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SQUEEZE MY BALLS…YOU’LL FEEL BETTER
Les,
I recently got a couple of those stress balls as promotional giveaways. It feels good to squeeze them, but beyond that, do they do anything to relieve stress?
Lucille Balls
Dear Lucy,
They do lots to relieve stress: a little ball squeezing each day drives muscle tension away. Those good feelings you report from grasping the giveaways undoubtedly come when you loosen your grip on them because pleasant relaxation sensations follow tensing of muscle groups, which is exactly what you’re doing when you clench your fists… with or without soft spheres inside them. They’re small, cheap and satisfying, but what most balls lack is an owner’s manual for how to handle them and why they work, so here’s a quick tutorial for maximum stress relief:
- Let the balls rest in your open palms
- Slowly wrap your fingers around them and squeeze gently for three seconds
- As you squeeze, in you breathe
- Relax your hands, exhale, and feel the tension flow out your fingertips
- Repeat this process a few times, each time squeezing your balls a little harder and breathing in a little deeper because the greater the tension, the greater the relaxation that follows
This whole exercise, by the way, is just one part of a powerful tension-busting technique called progressive muscular relaxation and it can be practiced from head to toe. No, you don’t need to bite down on a ball or snag one between your big and second toes; all you need to do is squeeze and release, and stretch and relax the muscles that bind us like boa constrictors when we’re stressed, and sooth like a warm blanket when we’re relaxed. Hey, don’t wait until your tight, strained and in pain—use this relaxation technique to loosen muscles before they lead to back spasms, headaches, blown tops and lost sleep. There's a 13-minute muscular relaxation exercise here on thestresscoach.com; it's called The Tranquilizer and can be accessed from the relax now! section.
And when you’re done, please let that hot-blooded husband of yours have a squeeze, too.
Les
11/06
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