The 10-Minute Relaxation That Equals To 10 Hours Of Sleep

The Background.

Some of my friends, specially in the medical field, are caught in between shifts and left with a minuscule amount of time to sleep or to recline and relax completely.

And I have helped many of them how to do a 10-minute relaxation that is equivalent to 10 hours of sleep. I learned hatha yoga when I was twelve years of age, and learned this technique from a yoga master. And over the years, I have developed my own style that works for me very well and for most people I met and taught this technique; it's not very far from the original yoga, and yogis would readily recognize the difference and the similarities.

I had only share this technique to a few friends at a time they really needed to relax and would greatly be benefited by it. Recently, I had to share this technique by sms and after sharing this to the third person, I remember to write this in this blog. It's been a long time that I had not posted on my blogs.

Disclaimer.

This technique is to help one achieve a deep relaxation and rest, and practicing regularly will compliment a good night of sleep rather than replace it.

Preparation.

This is a how-to do a 10-minute relaxation that is equivalent to 10 hours of sleep at night when done properly. I always use this technique every time I need to relax and every time a good 6-7 hours of sleep is remotely possible.

First, find a place that is quiet where you can sit up straight against a sturdy support of a chair or wall or better yet where you can recline or lay straight on your back. Where you can not be disturbed for just 10 minutes. Ask anyone around to let you alone for just 10 minutes. You may wish to set a soft alarm or better yet play a 10 minute or so relaxing instrumental music. Flute, harp or violin are my top choices. And you come out of relaxation when the soft alarm sounds off or the music stops.

Before you begin, take a deep breath and do a complete stretch, if you cannot lay on your back, stand up and stretch your hands and arms upward and bending backwards feeling the stretch on your arms and stomach tensing all your muscles exhaling slowly, hold the stretch for 5-9 seconds or when the urge to take a breath again kicks in and come up to standing position. Then find your comfortable sitting position.

If you can lay on your back, take a deep breath, then stretch your arms and feet straight outward as much as you can tensing your muscles, exhaling some air and breathing shallow. Hold the stretch for 9 seconds and relax, breath normally.

If you are sitting, sit up straight, spine straight, your lower and upper back against the wall preferred, or the sturdy back of a chair, must be straight up, head as if suspended by a string. Feet planted firmly on the floor, ankles barely touching the base of the chair. Hands on your lap, palms can either be upward or downward and fingers spread apart and relaxed. No pinched fingers. Take a few deep breaths to allow your body to twitch and adjust to a comfortable position and gently ease to normal breathing. You can repeat the deep breath and adjustments when you feel some aches and pains anywhere in your body. This is normal, and will gradually disappear with continued practice.

If you are lying on your back, spread your feet shoulder width, hands on your sides, palms can either be up or down, fingers spread apart and relaxed.

How To Relax - Yoga Style!

Now, let's begin. Create your intention to relax for 10 minutes to gain complete rest of equivalent to 10 hours of sleep at night. Take a few deep breaths with this intention, allow it to influence your mind and body, you will feel a tingle in your extremities as a confirmation.

Now, gradually bring your breathing to normal and put your attention to the muscles around your eyes and relax them, then allow your eyes to rest and feel it resting, spread and increase your attention wider around your face, your nose, cheek, ears, lips, chin, scalp, entire head, neck - front, back and sides, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers and nails; 

And as you do this, slow down your breathing to a very shallow breathing to almost (as if) not breathing at all. 

Continue your attention to your torso starting at the nipples, breasts and chest, abdomen, stomach, internal organs, upper back, and lower back. You will feel a tingle as a confirmation.

Then move to the buttocks, hips, legs, knees, calves, ankles, feet, toes and nails. And extremities: the ends of your hair from your head to your toes. A tingling feeling will envelope your entire body. Enjoy this sensation.

You are still very wide awake and all throughout this process, you will hear all kinds of sounds and noises and talks around you,  even your heartbeat and sounds that you would not recognize outside of this state, this is normal, and its ok, if you find yourself -- your thoughts -- wandering, just bring your attention back to your shallow breathing and the muscles around your eyes and lips and relax them some more. And spread your attention all over your whole body and entire being. A tingling sensation will confirm this, enjoy this wonderful sensation until the soft alarm sounds off or until the music stops.

To come out of relaxation, put your attention to your toes and fingers, and move them slowly, and gradually come to breathing normally, raise your arms and stretch outward and take a deep breath. As you exhale open your eyes and be grateful and smile.

That's it. You can now get up and go about your day and resume what you have been doing.

Or instead of getting up, you may doze off to sleep, either way, it's a choice, and sleeping after doing this is quite easy.

Notes:

The best times to doing this is one hour before sunset or sunrise.

If you can arrange a one hour of sleep instead, the best times to do that is also to wake up one hour before sunset or sunrise. So, if sunset or sunrise is at, say, 6:00 am/pm, you should be asleep by 4:00 am/pm and wake up at 5:00 am/pm. When you wake up, you will feel your very best, like you have really rested the whole night. It's a wonderful feeling. 

You would also feel the same way with the 10-minute relaxation when done properly. The relaxation exercise takes practice, in the beginning of the exercise, you will feel some aches and pains anywhere in your body. And you will jerk and twitch to adjust your position. This is normal, these are still stressed and stiffed muscles, just put your attention around those areas commanding them or telling them to relax while guarding the muscles around your eyes and lips and keeping them relax while breathing very shallow.

The stiffed muscles may not relax completely in the first few practice, this is ok, just keep on, and in time they will completely relax. The important thing is to guard the muscles around your eyes and lips while doing this practice and the shallow breathing. It will do its magic of spreading throughout the whole body and the entire being.

o