Muscle Groups Tension Reducing Exercises
- Dominant hand: Lift hand and make a fist; relax. Other hand: Lift hand and make a fist; relax.
- Dominant arm: Lift arm at shoulder; relax. Other arm: Lift arm at shoulder; relax.
- Shoulders: Shrug shoulders; relax. Repeat each of the above three times with progressively less tension.
- Right foot: Bend toes, relax; lift toes, relax. Left foot: Bend toes, relax; lift toes, relax.
- Right leg: Start to bend knee (drag heel up slightly); relax. Left leg: Start to bend knee (drag heel up slightly); relax.
- Buttocks: Squeeze together relaxes.
- Abdomen: Make abdomen tight and hard; relax.
- Chest and neck: Squeeze shoulder blades together and slightly arch back, pressing head backward; relax.
- Breathing: Take a slow deep breath and relax completely as you exhale. Repeat for two or three times.
- Upper face and scalp: Raise eyebrows; relax. Close eyes tightly; relax.
- Centre face: Scowl and wrinkle nose; relax. Widen cheeks and brows; relax.
- Lower face: Purse lips; relax. Smile; relax. Drop jaw; relax.
- Breathing: Take a slow deep breath and relax completely as you exhale. Repeat for two or three times.
One can also try certain yogic asanas such as meditation or dhyana for better effect.