Relaxation, Self-Care and Activities of Daily Living
Mark Doolittle, Ph.D., Judy Bray, OC, Ernest H. Rosenbaum, MD


Relaxation Exercises
Mark Doolittle, Ph.D.
Back to the Table of Contents

First, either sit or lie down and get as comfortable as you can. Initially, it's useful to eliminate as many distractions as possible. A quiet, darkened room helps. As you practice, letting go becomes easier and easier, even in less than ideal settings. Stretch your muscles a little until you feel more relaxed. Then let your eyes gently close. Let your legs uncross and let your arms just lie by your side.

Next, take a nice slow, deep breath through your nose, feeling your lungs fill up and your stomach expand. When your lungs are full, hold the air in for just a second, then slowly let the air go out, feeling yourself letting go all over. When you feel the air exhaled, don't hurry to inhale, just slowly take another smooth, deep breath, feel yourself fill up, hold it for a second, then slowly and completely let it all go, and really let do. Get lost and absorbed in simple listening to your breathing and feel you body letting go. Let the process go on for a few more breaths, then just let your breathing go. Let the process go on for a few more breaths, then just let your breathing go naturally without trying to take especially deep breaths.

Next, let your attention drift down to your toes. Slowly and gently tense the muscles in your toes. Become aware of how the tension feels, then let the toes relax, and feel the difference. Notice the sensations you feel in the toes as you let them relax.

Next, repeat this same cycle of tensing and relaxing with each major muscle group as you move up your body. Just as you became absorbed in your breathing, get lost in feeling and enjoying the sensations you produce in directly relaxing all your muscles, moving up your calves, thighs, hips, stomach, back, shoulders, arms, neck, jaws, eyes, and so on.

After going through each muscle group separately, stretch your arms and legs out and tense up as many muscles at once as possible feet, legs, hips, stomach, back, and so on. Then let your body go limp and relaxed taking a few deep, slow breaths. If you notice any residual tension in any part of your body, repeat the tense - and - relax cycle there to see if you can loosen up that area.

Finally, before opening your eyes, take a brief journey around your body, sensing how it feels to be deeply relaxed. Become familiar with the felling. Then, when you are ready, take another deep breath and slowly open your eyes.

Note: Slow, deep breathing and overall muscular relaxation are perhaps the two easiest and most direct ways to calm down. Most of us breathe sixteen to twenty times a minute, with slow, deep breathing we cut that in half or less. Combined with muscular relaxation, the ultimate effect is to slow down your heart rate, lower blood pressure, relax muscles, increase blood flow to the hands and feet--in short, to produce the opposite of the flight-or-fight response.

The relaxation technique can be modified in many ways. As often- helpful maneuver is to silently repeat a particular sound, word, or phrase in rhythm with breathing, such as, "I am...." as you breathe in)"...relaxed " (as you breathe out).

The key is to keep it simple and enjoyable. If the process isn't enjoyable, the chances are good it won't be effective, and eventually won't be done. If you make it a chore it will tend to maintain or increase tension. Stress reduction should be viewed along with food, sleep, and exercise as a vital element in maintaining health.

Self-Care and Activities of Daily Living
Judy Bray, OC
Back to the Table of Contents

Attention to self-care and daily living skills, such as brushing your teeth, shaving, combing your hair, getting dressed, etc., serves three purposes: it increases your ability to perform these activities, provides overall muscle toning and increases your range of motion.

Performing as many self-care tasks as possible will also help you develop independence and self-esteem. Feeling dependent on others can be defeating, and a certain satisfaction can be gained from setting objectives in life and accomplishing them. Recovering from an illness or injury is certainly one of these accomplishments.

Consider the degree of physical effort required for self-care tasks in terms of graduated levels based on how much mobility and energy each activity requires. Feeding yourself requires the least amount of effort. When you are stronger, you will be able to graduate to the activities of hygiene and grooming; still later, you'll be able to bathe and dress yourself. Your overall goal is to return to your former activities as fully as possible. Keep a Self-Care Progress Chart like the one at the end of this chapter. Make a list of all the activities you perform daily in caring for yourself, and then add each new accomplishment to the list along with the date on which you achieve it.

Many assistive devices or gadgets are available to help you retrain yourself, making certain tasks easier to accomplish. You must conserve energy, using it appropriately to achieve both short-term and long-term goals. In addition, you should consider safety in the home. When you are tired and weak, it is all too easy to have an accident that could slow your recovery or even reverse your physical status dramatically.

Assistive Devices
Back to the Table of Contents

An assistive device compensates for loss of function and enhances your ability to take care of yourself more comfortably and safely. Such devices can be as simple as a long-handled bath brush or as complex as a wheelchair. Assistive devices can be obtained from medical and surgical supply stores, listed in your yellow pages telephone directory, or by mail order from self-help companies. Your local hospital will also have the names of supply companies in your area. Some commonly used devices are described below; many can be improvised at home.

Occupational Aids
Back to the Table of Contents

Eating and Drinking Aids
Back to the Table of Contents

Bathing Aids
Back to the Table of Contents

Toilet Aids
Back to the Table of Contents

Energy Conservation
Back to the Table of Contents

Conserving energy in small tasks will help you to have the stamina necessary to do daily self-help and other, more pleasurable activities. By eliminating unnecessary steps or movements, you will build up an energy reserve that lets you enjoy a more productive and fulfilling day. Analyze your day, and pace yourself so that work is in accordance with your energy level. Do heavier tasks when your energy is high, and save lighter tasks for rest times.

Dressing
Back to the Table of Contents

Housework
Back to the Table of Contents

Cooking
Back to the Table of Contents

Safety
Back to the Table of Contents

Back to the Exercise Module

Supportive Cancer Care
by Ernest H. Rosenbaum, MD & Isadora R. Rosenbaum, MA
www.CancerSupportiveCare.com Modules  |  Home  |  Search Our Website   |  Site Map  |  Contact Us  |  Top
www.CancerSupportiveCare.com  |  Phone : 510-649-8177  |  Fax: 510-649-8276