Relax Your Mind and Body: Engaging the Relaxation Response

Take a moment right now and analyze yourself. Are you anxious and tense? Or are you relaxed and happy? Stress from back pain can throw you off and alter your focus. Your response to your situation matters. It can make the difference between taking control of your back pain or having back pain take control of you. The relaxation response can help.

By engaging the relaxation response, you change the way you think and feel. You begin to regain control and the focus you need to successfully master your back program. Only you can take charge. You must decide to stop and get focused. Until you do, you won't get the full benefit from all the other information you’re learning in BackCare 101 to help you take care of your back. So stop right now. Regain your focus. Engage the relaxation response.

How can I benefit by learning this skill?

The relaxation response is a skill for your body and mind. By combining healthy breathing and calm thoughts in a relaxing atmosphere, your body and mind both benefit. Your body benefits because muscles relax, blood pressure drops, and pain eases. Your mind benefits because stress calms, focus clears, and thoughts become streamlined. When you engage the relaxation response, you'll be in a frame of mind that enables you to deal with your situation and successfully apply all the other helpful skills you've learned to help you ace your back program.

How do I perform this skill?

There are many ways to engage the relaxation response. Most involve one to two daily sessions of relaxed breathing and focused thinking in calm surroundings. It's a simple, nearly effortless way to allow your body a few moments to unwind. As you relax the body, you relax the mind. This form of meditation doesn't require a big change in your beliefs. It is not necessarily religious and requires only a small time commitment. Follow these steps to engage the relaxation response:

• Choose a word, phrase, or prayer to focus on.
• Get comfortable - wherever you are. If you're at home, you could sit in your favorite chair. You may prefer to lie down in a comfortable position.
• Use your diaphragm to breathe. Feel your abdomen rise and fall rhythmically.
• Recite your word, phrase, or prayer with each breath you take.
• Begin to relax your muscles one by one, starting with your toes and feet, and then your lower legs. Slowly work your way muscle by muscle to the top of your head.
• Ignore worries, deadlines, fears, and thoughts about the day.
• Continue for 10 to 20 minutes.
• Collect your thoughts. Allow new and focused thoughts to gain a foothold before you rise and go about your daily tasks.

Are there other recommendations I need to be aware of?

Find a model of relaxation that fits your beliefs. There are many resources available to assist you.

What should I watch out for while doing this skill?

People who don't engage the relaxation response may miss the full benefit of all the skills and information available in BackCare 101. If you don't take the time and effort to gain control of your situation, these other tools may lose some of their effectiveness.