Which relaxation technique is the best for me?
Which of the many different relaxation techniques is best for a person depends on many factors. One of the most important is usually the time frame. For example, people who are under a very high time pressure due to work or family often do not have time to carry out procedures that take longer, such as meditation, in peace and quiet.
Here, for example, it is more appropriate to do short breathing exercises or a short morning sports activity. Furthermore, the effectiveness of relaxation techniques depends on the belief in the effectiveness of the technique. Thus not a few people are not convinced of the basic idea of meditation and generally have certain resentments towards such methods. In order to find the most effective relaxation technique for oneself, one should try out several different methods and get involved with them.
Are there any risks associated with the various relaxation exercises?
Basically, it must be noted that most relaxation techniques can be considered very low-risk from a medical point of view. Nevertheless, some things should be taken into account for special exercises. For example, the self-sinking effect of some exercises, such as autogenic training or meditation, can increase the risk of depression or anxiety in people with depression or anxiety.
The same applies to progressive muscle relaxation. Since the focus here is on inner perception, patients with asthma or heart disease can also experience unpleasant to anxiety-inducing experiences. In order to avoid such risks, care should always be taken to learn the various techniques under professional guidance first.
Relaxation techniques for children
Many of the methods described above can only be used with children to a limited extent, as they are too restless for many techniques and some approaches, such as meditation, appear too abstract. Physical techniques, on the other hand, such as progressive muscle relaxation or breathing exercises, can also be used in children in a shortened context. Imaginative methods play a major role in the context of relaxation techniques for children.
In these, the children usually lie on their backs with their eyes closed and are either taken on a “fantasy journey” by a narrator or are asked to imagine and describe a dream place for themselves. The duration of the exercise is determined by the child himself. For many children, however, already the coloring of mandalas or the reading of books in a sheltered setting has a relaxing effect.
