Mind and Body Relaxation Techniques

Our body is the mirror of our soul, and they are interactive. So when we feel that our body are tight and stiff, it may be a message telling us that it’s time to relax. When we find ways to relax, we could better cope with the difficulties in life and in turn will lessen our physical stress.

Fruit is a gift from nature that nourish our body:

1. Tomatoes, papayas and apples are fruits good for our body when we need to improve our concentration in class or if we have a poor night’s sleep. The lycopene contained in tomatoes will repair damaged cells caused by lack of sleep, and lycopene is easier to be absorbed through cooked tomatoes. Papayas improve digestion and may ease the negative effect of lack of sleep.
2. We can eat bananas, peaches or fruits that are rich in potassium to ease off body fatigue and anxiousness. Potassium deficiency or too much sodium in our daily diet affect our mood and may lead to emotional instability.
3. Eating an apple after a day of class can boost up our memory and concentration. Apple is good for our body and may support our memory function. It is rich in Zinc and can modulate our brain cells connection to improve memory, leading to more efficient studying.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique:

The key to this relaxation technique is to relax the muscles of the body and to feel the contrast between body tension and relaxation. You can close your eyes and feel the sensation of the relaxed muscles without focusing on the result. After practicing for about two weeks, you will be able to master this technique slowly, and might attain a better state of body and mind. Studies have shown that relaxation exercises are good for both our physical and mental health and might improve our sleep at night.

This technique has a total of 12 steps. We contract each muscle group for at least 5 seconds and relax them for 10 seconds. Repeat each group for 5 times before moving on to the next muscle group.

1. Eyes - Close your eyes as tightly as you can, then relax (rest assured that doing this exercise will not cause wrinkles around your eyes).

2. Eyebrows - Close your eyes, frown and pull your eyebrows together, then relax.

3. Jaws - Clench your jaw, then relax.

4. Neck – Bend your neck to bring your left ear toward your left shoulder until you feel a stretch in your right neck and shoulder. Then slowly move your head back to the original position. After that, bend your neck to bring your right ear toward your right shoulder until you feel a stretch in your left neck and shoulder, then slowly move your head back to the original position.

5. Shoulders – shrug your shoulders, raise them toward your ears, then relax.

6. Upper Arms – put your hands on shoulders, focus your strength on your upper arms and stretch them toward your elbow, then relax.

7. Forearms – extend your arms forward, fingertips point toward the ceiling, then bend your hands back at the wrist until you feel a stretch on your forearms, then relax.

8. Hands – clench your fist, then relax. First right hand, then left hand.

9. Chest – take a deep breath to expand your chest, hold your breath for 10 seconds, then exhale.

10. Back – look downward, bring your head close to your chest until you feel a stretch on your back. Then slowly raise your head looking forward, keep your hands down by your side, open your chest to stretch your back muscle, then relax.

11. Legs – sit on the floor with your legs straight, flex your toes and arch them backward until you feel stretch, then relax.

12. Feet – sit on a chair, put your feet on the floor, and flex your toes toward the floor until you feel stretch, then relax.

If you have any questions or inquiries, please feel free to contact the school psychological counseling team:

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