loses its adaptive features, loses the plasticity and flexibility characteristic of it in an emotionally adequate environment.
At the same time, behavior is characterized by a weakening of conscious control, which in extreme situations of emotional tension can lead to panic, which in emergency conditions is a rapidly spreading, mass mental reaction.
We offer you several types of exercises aimed at concentration:
Exercise 1.
On a white piece of paper, draw a circle with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm in ink and hang it on the wall. Sit, on the contrary, at a distance of 1.5 meters and try to concentrate on it. When tired, blink several times and continue concentrating.
Watching the circle, at the same time make sure that not only your eyes, but also your thoughts do not “spread” in different directions. Try to mentally “feel” the circle, feel its boundaries, color saturation.
The duration of the execution gradually increases from 1 to 5 minutes. Analyze the dynamics of sensations.
Exercise 2.
Sitting with closed eyes. Give yourself the command: “Right hand!” and try to focus on the right hand.
After 10-15 seconds, the next command: “Left hand!”, Then: “Right foot!” etc., focusing on different body volumes.
Gradually move on to smaller volumes - the finger, the nail phalanx - and to more subtle sensations, for example, the beating of the pulse in the fingertip.
In the end, the whole body is in the field of attention, observed calmly, against the background of general relaxation.
Exercise 3
Spread your arms at chest level, and then slowly bring them together, keeping your palms parallel. After several repetitions, the palms begin to "spring", encountering the elastic resistance of the environment. It is necessary to “mold” a ball from this invisible “field substance” and, helping with your hands, “absorb” it into yourself in the area of the solar plexus. Assess the difference in states: before and after the exercise.
Exercise 4
Performed in pairs. One of the participants closes his eyes, and the second, taking him by the hands, slowly leads around the room. It is very important that the "blind" feel safe, fully trusting his "guide".
The "guide" leads his follower along the wall, inviting him to evaluate the difference in the perception of space: to the left and to the right of him.
Swap roles in pairs. Emphasize the mutually compensatory role of visual, auditory and kinesthetic analyzers (sense organs).
Note: all concentration exercises should be done with a fresh head, preferably 2-3 hours after eating. With any discomfort - headache, worsening emotional state- Stop the exercise.
The third technique of self-influence is the control of muscle tone
The ability to relax, relieve muscle clamps that occur under the influence of mental overload, allows the body to get a good rest, quickly restore strength and relieve neuro-emotional tension. As a rule, it is not possible to achieve full relaxation of all the muscles of the body at once. Therefore, it is recommended to consistently relax various muscle groups in compliance with a number of rules:
First of all, the task of the exercise is to recognize and remember the feeling of a relaxed muscle in contrast to its tension.
Secondly, each exercise consists of 3 phases: "strain - feel - relax".
In the initial phase, the tension of the selected muscle group increases smoothly, then the maximum tension is maintained for several seconds until the muscles tremble, and the tension is released (relaxation phase) abruptly. It should be borne in mind that a completely relaxed muscle, as it were, “sags”, and a feeling of heaviness arises in it.
Thirdly, slow tension corresponds to a slow breath, relaxation is synchronous with a free full exhalation.
Each exercise is repeated 3-4 times.
Skeletal muscle is one of the strongest sources of brain stimulation. Muscle impulses are capable of changing its tone over a wide range. It has been proven that voluntary muscle tension contributes to the increase and maintenance of mental activity, inhibition of undesirable reactions to the current or expected stimulus. To remove irrelevant or excessive mental activity, on the contrary, muscle relaxation (relaxation) is necessary. Experiencing negative influences, the body is maximally mobilized for intensive muscular work. This is the kind of work that needs to be presented to him. Sometimes 20-30 squats or the maximum possible number of push-ups from the floor will help relieve mental stress.
In other cases, differentiated auto-training according to the “express method” type will be more effective. It consists in the maximum relaxation of those muscles whose work in this moment not required. So, if the muscles of the legs are mainly tense when walking, then you need to relax the muscles of the face, shoulders, arms. In a sitting position, you should relax the muscles of the face, arms, shoulders, legs.
Formation of facial muscle relaxation skills
It is in this part of the body that muscle clamps most often occur, i.e. muscle groups are chronically in high tone even when a person is relaxed. Therefore, it is important to learn how to relax all muscle groups at least for a short time.
The work of the facial muscles begins with tension and relaxation of the muscles of the forehead (“mask of surprise”, “mask of anger”), and then the muscles of the cheeks, chewing muscles, and neck muscles.
Exercises for the face and vision system:
These exercises relax and train the muscles of the face and vision systems well, which helps to strengthen them, and therefore maintain them in a certain tone. Some of the exercises are recommended to be performed from the largest number of times to the least. For example, 8-5, which implies - when mastering the exercise - fewer repetitions.
Vertical lifting of the hair all over the head, perpendicular to it - pinch the hair at its base and pull it at various points of the head from the periphery to the center. Do 3-2 cycles (at the beginning of the cycle of classes 3, and when mastering the exercises 2).
horizontal movements. Bring your fingers together and move your palms from the periphery to the center.
At the same time, put your hand on your forehead, trying, without wrinkling your forehead, to raise your eyebrows and eyes up. Repeat 5-7 times.
Brows.
Raising the eyebrows up (surprise). Do 6-4 times.
"Discontent". Furrow your eyebrows to a vertical crease. Relax. Do 6-4 times.
Eyes.
"Horror". Close your eyes, close your eyes and relax, Perform 8-5 times.
Open your eyes as much as possible for 3-4 seconds, linger, close your eyes for 3-4 seconds. Do 4-2 times.
Cover your eyes. Point them up and look at the upper lashes. Rest and do 4-2 times.
Winking with the right, then with the left eye alternately. Do 8-5 times. Lift the corners of the eyes slightly with your hands up and down, then diagonally 6-4 times.
"Prostration" We look into nowhere. Thoughts about space. Eyes open for 3 minutes.
Fold your hands in a basket and close your eyes with your hands, without pressing. The center of vision is relaxed. You can rest your elbows on the table. Try to see blackness (black velvet). Do 30 -40 sec.
Close eyes. Close your eyes tightly. Feel like it's getting dark. Cover your eyes with your hands. Feel it getting darker. Imagine in front of you a dark bottomless well, black velvet, or just something black. To feel that it has become even darker, to see, to feel this darkness! Stay in it. Remove hands from face. Feel like it's brighter. Without opening your eyes, feel that it has become lighter. Slowly open your eyes. (Back to come back slower twice). The exercise is performed 1 time.
Cheeks.
Relaxation and tension of the muscles of the cheeks. Inflate your cheeks, linger for 8-5 seconds and relax. Do 5 times.
Balloon rolling. Take in air and roll it from cheek to cheek, through the upper and lower lip. In each direction, 3-6 times.
Puff out your cheeks. Exhale the air, mentally inflating balloon. Repeat 7-5 times.
Jaw shift to the side. Hold for 3-4 seconds. Only 4-6 times. Right - left - 1 time. The same only quickly 12-8 times
"Fish". Slowly open your mouth. Hold for 5-3 minutes, and then slowly close 6-4 times.
"Rage" - bare your teeth. In this position, linger for 2-4 seconds and relax. Do 8-5 times.
Disgust". Lowering the lower lip down, pull it back. Do 8-5 times.
"Air kiss". Push both lips forward and relax 8-5 times.
Separate lifting of the lips up - down the right - left alternately. Do 8-5 times. Then do the same at the same time. Do 8-5 times.
Wrap your lips inside your mouth. Cases 8-5 times.
Lowering the corners of the mouth alternately. Only 6-4 times. The same together. Do 6-4 times.
Movement of the corners of the mouth up and down at the same time 6-4 times.
The movement of the corners of the mouth diagonally. One corner up and the other down 6-4 times.
Buddha smile. Put your thumbs to your mouth, index fingers to your ears, middle fingers to the corners of your eyes and slightly pull. At the same time, smile slightly for 1 - 2 minutes.
Make swallowing movements.
Expansion and narrowing of the nostrils - relax. Do 8-5 times separately for each.
"Contempt" - lift the upper lip, wrinkle the nose, relax.
Wrinkle the bridge of the nose, relax. Do 4-6 times.
The chin.
Push your chin forward and lift it with effort. Do it slowly, 6-4 times. Let go down and lift with effort. Do it slowly, 6-4 times.
Tighten your neck muscles. Pull your head into your shoulders. Stay in this state for 5-3 seconds. To relax. Do 4-2 sec.
Raise your head, pull your lower lip into your mouth. Neck muscles work. Do only 9-8 times.
Relaxation of the face is complete. Sit on a chair. Assume a relaxed sitting position. The head hangs slightly to the side. The back rests on the back of the chair. The eyes are closed. The gaze is directed inward, down. The jaw touches the palate slightly. We focus on the solar plexus. Perform 1 - 2 minutes.
Run your hand over the muscles of the neck and, if they are tense, make several tilts and rotational movements of the head, massage the neck. Then it is easy to stroke the muscles from the shoulder to the ear, rub the behind-the-ear tubercles with the fingertips. This improves blood flow to the head, helps relieve nervous tension.
If the clamp cannot be removed, it can be smoothed out with a light self-massage in a circular motion with your fingertips. The end result is a “mask of relaxation”: the eyelids are lowered, all the muscles of the face are smoothed out, the face becomes somewhat sleepy, indifferent, the lower jaw of the face is lowered, the tongue is slightly pressed against the teeth, as if about to say “yes”.
To learn how to relax muscles, you need to have them, therefore, daily physical activity increases the effectiveness of muscle relaxation exercises.
Exercises based on muscle tension and relaxation:
sitting. Stretch your arms forward, clench into fists (1 minute). subsequent relaxation.
Standing on tiptoe, we “grow” with the spine, pull our arms up. We “grow” into the floor with our heels (1 minute). Relaxation.
standing. Imagine that the buttocks squeezed a coin. We strain the hips, buttocks. “We keep the coin, we don’t give it to anyone” (1 min). Relaxation.
sitting. The back is straight. The legs are extended forward. We press the heels into the floor, pull the toes up to the lower leg. (1 min). Relaxation.
sitting. The back is straight. Legs on tiptoe. Heels are perpendicular to the floor. We press our toes on the floor. Raise your heels as high as possible. (1 min). Relaxation.
sitting. Hands are extended forward. The fingers are outstretched. We strain (30 sec). Squeeze the brush into a fist. We strain (30 sec). Relaxation. Repeat.
sitting. We pull our shoulders to our ears. As high as possible. Feel warm (1 min). Relaxation.
Exercise to relax the muscles of the face.
Exercises for the regulation of muscle tone
Performed in pairs. Sit down, close your eyes, mentally look from the fingertips to the collarbone of the muscles of the left hand and try to relax them. When you are ready, the partner takes your hand by the hand and, shaking it freely, suddenly releases. With proper relaxation, the arm falls like a whip. Repeat for the other hand. Swap as a couple.
Clench one of your hands into a fist. At the same time, you need to mentally view the rest of the body volumes and relax them as much as possible without weakening the efforts in the loaded hand. With this skill, you can complicate the exercise, every 20 seconds. changing the localization of the tense muscle group.
Close your eyes, view the body on the internal screen and select the most tense muscle group. For example, the muscles of the shoulder, thigh, calf. Having concentrated attention on it, try to expand the relaxation zone to neighboring volumes. Using visualization, one can imagine how a hot and heavy liquid of a pleasant color flows out of the focus of relaxation, slowly filling the entire body.
Cover your eyes. Focus on the left hand. We imagine how she plunges into hot water, gradually turns red, becomes heavier. "Ray of attention" goes to the wrist, slowly moves to the elbow. The muscles of the forearm, and then the shoulder, relax, become "cotton", heavy, hot.
Get on your knees and sit on your heels (toes back). Spread your knees 20-30 cm. Bend over, put your forehead on the floor, stretch forward your hands folded together with your palms. Close your eyes, relax the muscles of the abdomen, neck, face. Runtime 5-7 minutes.
Eyes half-closed: you need to skim through and relax all the muscles. Next, imagine that your body is made of rubber and has the ability to bend and twist in all directions. All restrictions - bones, tendons - are absent. Feet firmly glued to the floor. The wind is blowing, gusts of which every 2-3 seconds. change direction, causing the body to lean in one direction or the other.
Depict a drunk, with impaired coordination of movements, who constantly drifts from side to side. The legs are twisted, the head hangs from side to side. The legs are braided, the head hangs first on one shoulder, then on the other.
"Siegfried". Phase 1 - tension: Sitting on the tip of a chair, bend your elbows and spread them 90 degrees to the sides, bring your shoulder blades together as much as possible. The head is tilted forward and down. Take 2 breaths and exhale, relax on the second breath, drop your hands down. Relieve stress. Phase 2 - Relaxation: Sitting, bend one knee, grab it with your hands and pull it down forward, relax your back muscles. Change leg.
"Quasimodo". Phase 1 - tension: Sitting, bend your elbows. Raise them perpendicularly forward. Raise your shoulders as much as possible and pull your head in. Feel the roller formed on the neck. Take 2 breaths, 2 breaths. On the second exhale, relax, lower your shoulders, head to your chest. Phase 2 - relaxation: Slowly roll the head from the chest to the right shoulder and touch the shoulder with the right ear. Then slowly roll your head onto your chest, then onto your left shoulder, touching it with your ear.
"King Kong". Phase 1 - tension: Stretch your arms in front of your chest, slightly round them at the elbows and clench your fists tightly - until you tremble. Phase 2 - relaxation: Take 2 breaths, 2 breaths. On the second exhalation, release tension - relax.
"Tank". Phase 1 - tension: In a sitting position, the arms are bent at the elbows and laid 90 degrees forward at the waist. Fingers clenched into fists, palms up. We seem to squeeze ourselves from the sides with an effort. It becomes difficult to breathe (breathing is passive, as it turns out). Phase 2 - relaxation: Relax. Move your arms, relax your armpits.
Gymnastics complex for joint flexibility.
1. "Circle". Walking on straight legs. You need to walk without bending your knees. Movement only in the hip joint, depicting a compass.
2. "Punishment". Starting position - standing straight, legs together, feet parallel to each other. Bend the legs alternately at the knee, hitting the buttock with the heel, first with the right, then with the left. Make sure that while bending the knee remains at the same level with the knee of the straightened leg. Do: 30 times (15 times with each leg).
3. "Vstanka-Vstanka". Tilts in different directions. Starting position - standing, feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel to each other, hands on the belt, thumbs and elbows laid back:
a) Tilt the body as far forward as possible (while pushing the chest forward, pulling the shoulders back);
b) return to i / p. Lean as far back as possible;
d) return to i / p. lean as far as possible to the right;
e) return to i / p. Lean as much as possible to the left;
g) return to i / p. Make 6 circular movements clockwise;
i) return to i / p. Make 6 circular movements counterclockwise;
Exercise to do smoothly, slowly, without bending the knees.
4. Side bends with outstretched arms. Starting position - standing, feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel to each other, arms along the body. Lean down with your right side, touching the floor with your right hand (you can bend your right knee for this), and raise your straight left hand through the side up. Repeat exercise to the left. This is 1 time. Do: 6 times.
5. Side bends forward. Starting position - standing, legs apart as wide as possible, arms raised and spread apart. Inhale. With an exhalation, lean forward / to the left towards the left leg without bending the knees. At the end of the tilt, grab your ankle with your right hand, pressing your head to your left knee. Inhale - straighten up. With a new exhalation, repeat the exercise with an inclination to the right leg. This is 1 time. Do: 6 times.
6. Tension and relaxation of the abdominal muscles. Starting position - standing straight, move together, feet parallel to each other. Tighten and then relax the abdominal muscles 6 times in a row without a break. This is 1 episode, do: 6 episodes. Rest after each series. To control tension and relax muscles - put your hands (fingers) on your stomach.
7. Okay. Starting position - sitting on a chair, legs extended and raised above the floor. Turn the soles of the feet towards each other, then turn them the other way around. In this case, do not spread your knees. This is 1 time. Do - 15 times.
8. Three types of foot movement. Starting position - sitting on a chair, legs straightened and raised above the floor. With tense feet, do a series of movements:
a) vertical swings - 15 times;
b) horizontal swings - 15 times
c) turns clockwise - 15 times;
d) the same, only counterclockwise - 15 times.
9.Shoulder rotation. Starting position - sitting on a chair, arms bent at the elbows, hands clasping the shoulder joint, elbows and shoulders pressed to the chest. Rotate the shoulder girdle, without lifting the elbows, forward 15 times, then back 15 times.
10. The compression of an imaginary spring. Starting position - sitting at the table, elbows rest on the table, arms bent at the elbows. With tension, we lower the right hand and forearm (as if compressing an imaginary spring) onto the table. After touching the table, relax your hand. Then repeat the exercise for the left hand. This is 1 time. Do: 8 times.
11. Tilts of the head to the shoulders. Starting position - sitting on a chair. Slowly tilt your head to the right, as if trying to touch your shoulder with your ear. At the same time, do not raise your shoulders. Then, slowly tilt your head to the left. This is 1 time. Do: 15 times.
12. Tilts to one point. Starting position - sitting on a chair. The legs are bent at the knees and apart, with the hands clasping the knees (the thumbs are turned outward, the rest are inward), the elbows are spread apart. Head is straight. We lean forward with the right shoulder to an imaginary point (in the center of the distance between the knees), trying to touch the chin with the shoulder in the final position. In this case, the head is motionless. Repeat the exercise for the left shoulder. This is 1 time. Do: 8 times.
13. Repulsion of walls. Starting position - sitting on a chair With tense hands we push away imaginary walls: a) forward - 4 times; b) to the sides - 4 times; c) up - 4 times.
14. Turning the head in a horizontal plane. Starting position - sitting on a chair. Turn your head in a horizontal plane to the right, then to the left. In this case, the chin describes a semicircle. This is 1 time. Do: 15 times.
15. Turns to the sides while sitting. Starting position - sitting on a chair. With one hand, lean on your knee, lay the other behind your back. Turn as far back as possible in the direction of the pawned hand. Return to starting position. Swap hands and repeat the turn to the other side. This is 1 time. Do: 6 times.
16. Raising and lowering the legs. Starting position - lying on your back. The arms are extended along the body. Raise your legs, bend them at the knees and pull them to your stomach. Then stretch straightened legs 90 degrees to the floor. Slowly lower your legs to the floor. This is 1 time. Do: 4 times in a row.
17. Horizontal scissors. Starting position - lying on your back. Raise your legs, bring them together and spread them in a horizontal plane. This is 1 time. Do: 15 times.
18. Vertical scissors. Starting position - lying on your back. Raise your legs, bring them together and spread them in a vertical plane. This is 1 time. Do 15 times.
19.Rest. Starting position - lying on your back. Raise your hands up above your head and connect them in an inverted lock. Stretch up. Legs are straight and extended. Socks of the legs, simultaneously with the movement of the hands, pull towards you. To relax. Lower your arms gently along the body. Rest 2 - 3 min.
We rise. The set of exercises is completed.
Method of controlled psychophysiological self-regulation.
Now let's take a look at one of unique methods management of internal resources, which contributes to the disclosure of abilities and potential, overcoming stress and psychological barriers.
Relaxation exercises:
Take a comfortable position. Receptions can be performed standing, sitting, or lying down, as it is more convenient. Standing is more interesting, and you can immediately see what and how it turns out. When the exercises are performed while standing, you are immediately convinced of their high efficiency, because they allow you to get a comfortable state (if you wish, even relax very deeply) without the need for a comfortable position.
Pay attention to your head, especially its position, feel its heaviness. Make any few pleasant, repeatable movements for 30-40 seconds.
Transfer your attention to your shoulders, feel the movement that originates in your shoulders, follow this movement, do it several times at a pace that is pleasant to you, for 30-40 seconds.
Concentrate your attention on your thighs. Make several repetitive movements from the “hip” in a pleasant rhythm, for 30-40 seconds.
Transfer your attention to your legs, what position they are in, whether it is comfortable. Then do a few pleasant movements in a rhythm that is convenient for you, for 30-40 minutes.
Track the movement that brought you the most emancipation, repeat it a few more times.
Then add relaxation exercises:
Exercise 1. "Bridge".
Close your hands as it is convenient for you, then imagine that your hands are a sliding St. Petersburg bridge (Choose a comfortable image for yourself that helps to achieve movement), give them a mental command to diverge, as if automatically, without muscle effort. In order for the exercise to work, you need to find a state of inner balance in yourself, for this you need to relax and feel comfortable in yourself. Do as you please, sort through the options (reject or bow your head, take a deep breath or exhale, hold your breath for a moment, etc.), the main thing is to find this feeling of inner comfort, in which your will will begin to influence the automatic movement.
Starting position of the hand to the side. You need to close your hands, imagining that your hands are attracted to each other, like two halves of a bridge or magnets.
Repeat the divergence and convergence of the hands several times, achieving continuity of movement. At the moment when the hands, as it were, get stuck, you can slightly push them. If the desired state of inner relaxation has come, stay in it to remember it.
Exercise 2. " Wings".
Starting position - hands down. The eyes can be closed to better feel the movement that is born in the hands. Follow this movement and help it turn up. When the hands begin to float, there is a mass of new and pleasant sensations. Help yourself with pleasant figurative representations. Imagine that the arms are wings! Wings carry you! Allow yourself to breathe freely. Allow yourself to feel the state of flight.
Exercise 3. "Free body".
In a relaxed state, a person begins to sway. Feel this freedom, relaxation in your body, it is comparable to a slight swaying on the waves, in the wind, on a journey in endless space.
This technique trains and coordination. A person with good internal coordination is more resistant to stress, is less susceptible to external influences, has greater independence of thought, and quickly finds a way out in the most difficult situations. Therefore, exercises aimed at developing coordination also form resistance to stress.
Exercise 4
Feel your head, get into a comfortable position, relax and follow the movement of your head. Choose a rhythm that is pleasant for you, in which you want to continue the movement, and neck tension weakens. You can find a moment when you can, as it were, let go of your head, and then it will “go” automatically.
In the process, there will be pleasant points - these are points of relaxation. If in the process you come across pain points, they should be lightly massaged and continue moving. You can help yourself to find relaxation by moving your eyes horizontally or vertically, find what feels more comfortable for you (for example, write figure eights).
Exercise 5. "Hedgehog".
This exercise is aimed at defusing negative emotional states and maintaining a cheerful mood. Relaxation is achieved through tension. It is necessary to strain, for example, the hands, and then relax them as much as possible. Imagine a hedgehog that twists and unwinds.
In the first 2-3 days of training after performing techniques (automatic), you need to sit down and just sit passively for several minutes, as if neutrally (you should not close your eyes immediately, but only if they close themselves). This creates a feeling of emptiness in the head. (This is a rehabilitation state in which psychological unloading and accumulation of new forces take place.)
Impact on biologically active points
Method - Biologically Active Points. This method of treatment originated in ancient times (about 50 centuries ago) in the Far East (the territory of modern China, Korea, Mongolia, Japan). In the process of cognition of the world and natural phenomena, information was accumulated about what was useful and harmful to humans. Ancient physicians, observing the functioning of the human body, noted certain systems of relationships. So one of the systems is the relationship of certain points on the body with the internal states of a person. Finger pressure on strictly defined points can be dosed, selectively and directed to influence the functions of various organs and systems, regulate autonomic functions, metabolic and recovery processes. There are about 700 such points in total, but the most commonly used are about 150. The mechanism of therapeutic action on “vital points” (the modern generalizing name for them is “biologically active points”) is based on complex reflex physiological processes.
The principle of working with biologically active points (BAP).
How to understand that you have found exactly the biologically active point:
Biologically active points have specific features that distinguish them from the surrounding areas of the skin: relatively low electrical skin resistance, high electrical potential, high skin temperature and pain sensitivity, enhanced oxygen uptake and a higher level of metabolic processes.
When pressing on these points, as a rule, there are peculiar sensations of aches, some bursting, numbness, pain, which is absent when pressing outside these points. The occurrence of these sensations is so constant and necessary that it serves as a criterion for the correctness of finding a point.
Points should be found with the greatest accuracy, this will provide a better and longer effect.
Avoid affecting neighboring areas, where there may be other points that cannot be affected.
Rub your hands before the massage. This will revitalize the blood circulation in your hands and keep them warm. Gently feel for the point with your fingertip. Please note that when pressing on it, there is a feeling of pain, aches, which can spread (give away) around or to more or distant areas. This is very important for finding the "life point".
Point massage techniques:
Touching or light non-stop stroking
Light pressure, which uses the weight of a finger or hand
Deep pressure, in which a more or less noticeable hole forms on the skin in the area under the finger
Finger pressure can be horizontally clockwise rotation or vibrating (decelerating or accelerating), but must always be non-stop. The stronger the impact, the shorter it should be in time.
The accelerating method is characterized by continuous action, smooth, slow rotational movements without shifting the skin or pressing with a fingertip with a gradual increase in pressure and holding the finger at a depth.
In the professional activities of a rescuer, situations often arise that are stressful in nature.
The need to make a quick decision, sometimes a feeling of guilt, not always favorable relationships with relatives of the victims, psychological incompatibility with colleagues, difficult physical and climatic conditions for performing a task - these and other factors can upset emotional balance and cause negative experiences. For emotional discharge and transfer of the psyche to an optimal state that meets the requirements of the situation, the following exercises are recommended.
"Discharge". This exercise consists in alternately pressing four points in the lip area (Fig. 1). It is necessary to massage point 1 with the index finger for three seconds. Then, after a break of 10-15 seconds, press point 2. After the second break, points 3 and 4 should be massaged simultaneously. The result will be relaxation of the muscles of the whole body. Then you need to sit down, relax, simulating falling asleep and gradually slow down your breathing, paying special attention to lengthening the exhalation. After 3-5 minutes, many negative sensations will disappear.
"Antistress". This exercise also relieves excessive, emotional stress.” To do this, for three seconds, you need to smoothly and evenly press on the anti-stress point ", which is located under the chin (Fig. 2). When massaging this point, you will feel a slight ache, burning. After massaging this point, relax, imagine a state of languor, try to cause pleasant images.After 3-5 minutes, stretching on a yawn, strain, and then relax all the muscles of the body.
"Points". Sit comfortably on a chair, put your hands on your knees, pressing your thumbs to your index fingers. Clearly fix the place where the fold of skin ends between the index and thumb. Here is the point "he-gu", massaging which tones up, improves well-being. Massage for several minutes with vibrating movements of the index finger. The exercise is performed on both hands. When performing this technique, the finger is screwed into the point, as it were, which causes a feeling of warmth and burning in it. After that, put your hands on your knees again so that your palm completely covers the patella. In this case, the index finger is located in the middle of the cup, and the remaining fingers are pressed against each other. Then the ring finger will probe a small depression under the protrusion of the round bone. Find this point and massage it. In this case, you will experience a slight ache. This point ("zu-san-li") is called the point of longevity or the point of one hundred diseases. Its stimulation allows you to increase the tone of the body, maintain vigor, maintain the necessary performance.
Self-massage.
Self-massage is used to relax increased muscle tone, relieve emotional arousal and restore the normal state of the body.
1. Massage of the cervical spine.
With gentle smooth movements, massage the muscles of the cervical spine. This will help improve the general condition of the body, relax, and normalize the blood supply to the head. Consequently, attention improves, consciousness clears up, breathing becomes even and deep (Fig. 3).
2. Stroking the neck.
With the whole palm, with light movements from the chin to the collarbone, massage the neck for 2-3 minutes. This will help you relax the anterior neck muscles and enhance the effect of the previous exercise ( 
rice. 4).
Rice. 3 Fig. 4
Massage of the upper chest.
With the pads of your fingers, massage the anterior surface of the chest from the collarbone to the armpits. This improves blood circulation, normalizes the heartbeat and breathing rhythm. (Fig. 5)
4. Head massage.
Massage the hair surface of the head with light circular movements, as if combing it with a sparse comb. This will give you a feeling of comfort, relieve headaches, improve blood circulation. (Fig. 6)
Fig.5 6
Psychophysiological and psychological effect of colors
Certain shades of blue promote harmony; light green refreshes; red and bright yellow are energizing, while pink evokes feelings of serenity and happiness.
Color has a calming effect if it has the ability to cause contemplation, humility, preoccupation with something, withdrawal into "oneself" and melancholy. It has a restorative effect if it creates conditions for change, balance, "expansion" of the personality, nobility, contentment, understanding and cohesion.
Exciting are those colors that can evoke hope, ecstasy, desire, thirst for action, ambition; free thoughts and feelings, promote achievement, spiritual renewal and growth.
Gray - provides a frank response to external influences (when closing, stealth). Recommended for overwork and external stress.
Light gray - enhances intellectual capabilities.
Black - used as a tonic for people with poor health. Recommended for weak-willed people. Not recommended for aggressive and stubborn people.
Red - promotes wound healing, reduces inflammation. Has an analgesic effect. Recommended for headaches, dizziness and pain in the spine. Indicated for depression, depression and melancholy. Not recommended for impulsive, restless people.
Pink - is a catalyst for good mood, promotes recovery from somatic diseases.
Orange - increases appetite, favorably affects digestion, stimulates the senses. With a dosed effect - increases performance. Indicated for apathy, depression. Not recommended for dizziness.
Brown - helps to switch, "relax". Not recommended for people with a tendency to motion sickness. It is inappropriate if intellectual mobilization is necessary.
Brown-yellow - useful for people who do not receive satisfaction from life, who are in apathy, depression.
Brown - green - useful for people who love to travel, who are on a journey (path).
Yellow - useful for life disappointments, with tension in interpersonal communication. Increases the speed of visual perception, increases visual acuity and stability of clear vision, stimulates the brain. Not recommended for dizziness.
Greenish-yellow - helps to get out of depression. Not recommended for motion sickness.
Green - gives confidence, perseverance and endurance. Recommended for nervous breakdowns and overwork. Restores strength in insomnia. Indicated for neuralgia and migraine. Reduces the effect of motion sickness, prevents vomiting. Increases visual acuity, normalizes blood and intraocular pressure. Provides an increase in mental performance, favors concentration.
Blue-green ( sea wave) - provides control over thoughts and actions, useful for impulsive, emotional people. Strengthens strong-willed aspirations, it is recommended for people with low self-esteem.
Blue - dispels obsessions, reduces hyperactivity, soothes rheumatic pains, has an antiemetic effect, has an analgesic character. Reduces the level of anxiety.
Blue - reduction of hyperactivity, restores strength during deep experiences, anesthetizes, promotes falling asleep.
An important factor is also the individuality of the person. A color that has a slight stimulating effect on one person may excite another. Or the color that in one case soothes, in another situation will not produce any effect.
Technique "immersion in color" - recommended for activation of positive internal qualities and energy. This technique consists of several stages:
Take a comfortable, comfortable position, relax. It is best to do this exercise lying down, it is achieved desired effect relaxation.
Choose one of the suggested colors:
Red, if you need strength and endurance.
Orange, if you want to attract the attention of other people to your business and personal life.
Yellow if you want to develop intuition, you need new ideas and concepts.
Green, if you want to feel more empathy and love for your neighbor.
Blue if you are stressed and need to relax.
Blue, if you want to generate more creative ideas and looking for original concepts.
Violet if you are trying to come up with unique, innovative ideas, such as a revolutionary concept or an invention.
Imagine this color as a pyramid above your head. Quietly watch this pyramid, it slowly begins to descend. Feel how it penetrates you. It passes through your body, dissolving and clearing it of negative emotions and moods. Feel yourself in the center of this colored pyramid. Enjoy its properties and absorb them into yourself.
Now let the chosen color bathe you from head to toe, that is, from the top of your head to your feet. Imagine how the flow of this color passes through you and eventually flows out into the sewer pipe. Then check yourself. If you still feel remnants of negative feelings in any place of your body, direct the color flow there and wash this area.
Achieving the desired color quality. This can be done mentally, out loud, or in writing. Take five minutes to acknowledge the presence of red in you and its properties. Your statements should be short, simple, in the present tense, and phrased in the form that works best for you. Be confident in your words as you speak or write them down. Cast aside any doubts and put all your mental and emotional energy into the affirmations.
aroma therapy
The influence of smells on the mental and physical state of a person has been known since ancient times. The first evidence that people learned to isolate fragrant substances from plant materials dates back to about the 5th century. BC. Sumer's poem about Gilgamesh says "the smells arising from the burning of cedar and myrrh should propitiate the gods and instill in them a good mood." Confucius writes about the meaning of a good smell: “Your virtue is like perfumes that betray beauty and satisfaction not only to your heart, but also to those who know you.”
Aromas help a person fight many ailments, then we will describe some of them, as well as dwell on the methods of using essential oils.
Ways to use essential oils
Aromatherapy baths.
The effect is achieved by hot inhalation with simultaneous administration of oils through the skin. The temperature of the bath should not exceed body temperature, and the duration of such a procedure should not exceed 15 minutes. The amount of essential oils per 1 bath is 7-8 drops, and since essential oils do not dissolve in water, they must first be mixed with an emulsifier, which can be ordinary milk, cream or kefir.
Before taking such a bath, you need to wash yourself, and after finishing the procedure, do not rinse, get wet with a towel and rest for a while.
A bathing course should be started with a minimum number of drops of 4-5, gradually increasing by 2 drops to the required volume of 13-15, then the number of drops decreases by 2 each time. The course usually lasts 1.5 months with bathing, every other day. If you take a bath not according to the course, but according to your well-being, but stick to the optimal dose of 7-8 drops per bath.
Inhalations.
Hot and cold inhalations are taken for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, bronchi, lungs, to influence the psycho-emotional sphere.
For hot inhalation in a container of 0.5 liters. 3-5 drops of essential oils are added (it is recommended to start with 1-2). Then, covered with a towel, bend over the solution and inhale the vapors for 7-10 minutes. During the procedure, the eyes must be closed.
It must be remembered that hot baths are contraindicated in acute attacks of bronchial asthma. In these cases, cold inhalations are used - inhalation of essential oils applied to a strip of paper, a handkerchief, a clay medallion (no more than 2 drops), or an aroma lamp. You can suffocate the pillow with a suitable oil (2-3 drops), while sleep also normalizes.
Compress.
A very effective way to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. A hot compress is easy to prepare by filling a cup with hot water and adding 4-5 drops of aromatic oil to it. Then dampen a folded piece of cotton or flannel fabric, wring out excess water and apply to the affected area until the fabric cools to body temperature, then repeat. Hot compresses especially useful for back pain, rheumatism and arthritis, abscesses, earaches and toothaches. Cold compresses they are prepared in the same way, only very cold water is used instead of hot water. This type of compress is useful for headaches (should be applied to the forehead or back of the neck), sprains and tendons, and other local swelling caused by inflammation.
Aroma lamps.
The upper porcelain cup is filled with water and 5-7 drops of essential oil are added. A candle lit at the bottom of the lamp heats the water and the fragrance of the essential oil spreads throughout the room.
Before carrying out this procedure, it is necessary to ventilate the room, and use the lamp itself with the windows closed. The lamp is usually recommended to be used from 20 minutes to 2 hours, more than this time it makes no sense to use the lamp.
Do not let the water boil, and add water to the cup from time to time. After use, it is necessary to rinse the remains of essential oils, so that later there is no mixing of oils.
For insomnia, depression(massage, inhalations, aroma lamp, baths): chamomile, lavender, ylang-ylang, fir, myrrh, birch, basil, lemon balm.
With irritability, increased excitability and fear(massage, inhalations, aroma lamp, baths): oregano, mimosa, lemon balm, mint, valerian, ginger, fir, iris, myrrh, anise, coriander, basil, cinnamon, geranium, nutmeg.
With vegetative dystonia(massage, inhalations, aroma lamp, baths ) : rosemary, lemon, geranium, lemon balm, oregano, sage, eucalyptus.
When anxious(aroma lamp, bath, inhalations): basil, bergamot, ylang-ylang, lavender, frankincense, juniper.
For headaches(aroma lamp, massage, compress): grapefruit, lavender, peppermint, rose, rosemary, rosewood, chamomile, sage, eucalyptus.
For dizziness(bath, inhalation): lavender, peppermint.
For depression(bath, massage): basil, bergamot, grapefruit, ylang-ylang, lavender, rose, sandalwood, clary sage.
For migraine(compress): basil, lavender, peppermint, chamomile, sage.
With nervous exhaustion, overwork, general weakness(aroma lamp, bath, massage): basil, grapefruit, ylang-ylang, ginger, cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, patchouli, rosemary, pine, thyme, sage.
With nervous tension and stress(aroma lamp, bath, massage): orange, sweet orange, basil, bergamot, geranium, ylang-ylang, cedar, cypress, cinnamon, lavender, incense, tangerine, juniper, peppermint, petitgrain, rose, rosemary, rosewood, chamomile , sandalwood, pine, thyme, sage.
In shock(aroma lamp, bath, massage): lavender, valerian.
In case of poisoning(reception inside ): anise, lemongrass, tea tree, lemon, cypress, juniper, birch.
With reduced immunity(baths, ingestion, massage): lemon, orange, myrtle, oregano, eucalyptus, birch .
With injuries, sprains, dislocations(massage, compresses): juniper, ginger, lavender, sage, pine, cedar, rosemary.
For open wounds(oil application pure and diluted): geranium, lavender, rose, rosewood, peace, sage.
With hematomas, bruises(compresses, massage): chamomile, sage, mint, lemon, cypress, lemon balm, juniper.
For insect bites(compresses, oiling): lavender, sage, lemon, geranium, eucalyptus, sage, tea tree.
The therapeutic effect of music on the psychophysiological state of a person
Art actively influences the spiritual world of people, and through it - on their physical condition. Of all the arts, music has the widest and oldest use in medicine.
Music, according to modern researchers, has a healing effect on a person. It, as a rhythmic stimulus, stimulates the physiological processes of the body, occurring rhythmically, both in the motor and vegetative spheres.
Music acts both as a means to distract from thoughts that disturb a person, and as a means of calming. Great importance is given to music in the fight against overwork. Music also helps to throw out the accumulated energy, which we often see at all kinds of concerts, where people dance and enjoy it. Music can set a certain rhythm before starting work, set you up for a deep rest during a break.
Art comes to the rescue as an additional remedy in the treatment of somatic diseases.
Realizing the profound influence of music on feelings and emotions, Pythagoras did not hesitate about the influence of music on the mind and body, calling it "musical medicine". Pythagoras gave such a clear preference for stringed instruments that he warned his students against allowing their ears to listen to the sounds of the flute and cymbals. He further argued that the soul must be cleansed of irrational influences by solemn singing, which should be accompanied by a lyre. The lyre was considered a symbol of the human constitution, the body of the instrument represented the physical body, the strings the nerves, and the musician the spirit. Playing on the nerves, the spirit thus created the harmony of normal music, which, however, turns into disharmony if the nature of man is corrupted.
When overtired andnervous exhaustion- "Morning" and "Song of Solveig" by E. Grieg; Polonaise by Oginsky, Dawn on the Moscow River by Mussorgsky, Pavane by Ravel, Symphony No. 2" Kalinnikova, Aria from "Brazilian Bahiana No. 5" by Villa Lobos, "Adagio" by Albinoni and others.
When depressed melancholy mood- “To Joy” by Beethoven, “Aue Mala” by Schubert, “Anitra’s Dance” by Grieg, “Dance of the Dragee Fairy” and “Dance of the Shepherds” from the ballet “The Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky, “Little Night Serenade, allegro” by Mozart, “Spring, Allegro” Vivaldi and others.
Atmarked irritability and anger- Wagner's Choir of Pilgrims, Tchaikovsky's Sentimental Waltz, Scene by the Lake. Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky, "Adagio" by Albinoni, "Piano Concerto No. 2" by Rachmaninoff, "Aria from the Brazilian Bahiana No. 5" by Villa Lobos, etc.
With a decrease in concentration, attention- "The Seasons" by Tchaikovsky, "Moonlight" by Debussy, "Dreams" by Schumann, "Symphony No. 5 (Reformatory)" by Mendelssohn, etc.
Classical melodies such as Tchaikovsky's Barcarolle, Wiese's Pastoral, Leclain's Sonata in C, pt. 3, Saint-Saens' Swan, Tchaikovsky's Sentimental Waltz, Für Elise and Moonlight Sonata have a relaxing effect. » Beethoven and others
The tonic effect program is implemented with the help of: Monty, Rodriguez's "Kumparsita", Purcel's "Adelita", "Waltz of the Flowers. The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky and others.
Concerning contemporary music, then it certainly affects our mental state. Lyrics can cheer, please, sad. They can stimulate action or, on the contrary, inhibit it. They can combine, all this is individual for everyone. Pay attention to what kind of music you listen to. What emotions does it evoke in you? What music brings with it, and what strings of your heart it plays. In the process of this analysis, you will be able to understand what part of your life music voices and manifests.
Music therapy rarely acts as the only treatment; usually it is one of the independent (to a greater or lesser extent) methods included in complex therapy. So the combination of music therapy with autogenic training, aromatherapy and other relaxation methods is widely used.
Mental self-regulation is a conscious purposeful dynamic change in individual psychophysiological functions and the mental state as a whole through specially organized mental activity.
Methods of psychological self-regulation is a set of methods and training programs aimed at the formation of adequate human actions to manage their own state.
Complex of methods:
neuromuscular relaxation;
breathing techniques;
· concentration;
· auto-training;
· meditation;
kinesiology gymnastics;
Individual skills training
group psychological trainings and etc.
The main effects of mental self-regulation:
The effect of calming (elimination of emotional tension);
the effect of recovery (weakening of manifestations of fatigue);
Activation effect (increased psychophysiological reactivity).
Relaxation. Relaxation exercises
Most of us are already so accustomed to mental and muscular tension that we perceive it as a natural state, without even realizing how harmful it is. It should be clearly understood that, having mastered relaxation, one can learn to regulate this tension, suspend and relax at will, at will.
So, it is desirable to perform relaxation exercises in a separate room, without prying eyes. The purpose of the exercises is to completely relax the muscles. Complete muscle relaxation positive influence on the psyche and reduces peace of mind. Mental autorelaxation can cause a state of “ideological emptiness”. This means a momentary disruption of mental and mental connections with the outside world, which gives the necessary rest to the brain. Here we must be careful not to overdo it with renunciation of the world.
To start the exercises, you need to take the starting position: lying on your back, legs apart, feet turned toes outward, hands lie freely along the body (palms up). The head is slightly thrown back. The whole body is relaxed, the eyes are closed, breathing through the nose.
Here are some examples of relaxation exercises.
1. Lie still for about 2 minutes, eyes closed. Try to imagine the room you are in. First, try to mentally go around the whole room (along the walls), and then make your way around the entire perimeter of the body - from head to heels and back.
2. Pay close attention to your breathing, passively aware that you are breathing through your nose. Mentally note that the inhaled air is somewhat colder than the exhaled. Focus on your breathing for 1-2 minutes. Try not to think about anything else.
3. Take a shallow breath and hold your breath for a moment. At the same time, sharply tighten all the muscles for a few seconds, trying to feel the tension in the whole body. Relax as you exhale. Repeat 3 times.
Then lie still for a few minutes, relaxing and focusing on the feeling of heaviness in your body. Enjoy this pleasant feeling.
Now do exercises for individual parts of the body - with alternating tension and relaxation.
4. Exercise for leg muscles. Tighten all the muscles of the legs at once - from the heels to the hips. For a few seconds, fix the tense state, trying to feel the tension, and then relax the muscles. Repeat 3 times.
Then lie still for a few minutes, completely relaxed and feeling the heaviness of your relaxed legs.
All sounds environment register in consciousness, but do not perceive. The same applies to thoughts, however, do not try to overcome them, they only need to be registered.
The following exercises are identical to the exercise described above, but apply to other muscles of the body: gluteal muscles, abdominals, chest muscles, arm muscles, facial muscles (lips, forehead).
In conclusion, mentally "run" through all the muscles of the body - if there is even the slightest tension left somewhere. If so, try to take it off, as relaxation should be complete.
When completing relaxation exercises, take a deep breath, hold your breath and, for a moment, tighten the muscles of the whole body: while exhaling, relax the muscles. After that, lie on your back for a long time - calmly, relaxed, breathing is even, without delay. You have regained faith in your strength, are able to overcome a stressful situation - and there is a feeling of inner peace. After completing these exercises, you should feel rested, full of strength and energy.
Now open your eyes, then close your eyes several times, open again and stretch sweetly after a pleasant awakening. Sit down very slowly, smoothly, without jerking. Then, just as slowly, without sudden movements, stand up, trying to maintain a pleasant feeling of inner relaxation for as long as possible.
Over time, these exercises will be performed faster than at the beginning. Later it will be possible to relax the body when needed.
Progressive muscle relaxation by J. Jacobson
This technique, at least to begin with, we strongly recommend to anyone who has difficulty relaxing muscles. According to its author, the urgent problems of a person living in a civilized world are excessive haste, anxiety and an excess of reasons to which he is forced to respond. Under these conditions, physical and psychological stress leads to overstrain. It tends to be extended over time and accumulate. Since our soul and body are a single whole, neuromuscular tension contributes to increased mental tension and irritability. If a person, while in this state, tries to relax, he often achieves quite the opposite result. General relaxation (especially experienced in psychological terms) is possible only with the relaxation of all skeletal muscles.
The exercise should be carried out in a lying position: it is desirable that you are not disturbed during the training. Meaning active actions- spouses, children, neighbors, etc. who came to ask something and after that they immediately leave, continue to study for yourself. Sounds that do not carry information and are more or less one-dimensional sound background (clock running, refrigerator noise, trams passing by, etc.) do not, as a rule, cause disturbance. In the event that they bother you, it is enough to say to yourself at the beginning of each exercise: “The surrounding sounds do not interest me, they are indifferent to me, they do not bother me” (the phrase is formulated individually, according to your taste).
The "lying place" for classes should be wide enough so that you can freely put your hands next to the body. If you have problems with the spine, put a pillow under your head, and, if necessary, under your lower back. In a word, position yourself in such a way that you feel comfortable lying on your back with arms extended along the body. Nothing should put pressure on you. Hands or feet should not go numb. Clothing is loose and does not restrict movement. The temperature is also important: you should not be either hot or cold. In the latter case, one should cover oneself with a light blanket.
Before starting each exercise, sit comfortably in a supine position. Hands lie motionless along the body with palms down, legs slightly apart. Lie still and slowly close your eyes. The slower you close them, the faster you will achieve peace.
Relaxation of the muscles of the hands.
Exercise number 1. Lie quietly in the starting position for about 5 minutes. Then bend the left hand at the wrist so that the palm becomes vertical, hold it in this position for several minutes; the forearm remains motionless. Watch for a feeling of tension in the muscles of the forearm. Relax your hand, allowing the hand to sink under its own weight onto the bedspread. Now your hand cannot help but be relaxed - after such muscle tension, relaxation is a physiological need. For a few minutes, watch for a feeling of relaxation in your hand and forearm. Repeat this exercise one more time. Then spend half an hour at rest. The most important thing is to learn to recognize the sensations of tension and relaxation.
Exercise number 2. Repeat the previous exercise the next day. After the second relaxation of the hand, bend it at the wrist away from you (that is, differently than before), fingers down. Remaining up to an hour - relax.
Exercise number 3. Today you are resting. Do only relaxation, while watching the sensations in your left hand (is it relaxed or, from time to time, do you feel tension in it?).
Exercise number 4. To the first and second exercises, we will add experience with the flexor of the elbow joint. Left hand bend at the elbow at an angle of 30 degrees, that is, lift it from the bedspread. Repeat this operation three times for about 2 minutes followed by relaxation for several minutes. Relax for the rest of the hour.
Exercise number 5. Repeat all previous exercises. Then we will train the triceps. You will achieve tension in this muscle if, placing a stack of books under your forearm, you will forcefully press on them with your lying hand. Alternate relaxation and tension three times (for relaxation, take your hand away from the body, behind the books you use as an aid). Relax for the rest of the hour.
Exercise number 6. Time of repetition. Practice the four exercises you know for the left hand.
Exercise number 7. This exercise will show you how successfully you have mastered all the previous ones. Your task is to lie down, calmly stretching your arms along the body. You will achieve tension without moving your left hand, solely by concentrating your attention on it. For about half a minute, focus on tension, then translate it into relaxation. Repeat this several times. Relax for the rest of the hour.
In the future, do the same with the right hand (that is, a total of seven exercises).
Relaxation of leg muscles.
You can start by repeating exercises for the muscles of the hands, but this is not at all necessary. If you have already learned to recognize tension and relaxation in each muscle group and are able to control these processes, then you can immediately begin to relax. So, relax with your whole body, you will only train your legs (first the left, then the right).
Exercise number 1. Bend the leg at the knee - the muscles in the upper part of the leg and under the knee are tense. We train in a three-fold alternation of tension and relaxation.
Exercise number 2. And now, on the contrary, we bend the limb with the toe towards us. Tension and relaxation of the calf.
Exercise number 3. Tension and relaxation in the upper thigh - the leg being trained hangs down from the bed (sofa, etc.), thereby you achieve tension. Then return your leg to the starting position and focus on relaxing.
Exercise number 5. Tension in the hip joint and abdomen - lift the leg so that only the hip joint is bent.
Exercise number 6. Tension of the gluteal muscles - putting several books under the knee, press hard on them.
Discharge these six exercises with one or two repetition sessions, or provide one session devoted exclusively to relaxation.
Relaxation of the muscles of the body.
Exercise number 1. Abdominal muscles - perform as follows: either consciously pull the stomach into ourselves, or slowly rise from a lying position to a sitting position.
Exercise number 2. Muscles located along the spine - tension is achieved by arching and bending in the lower back (in the supine position).
Exercise number 3. muscles respiratory system. Before starting the exercise, it is recommended to carry out about half an hour of general relaxation. Then take a series of deep breaths in and out. At the same time, you will constantly feel the tension that occurs in the chest when you inhale (it is possible that at first you will only notice tension under the sternum; thanks to training, you can easily recognize it in other parts of the chest). Once you have a clear picture of the tension during deep breathing, you will be able to identify it with normal breathing as well. The purpose of this exercise is not breath control (as in a number of other relaxation techniques), rather the opposite - we are talking about getting rid of this process from the arbitrary influence of volitional factors so that it functions absolutely spontaneously.
Exercise number 4. Relaxation of the shoulder muscles. It involves the acquisition of several skills. By crossing your arms outstretched forward, you will fix the tension in the front of the chest; by rotating the shoulders back - tension between the shoulder blades, raising them - tension on the sides of the neck and in the upper part of the shoulders themselves. The tension in the left side of the neck is achieved by tilting the head to the left, in the right - to the right. Its fixation in the front and back sides takes place when the head is tilted forward and backward. This shoulder relaxation exercise can be done in one step, but it can also be done in stages. Relaxation exercises for the torso as a whole should be done for about a week (if you find it necessary to consolidate some skills, in this case, provide classes dedicated exclusively to relaxation).
Relaxation of the eye muscles.
Exercise number 3. Tension of the oculomotor muscles - while we feel tension in the eyeball. With eyes closed, look to the right, left, up, down. We train until we are able to clearly recognize the tension, and thereby get rid of it (that is, relax these muscles).
Exercise number 4. Having mastered the previous exercise, open your eyes and watch what happens when you look from the ceiling to the floor and vice versa. Feel the tension and relaxation.
Relaxation of facial muscles.
Exercise number 1. Gritting your teeth. Trace in every detail the accompanying tension. Relax. Repeat the exercise several times.
Exercise number 2. Open your mouth. What muscles are tensed at the same time? You should feel tension in front of the ears, but more deeply.
Exercise number 3. Bare your teeth, watch the tension in your cheeks. Relax.
Exercise number 4. Round your mouth, as if to say "ooh!", feel the tension, then relax your lips.
Exercise number 5. Pushing your tongue back, watch the tension, relax.
Relaxation of mental activity.
A quarter of an hour after complete relaxation, imagine (with your eyes closed) that you see the ceiling and floor of the room in which you are. If what you imagine is effective, you will feel the same muscle tension that you would experience when doing this exercise “in reality”. Relax for five to ten minutes. Then imagine a wall to your left and to your right. The goal is to develop the ability to evoke an intense mental image, and thereby tension in the corresponding muscle groups.
In the future (again after relaxation), imagine that a car is passing by you. In a similar way, you can practice with any moving objects: you can imagine that a train is coming, an airplane or a bird is flying by, a ball is rolling, etc. When you feel tension in your eyes when you visualize moving objects, focus on imagining tension in your eye muscles when you “observe” stationary objects, for example, imagine yourself reading a book. This approach leads to “cleansing thoughts” - already during or after the exercise, you will feel that your thoughts have subsided, as it were, have ceased to excite you, not one of them flickers in your brain.
Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation Timeline.
The following lines are considered by the author to be recommendations rather than mandatory. In any case, they are convenient to navigate: for the most part, people believe that learning is progressing too slowly if they do not master it perfectly the next day. Therefore, we present the Jacobson scale below:
Left hand .................................. one hour for 6 days
Right hand................................................ ........................ too
Left leg ........................................... one hour for 9 days
Right leg................................................ ........................ too
Torso ................................................. ........................... 3 days
Neck................................................. .................................... 2 days
Forehead................................................. ...................................... 1 day
Brows................................................. .................................. 1 day
Eyelids................................................. .................................... 1 day
Eyes ................................................ by hour within 6 days
Cheeks................................................. ....................................1 day
Jaws .................................................. ...............................1 day
Mouth................................................. ........................................1 day
Language................................................. ......................................2 days
Imaginary Conversations .................................................................. .. 6 days
Mental images .............................. one hour a week
Concentration
The inability to concentrate is a factor closely related to stress. For example, most working women at home perform three functions: housewife, spouse and mother. Each of these functions requires a woman's concentration, utmost attention and, of course, full dedication. There is a lot of unfocusedness. Each of these three functions causes a number of impulses that divert the woman's attention from the current activity and can cause a stressful situation. This tearing apart from day to day leads, in the end, to exhaustion, mainly mental. In this case, concentration exercises are simply irreplaceable. They can be performed anywhere and anytime during the day. To begin with, it is advisable to study at home: early in the morning, before leaving for work (study), or in the evening, before going to bed, or - even better - immediately after returning home.
So, we will designate an approximate order of performance of concentration exercises.
1. Try to ensure that there are no spectators in the room where you intend to practice.
2. Sit on a stool or regular chair - only sideways to the back so as not to lean on it. In no case should the chair be with a soft seat, otherwise the effectiveness of the exercise will decrease. Sit as comfortably as possible so that you can remain still for a certain amount of time.
3. Place your hands freely on your knees, close your eyes (they must be closed until the end of the exercise so that attention is not distracted by foreign objects - no visual information).
4. Breathe through your nose calmly, not tensely. Try to focus only on the fact that the air you breathe in is colder than the air you breathe out.
5. And now two options for concentration exercises:
a) concentration on the account.
Mentally count slowly from 1 to 10 and focus on this slow count. If, at some point, your thoughts begin to dissipate and you become unable to concentrate on counting, start counting from the beginning. Repeat the count for several minutes.
b) concentration on the word.
Choose a short (two-syllable is best) word that evokes positive emotions in you or that has pleasant memories associated with it. Let it be the name of a loved one, or an affectionate nickname that your parents called you in childhood, or the name of your favorite dish. If the word is two-syllable, then mentally pronounce the first syllable on the inhale, the second on the exhale.
Focus on “your” word, which from now on will become your personal slogan with concentration. It is this concentration that leads to the desired side effect - the relaxation of all brain activity.
6. Perform relaxation-concentration exercises for several minutes. Practice for as long as it pleases you.
7. Having finished the exercise, run your palms over your eyelids, slowly, open your eyes and stretch. Sit quietly in your chair for a few more moments. Note that you have succeeded in conquering absent-mindedness.
Often there are situations when it is difficult to remember someone's last name or some thought. We often stop in the middle of a room or corridor, confused, trying to remember what we went for or what we wanted to do. It is in such cases that a short-term concentration on command is recommended - on your word or on the account. In most cases, a word (or thought) that has fallen out of memory will come to mind in just a moment. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will necessarily always succeed. But with the help of concentration on a word or count, one can recall the forgotten faster than with the help of increased memory tension. With the help of this simple method a person is able to make an effort and overcome himself.
Autoregulation of breathing
Under normal conditions, no one thinks or remembers about breathing. But when for some reason there are deviations from the norm, it suddenly becomes difficult to breathe. Breathing becomes difficult and heavy with physical exertion or in a stressful situation. And vice versa, with a strong fright, tense expectation of something, people involuntarily hold their breath (hold their breath).
A person has the opportunity, by consciously controlling breathing, to use it to calm down, to relieve tension - both muscular and mental, thus, autoregulation of breathing can become an effective means of dealing with stress, along with relaxation and concentration.
Anti-stress breathing exercises can be performed in any position. Only one condition is obligatory: the spine must be in a strictly vertical or horizontal position. This makes it possible to breathe naturally, freely, without tension, to fully stretch the muscles of the chest and abdomen. The correct position of the head is also very important: it should sit straight and loose on the neck. A relaxed, upright sitting head stretches the chest and other parts of the body upwards to a certain extent. If everything is in order and the muscles are relaxed, then you can practice free breathing, constantly controlling it.
We will not go into detail here about what breathing exercises exist (they are easy to find in the literature), but we will draw the following conclusions:
1. With the help of deep and calm self-regulated breathing, mood swings can be prevented.
2. When laughing, sighing, coughing, talking, singing or reciting, certain changes in the rhythm of breathing occur in comparison with the so-called normal automatic breathing. It follows from this that the way and rhythm of breathing can be purposefully regulated by consciously slowing down and deepening.
3. Increasing the duration of the exhalation promotes calm and complete relaxation.
4. The breathing of a calm and balanced person differs significantly from the breathing of a person under stress. Thus, the rhythm of breathing can determine the mental state of a person.
5. Rhythmic breathing calms the nerves and psyche; the duration of the individual phases of breathing does not matter - the rhythm is important.
6. Human health, and hence life expectancy, largely depends on proper breathing. And if breathing is innate unconditioned reflex, therefore, it can be consciously controlled.
7. The slower and deeper, calmer and more rhythmic we breathe, the sooner we get used to this way of breathing, the sooner it will become an integral part of our life.
Meditation
Meditation techniques can be used effectively for self-regulation purposes. Depending on the tasks set, the text of meditations can be focused on rest, activation, a sense of strength, integrity, etc.
Meditation examples:
“Imagine that you are a small float in a vast ocean... You have no purpose... a compass... a map... a rudder... an oar... You are moving where the wind takes you... ocean waves... A big wave may cover you for a while... but you come up to the surface again and again... Try to feel these jolts and coming up... Feel the movement of the wave... the warmth of the sun... the drops of water... the pillow of the sea underneath you, supporting you... See what other sensations you get... when you imagine yourself as a small float in a big ocean...”
“Focus on your breathing... Air first fills your abdomen... then your chest... lungs... Take a full breath... then a few light, calm exhalations... Now calmly... without special effort take a new breath... Notice which parts of the body... are in contact with the chair... the floor... in those parts of the body where the surface is supporting you... try to feel that support a little more... Imagine that the chair ...floor...lifts up to support you...
Imagine a big white screen...
Imagine any flower on the screen...
Remove the flower from the screen and put a white rose on the screen instead.
Swap the white rose for a red one.. (If you're having trouble...imagine painting the rose red with a brush...) Remove the rose and imagine the room you're in...all the furnishings...furniture... . Colour...
Flip the picture... Look at the room from the ceiling... If that's hard to do...imagine yourself on the ceiling...looking down at the room and its surroundings...
Now imagine a big white screen again...
Place a blue filter in front of a light source so that the entire screen becomes bright blue...
Change the blue color to red... Make the screen green...
Imagine any colors and images you want...”
“You are walking through the territory of a large castle... You see a high stone wall... covered with ivy, in which there is a wooden door... Open it and enter... You find yourself in an old... abandoned garden... When - then it was a beautiful garden ... however, no one has taken care of it for a long time ... The plants have grown so much and everything is so overgrown with herbs ... that you can’t see the ground ... it’s hard to distinguish the paths ... Imagine how you, starting anywhere in the garden...weeding...cutting the branches...mowing the grass...replanting the trees...digging, watering them...doing everything to bring the garden back to its former glory...
Stop after a while... and compare the part of the garden you have already worked on... with the part you haven't touched yet...”
“Imagine a small rocky island... away from the continent... On top of the island... a tall, well-placed lighthouse... Imagine yourself as this lighthouse... Your walls are so thick and strong... that even strong winds constantly blowing on the island... can't shake you... From the windows of your upper floor... you day and night... in good and bad weather... send out a powerful beam of light that serves as a guide for ships... Remember that energy system that keeps your beam of light... gliding across the ocean... warning mariners of shallow waters... being a symbol of safety on shore... Exercise "Water"
Now try to feel the inner source of light in yourself, the light that never goes out ... "
Ideomotor training
Since any mental movement is accompanied by micro-movements of the muscles, it is possible to improve the skills of actions without actually performing them. At its core, ideomotor training is a mental replay of the upcoming activity. For all its advantage (saving strength, material costs, time), this method requires a serious attitude from the practitioner, the ability to concentrate, mobilize the imagination, and the ability not to be distracted throughout the workout.
The psychologist who conducts this training must have a clear idea of the situation or action being played out before it begins. You can even pre-compose the text describing the situation. Paying special attention to the creation of an emotional background.
At the beginning of a workout, trainees can be encouraged to relax their muscles, use lower breathing, and sink into a calm, slightly drowsy state. After that, the psychologist proceeds to describe the situation. When conducting ideomotor training, the psychologist is recommended to observe the following principles:
1. Students must create an extremely accurate image of the movements being worked out;
2. The mental image of movement must necessarily be associated with its muscular-articular feeling, only then it will be an ideomotor representation;
3. Mentally imagining movements, you need to accompany it with a verbal description following the leader of the lesson, pronounced in a whisper or mentally;
4. Starting to train a new movement, you need to mentally see it in slow motion, which can be accelerated in the process of further training;
5. If during training the body itself begins to make some movements, this should not be prevented;
6. Immediately before performing a real action, you do not need to think about its result, since the result displaces from consciousness the idea of how to perform actions.
Ideomotor training helps to reduce the impact of the novelty factor, which leads to faster mastery of new skills, the formation of an image of upcoming actions and increases the level of psychological readiness to them.
Kinesiology
Kinesiology exercises are based on the experience of various cultures and are included in the methodology according to the principle of "optimal minimum". Exercise integrates brain function and nervous system in general, they ensure the speed and intensity of the course of nervous processes, relieve stress, positively affect the emotional system, stabilize and rhythmize the nervous processes of the body.
Exercise "Water"
Stress reduces the level of water in the body, leading to dehydration of cells. Drink a few sips of water.
Exercise "Buttons of the brain"
One hand gently massages the points under the collarbones to the left and right of the sternum, and the other touches the navel.
Exercise "Cross step"
Counter or, conversely, divergent movements of the hands to the opposite legs.
Exercise "Owl"
Squeeze one shoulder with force, simultaneously rotating your head in all directions and blinking your eyes, while pronouncing the sound "U" with each synchronous movement of the head and arm.
Exercise "Duck"
Massage the points in the middle above and below the mouth.
Exercise "Thinking cap"
Massage your ears with strong and deep movements.
Exercise "Positive Points"
Lightly touch the points located directly above the eyes on the forehead, exactly in the middle between the hairline and eyebrows. Before synchronization at the pulse points.
Exercise "Lazy Eights"
With your left hand at eye level, draw a figure eight in the air, lying on its side (the sign of infinity), looking at the nail thumb. Follow with your eyes as you go. Then the same with the right hand. Then connect your thumbs with an "X" sign.
self-regulation guard duty reflex
Self-regulation is conditionally divided into biological (reflex, as higher form biological) and consciously controlled.
Biological self-regulation is a genetically encoded complex internal processes, underlying the growth, development, vital activity and protective functions of the body of both humans and animals, plants. Biological self-regulation proceeds without the participation of consciousness. For example, during anesthesia, the heart continues to work. Even in the dead, biological self-regulation maintains hair and nail growth.
Reflex self-regulation ensures the perception of signals by the senses external environment. For example, the work of the heart can change from a sharp knock, from a perceived image, and even from a smell. This property of the body through feelings to change biological self-regulation and underlies the phenomena of suggestion, hypnosis and other methods of influence. Suggestion is purposeful psychological impact on a person in order to cause through the senses a change in biological self-regulation in the desired direction. Consciously controlled self-regulation is a classic auto-training or mental self-regulation.
Mental self-regulation is the impact of a person on himself with the help of words and corresponding mental images. By psychic self-regulation we mean psychic self-influence for the purposeful regulation of the comprehensive activity of the organism, its processes, reactions and states. Common to these definitions is the allocation of the human condition as an object of influence and internal means of regulation, primarily means of mental activity.
The main feature of the methods of self-regulation of states is their focus on the formation of adequate internal means that allow a person to carry out special activities to change his state. In our everyday life, we often intuitively use sets of such techniques developed in individual experience that allow us to cope with excitement, quickly get into a working rhythm, and relax and rest as much as possible. This experience was reflected in almost any centuries-old culture of different peoples, within which entire systems of techniques and means of self-regulation of states were created, which had a clearly expressed teaching and educational character. "Learn to manage yourself" - this is the main motto of such measures interspersed in various philosophical and religious teachings, pedagogical systems, rituals and forms of organization of life.
The developed methods of self-regulation are most often based on the generalization of this useful and multifaceted experience. At the same time, one of the most important tasks is to study the specific mechanisms of influences of this kind, cleared of distorted mystical, religious and simply incorrect worldly ideas.
Mastering the basics of psycho-correction and psycho-training requires, first of all, the desire to develop one's skills, as well as the ability to find time for systematic training of oneself and colleagues.
Relying on these materials will improve your capabilities.
Breathing exercises.
Abdominal breathing helps to relieve neuropsychic stress, restore mental balance. In the course of training, it is necessary to ensure that inhalation and exhalation are carried out by filling the lower third of the lungs with the movement of the abdominal wall, while the chest and shoulders remain motionless.
The breathing cycle should be carried out according to the formula "4-2-4", i.e. inhale for 4 counts, pause for 2 counts, and exhale for 4 counts. In this case, it is recommended to breathe slowly through the nose, focusing on the breathing process. Can be on initial stage connect images, imagining how air fills the lungs and exits back.
After the correct assimilation of this type of breathing, military personnel are recommended to use it when the first signs of mental tension, attacks of irritability or fright appear. 2-3 minutes of such breathing, as a rule, contribute to the restoration of mental balance, or significantly weaken negative emotions.
Clavicular (upper) breathing is carried out by the upper third of the lungs with raising the shoulders. Inhalation-exhalation is made through the nose with deep and fast movements. It is used when there are signs of fatigue, apathy or drowsiness in order to activate mental processes, restoring a feeling of cheerfulness.
Muscle tone management.
Each negative emotion has its representation in the muscles of the body. The constant experience of negative emotions leads to muscle strain and the occurrence of muscle clamps. Since there is a close relationship between the psyche and the body, just as mental tension causes an increase in muscle tone, so muscle relaxation leads to a decrease in neuropsychic excitation. You can reduce muscle tone through self-massage, self-hypnosis, with the help of special stretch marks. The most simple and effective method- self-massage. It can be taught in pairs, when one student performs the techniques, and the second monitors the correctness of their implementation and provides assistance. First, military personnel are invited to switch to already mastered abdominal breathing and achieve a calm state, while trying to relax the muscles as much as possible. The partner controls which muscle groups of the face, neck, shoulders, arms remain tense, and points to them. In the future, the student should pay constant attention to these places, because. these are his individual muscle clamps. Then he proceeds to self-massage the muscles of the face - with the pads of his fingers he makes spiral, patting movements from the center to the periphery, successively passing the muscles of the forehead, cheeks, cheekbones, back of the head, neck, shoulders, forearms, hands, etc.
After self-massage, he stays in a relaxed state for several minutes, trying to remember his feelings, and then switches to clavicular breathing and pronouncing self-hypnosis formulas to himself "I am alert, well rested, ready for further work", returns to the waking state. When massaging the neck and shoulder area, you can resort to the help of a friend. The ability to relax muscles is a preparatory exercise for learning to enter altered states of consciousness and use self-hypnosis.
Ideomotor training.
Since any mental movement is accompanied by micro-movements of the muscles, it is possible to improve the skills of actions without actually performing them. At its core, ideomotor training is a mental replay of the upcoming activity. For all its advantage (saving strength, material costs, time), this method requires a serious attitude from the practitioner, the ability to concentrate, mobilize the imagination, and the ability not to be distracted throughout the workout.
At the beginning of the training, trainees can relax their muscles, use lower breathing and immerse themselves in a calm, slightly drowsy state. After that, the leader proceeds to the description of the task. When conducting ideomotor training, it is recommended to observe the following principles: trainees must create an extremely accurate image of the movements being worked out; the mental image of the movement must necessarily be associated with its muscular-articular feeling, only then it will be an ideomotor representation; mentally imagining movements, you need to accompany it with a verbal description following the leader of the lesson, pronounced in a whisper or mentally; when starting to train a new movement, you need to mentally see it in slow motion, which can be accelerated in the process of further training; if during training the body itself begins to make some movements, this should not be prevented; immediately before performing a real action, one does not need to think about its result, since the result displaces from consciousness the idea of how to perform the action.
Ideomotor training will help reduce the impact of the novelty factor, which leads to faster mastery of new skills, the formation of an image of upcoming actions and increases the level of psychological readiness for them.
Commandments of mental hygiene
Simple commandments of mental hygiene that will help you relieve nervous tension without resorting to medication:
Learn to "relieve stress" - instantly relax. To do this, you need to master the skills of auto-training.
Let's rest your nervous system. Remember: only those who have a good rest work well.
Replace unpleasant emotions with pleasant ones. It's hard to do this. But perhaps K.S. Stanislavsky argued that feelings cannot be ordered, but feelings can be "lured out." For example, by switching your attention and thinking to objects that usually cause you positive emotions.
Source: Tolstykh, A.V. Alone with everyone: about the psychology of communication / A.V. Tolstykh. - Minsk: Polymya, 1990. - 208 p.
Autotraining: advice from a psychologist
Recall the famous phrase of Carlson: "Calm, only calm!" It is calmness that is often lacking in women, who account for the majority of emotional, and, perhaps, physical activity. Many people do not realize that they themselves create their own mood and, therefore, can change it themselves. Meanwhile, “tuning” yourself is very important, especially in a stressful situation. A tense person acts, as a rule, either stiffly, or, conversely, too impulsively.
The words "auto-training", "relaxation", "meditation" have firmly entered our lives. But, understanding their significance, do we often use these techniques to relieve stress, emotional stress, mobilize mental strength and cheer up? As a rule, no. The concept of “auto-training” is associated with mournfully sounding words: “My arms are getting heavy... My legs are getting heavy...” And for what? On them already by the end working week like weights hanging.
The name "auto-training" comes from two words: "auto" - self and "training" - training. Auto-training means a technique for teaching a person himself the methods of self-regulation of physical and mental states.
Auto-training includes special exercises aimed at learning to control the muscular system, breathing, imagination, and through them - physical and mental states. Having learned to control our muscular system, we can ensure that in any situation and at our own will we will be able to strain or relax our muscles and through them influence our own psychological states. After all, affects and stresses are almost always accompanied by excessive muscle tension, and if a person manages to relax, then the strength of his emotions also decreases.
A similar effect generates a change in the depth, frequency and rhythm of breathing. When a person is in a state of excitement, his breathing becomes frequent, shallow and uneven. On the contrary, at rest, breathing normalizes and deepens. Special training in auto-training to voluntarily change the frequency and rhythm of breathing provides the effect of self-regulation. As you probably already understood, auto-training as a whole is based on the relationship between the physical states of people, emotions and mental processes.
Imagination also plays a big role here. You can, for example, imagine yourself in a dark cave or in a forest full of predators - and you will become scared. You can imagine yourself in a cozy and warm bed, and this will make you feel comfortable. You can finally imagine that you are on the beach under the rays of the bright, hot summer sun, and you will definitely feel warmer.
Thus, while doing auto-training, you can learn to arbitrarily change your feelings, physical and psychological states, create a certain mood in yourself, fight fatigue, and effectively restore mental strength.
Of course, within the framework of one article it is impossible to talk in detail about the methodology of autogenic training. Yes, probably not. You may have your own ways of achieving a state of comfort, relaxation and calmness. You may already be familiar with relaxation and meditation techniques. Or maybe just a walk alone or your favorite melody helps you achieve the desired state. But I would like to recommend one exercise. Very simple, in any situation it will help you achieve a state of calm, feel confident in your own abilities.
Sitting quietly in your chair, imagine that there is a small particle at the very center of your being that is very, very peaceful and happy. Untouched by any fears and worries about the future, she is in complete peace, strong and happy. You can't reach it, you can't touch it. If you wish, it can be represented in the form of a certain image - a tongue of flame, precious stone or a hidden lake, calm, with a smooth, without the slightest ripple, surface.
It is there – deep in you – an integral part of you. This hidden center always remains calm and quiet, you would not have to go through any difficulties, problems and worries. If you wish, you can feel this particle within yourself at any time. And many times a day you can remember this little nucleolus of inner peace, mentally join it. Knowing that it is here, very close, you will feel more calm and relaxed, and at the same time more confidence and strength. If this is what you consider a vacation, then you have already achieved what you dreamed of. And picnics with kebabs, night dances until the morning and fashionable film screenings are just a bright outer shell of the process called "rest", which must be approached with the appropriate attitude.
Source: Bireva, A. Autotraining [Electronic resource] / A. Bireva - Access mode: http://bel2.wsnet.ru/news/www.passion.ru/s.php/995.htm. – Date of access: 07/03/2007.
Three Basket Technique
When there is a mess in your head and a lot of problems have accumulated, find 5-10 minutes and retire, and let no one bother you. Relax, take a few deep breaths. Close your eyes. Imagine three baskets. Start putting your thoughts into these baskets. In the first place put thoughts related to the past. The second is related to the present. The third is related to the future.
Don't think about these thoughts, just sort them like this. Do this for the indicated 5-10 minutes.
Meditative breathing
It has long been noted that focusing on our natural processes makes us closer to nature, closer to our nature, strengthens us.
So, the essence of the method. When I feel that in my head there is not a brain, but a cauldron under high pressure I know it's time to take a break. Before, I just tried to go outside, get distracted by something, chat with someone on an abstract topic. Now I use this technique too.
I get up, close my eyes. I imagine myself standing on top of a hill, and below - such beauty. The river glitters in the distance, behind it is a pine forest, closer to me is a beautiful meadow with bright islands of flowers and flowering shrubs. A fresh breeze blows over me, and I feel the light aroma of these flowers. I show serenity on my face. Our facial expression reflects our inner state. But, the opposite is also true. To improve the internal state, it is enough to change the expression of your face to a kind smile. I begin to take a deep breath through my nose. I can feel the air going into my lungs all the way to the bottom. I focus my attention on the breath. I try to feel the air enter my Airways refreshing them with its coolness. Then, when I exhale slowly (through my mouth), I focus my attention on it, on the warmth of the exhaled air. It is so pleasant. I feel my lungs contract without tension. You can focus your attention on how the air enters through the nose and exits through the mouth. Just feel what is more comfortable for you to focus on. The exhalation should be two to three times longer than the inhalation. Otherwise, you may feel dizzy from hyperventilation. It should be done in this way 12-15 breaths. This will take 2-3 minutes.
You will feel that clarity has come in your head and your body has relaxed (it is in this state that responsible decisions must be made). Solutions to questions to which you did not know the answer until this moment were indicated.
Source: Pomazanov, R. Technique of three baskets / R. Pomazanov // Internet business and personal development [Electronic resource]. - 2009. - Access mode: http://www.lifetools.ru/view_post.php?id=109. – Access date: 09/03/2010.
A set of exercises to relieve tension
A set of exercises to relieve tension, stiffness and fatigue by accelerated flexion and extension of muscles sequentially in the main parts of the body:
“The eyes are closed. The inner eye is directed into the distance. Arms parallel to the table, knees bent at 90°. Acceleratedly bend-unbend the feet, alternately, together. We raise the right, then the left shoulder, then together. We shake our heads, while the inner voice slowly counts to three, after which the shaking of the head stops. From 4 to 20 we count at an accelerated pace. We mentally imagine that each of us is an unwinding spring. On the count of 20, we open our eyes at the same time and stand up.
Source: Amirova, S.S. Personality self-organization in the learning process / S.S. Amirova, V.M. Mosolov, G.P. Sechina, N.I. Sukhorukova // Pedagogy. - 1993. - No. 5. - S. 49–52.
7 ways to relax in a few minutes
Breathing exercises. This is the easiest and cheapest way to relax. For two minutes, you just need to breathe. Take a deep breath - feel how the air reaches the very bottom of the abdomen. But haven't you been breathing before? Why, on the contrary... But in a hurry and tension, you do not have time to inhale the proper amount of oxygen. This is especially felt when you need to make a speech in front of an audience. The voice breaks, you need to inhale, your throat dries up. To cope with the lack of oxygen, one should not go into meditation or take a yoga pose. All you need to do is take a few slow, deep breaths a few times a day. It's nice if you have the opportunity to be alone with yourself, raise your legs and close your eyes, but this is not at all a necessary condition. Make breathing exercises you can during a meeting, and while driving, and talking on the phone. It is not necessary to announce publicly that you need to replenish oxygen supplies.
Thought journey. Remember the place - "the island of your dreams" - where you felt absolutely happy. Remember the past or fantasize.
Go there for a couple of minutes.
Disconnect from reality, close your eyes and imagine that you are breathing, hearing, feeling. Plunge into the world of happiness and harmony with yourself. In a couple of minutes you will return to reality refreshed and confident that at any moment you can go "to the island of your dreams."
Imagine and get rid. Are you worried about something? Forget about it.
Imagine the reason for your irritation - with a fiery sword in your hand, ready to pierce you at any moment, and if it is abstract, give it some form. Does the constant lack of time piss you off? Imagine a clock with hands spinning at a frantic pace. Or dress time in the image of a large boulder that rolls in your direction with great speed.
Now place this image in a soap bubble and imagine that it rises higher and higher, getting smaller and smaller, and finally disappears from sight.
Gymnastics for the shoulders. Usually we transfer all tension to a specific part of the body. Most of the time it's the shoulders. But this can be avoided if you pause in time and slowly rotate your shoulders back and forth for a couple of minutes. Sometimes the result is so good that it feels like the shoulders drop a few centimeters, and the neck relaxes.
Life wisdom. This way to relax will require some preparation from you, but believe me, the result will exceed your expectations. Get a notepad and write everything down. wise sayings, curious observations, jokes, etc. - anything that grabs your attention. You can collect them anywhere: in the press, in conversation, or invent yourself. Make it a rule to write down everything that seems interesting to you.
In between work, take out a notebook, open it to some statement, and meditate on it for a few minutes. Don't try to direct your thoughts. Let the brain work on its own.
Everything you love. It is good to always have with you a photograph of a loved one, something dear to you or a talisman (for example, a silver dollar that accompanies you everywhere for many years). Look at it: what comes to your mind? As in the previous method, do not direct your thoughts.
A way to relax for the gifted. Combine breathing exercises with any of the above ways to relax. It may seem difficult at first, but you'll get used to it over time.
Self-regulation is the management of one's psycho-emotional state, which is achieved by a person's influence on himself with the help of the power of words (affirmation), mental images (visualization), control of muscle tone and breathing. Mental self-regulation is a mental self-influence for the purposeful regulation of the comprehensive activity of the body, its processes, reactions and states.
The main feature of the methods of self-regulation of states is their focus on the formation of adequate internal means that allow a person to carry out special activities to change his state. In our everyday life, we often intuitively use sets of such techniques developed in individual experience that allow us to cope with excitement, quickly get into a working rhythm, and relax and rest as much as possible. This experience was reflected in almost any centuries-old culture of different peoples, within which entire systems of techniques and means of self-regulation of states were created, which had a clearly expressed teaching and educational character. "Learn to manage yourself" - this is the main motto of such measures interspersed in various philosophical and religious teachings, pedagogical systems, rituals.
Methods of psychological self-regulation - a system of teaching methods aimed at the formation of internal controls own states. Training is most successfully carried out within the framework of specially organized cycles of classes. The simplest methods of self-regulation can be studied and used independently.
Self-regulation techniques can be applied in any situation.
As a result of self-regulation, there are three main effects:
The effect of calming (elimination of emotional tension);
the effect of recovery (weakening of manifestations of fatigue);
Activation effect (increased psychophysiological reactivity).
Timely self-regulation acts as a kind of psychohygienic means. It prevents the accumulation of residual effects of overstrain, contributes to the full recovery of strength, normalizes the emotional background of activity and helps to take control of emotions, and also enhances the mobilization of the body's resources.
There are natural ways of self-regulation of the mental state, which include:
laughter, smile, humor;
Reflections on the good, pleasant;
bathing (real or mental) in the sun;
inhalation of fresh air;
various movements such as stretching, muscle relaxation;
observation of the landscape;
looking at flowers in the room, photographs, other things that are pleasant or expensive for a person; etc.
But such means cannot be used, for example, at work, directly at the moment when a tense situation arose or fatigue accumulated. In such cases, it is important to use special
self-regulation methods that meet the following requirements:
easy to understand;
understandable to professionals who do not have a psychological and medical education, the mechanism of their action on the psyche and body is clear;
· can be used during the working day, at the workplace;
· have no contraindications;
do not require a lot of time to perform (express methods);
· can be used to work with personal problems;
Do not require special equipment and premises.
To date, the main methods of self-regulation are: breathing and relaxation techniques, meditation, auto-training, visualization, self-hypnosis, self-hypnosis and self-order, methods of neurolinguistic programming. Currently, many methods of self-regulation have been developed and described, which allows each person to find their own version.
Let's consider them in more detail. In the classification of N. E. Vodopyanova and E. S. Starchenkova, psychotechniques of self-regulation are distinguished, aimed at:
change in the content of consciousness - switching attention to other activities, objects of the environment, etc .;
management of the physical "I" - the regulation of breathing, the pace of movements, speech, relieving tension in the body;
Reproduction of resource states or positive images;
Reflection of one's social "I" - the ability to set goals, manage time, learn to feel comfortable in any social situations;
work with irrational beliefs;
positive suggestion or self-hypnosis.
Let's look at some self-regulation techniques.
Breath control is an effective means of influencing muscle tone and the emotional centers of the brain. Slow and deep breathing (with the participation of the abdominal muscles) lowers the excitability of the nerve centers, promotes muscle relaxation, that is, relaxation. Frequent (thoracic) breathing, on the contrary, provides a high level of body activity, maintains neuropsychic tension. Below is one way to use the breath for self-regulation.
Sitting or standing, try to relax the muscles of the body as much as possible and focus on breathing.
1. On the count of 1-2-3-4, take a slow deep breath (while the stomach protrudes forward, and the chest is motionless).
2. Hold your breath for the next four counts.
3. Then exhale slowly for a count of 1-2-3-4-5-6.
4. Hold your breath again before the next breath for a count of 1-2-3-4.
After 3-5 minutes of such breathing, you will notice that your state has become noticeably calmer and more balanced.
Currently, there is a particular interest in methods that can be used in the workplace, and are especially in demand. emotion regulation techniques.
In a work situation, it is convenient to use the method of active switching of attention, as a result of which the brain gets a little respite.
"coffee" break
toys that relieve tension during stress;
Relaxation of the body by alternating tension and relaxation.
Some simple exercises may also be helpful:
Squeeze your toes tightly and open them, imagining how the stress leaves each toe as you relax;
Give your brain a break by remembering something funny or unrelated to work;
· try to look at the problem broadly: you are not the center of the Universe, the light has not come together like a wedge on your problem.
At the end of the working day it is important:
Summing up the results of the working day, and even if you tried to do more, praise yourself not only for the results obtained, but also for the efforts made to achieve the goals (this must be done, despite the fact that the boss or colleagues may have been waiting more from you)
Leaving work, “forget” about it: leave the working role of a manager, administrator, accountant and remember your other roles. You can even say to yourself: "I'm not Elizaveta Petrovna - an accountant, now I, Liza, am a lover of sports dances." It is clear that the higher the level of leadership, the more difficult it is to do this, since the first mobile call any employee will again be reminded of their professional role. However, even small and very short breaks of “getting out of the work role” are positive for the brain. Here, mind control is important in order to quickly catch yourself thinking about your “favorite” work. For a faster switching of attention, our “Elizaveta Petrovna” can listen to a cassette with music in the car, to which she usually goes in for fitness, and even make possible micromovements of her body. This can help you get out of your professional role.
To conduct training and to select an individual self-help program, you can use a conditional classification (presented in Table 1), which includes three groups of methods (depending on the moment of anti-stress coping - before, during or after exposure to a stressor - a person plans to apply self-regulation methods):
· Methods aimed at the regulation of prelaunch excitement. They are used in situations where a stressful event for a person is expected;
methods that can be used directly at the moment of experiencing a stressful situation;
methods that can be used in the post-stress period. These exercises tend to take longer to complete. This also includes most general strengthening exercises related to AT techniques, relaxation, and meditation.
Table 3*
Classification of self-regulation methods depending on the time parameters of interaction with the stress factor