Ten Relaxing Behaviours

By: Kenneth R. Jones, Ph.D. and Steve Heymen, M. S., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Participate, Summer 2001.

Roger Poppen has done a good deal of research attempting to identify in the most basic way, what one has to do to produce relaxation. He has broken this down into ten basic behaviours that you may want to try. Most individuals prefer practicing relaxation in a comfortable chair in a quiet room (TV off).

Head: The head is motionless and well supported by a pillow or chair, and the head is centred with the midline of the body.

Eyes: Eyelids are lightly closed with smooth appearance and there is no motion of the eyes (one may want to focus on an object low and distant in the room before closing the eyes).

Mouth: The lips are parted at the centre of the mouth and the front teeth are slightly parted.

Throat: There is an absence of motion and the neck is centred with midline.

Shoulders: Shoulders are rounded (dropped) and symmetric.

Body: The body is still. The torso, hips, and legs are symmetric in regard to midline. The muscles are still and the body is fully supported by the chair.

Hands: The hands should rest on chair arms or lap. The fingers are still and should be gently curved.

Feet: The feet and toes are still. The toes are pointed away from each other such that the feet form a V.

Quiet: You should make no vocalizations or loud respiratory sounds.

Breathing: Breathing pattern should be slower than when aroused, deep, and regular in rhythm.

After getting into a relaxed state, just simply remain still and enjoy this state for 10–20 minutes. If you feel yourself becoming more tense, review the list of relaxed behaviours. If you have trouble with worrisome thoughts, try focusing on your breathing and thinking about breathing out tension, and breathing in deeper relaxation.

(Adapted from Poppen, R (1988), Behavioural Relaxation Training & Assessment, New York: Pergamon Press.)