The Oaks at Ojai (California)
Try this after you read the directions. With your dominate hand squeeze the muscles between the neck and shoulder. Are you tight? Does the gentle squeeze hurt? Try the other side. By the way, are your arms and fingers stiff? Now try this. Stretch from the waist and reach your arms toward the ceiling? Do you feel stiffness? With you arm at shoulder level, bend at the elbow and try to touch your elbows? How close did you come? Did you feel tightness? If the answer is yes to any of the above, you could be stressed and over tried. That's nothing special, but stress that builds up the body can do terrible things to us, especially if we think we don't need to relax. Teenagers and adults, according to many studies, don't get enough sleep, become hard driving when there's too much to do with too little time, or place unrealistic demands on themselves. You are not really invincible even though you have to be Super Woman, Super Man or Super Teen at times. Here are some tips to help you relax. You'll want to do these relaxing exercises in a comfortable place, on your bed or a padded surface. By the way, if you come home from work and head straight for a high-calorie, low-nutrition snack do these relaxation exercises first. You might decide you don't need to eat an entire bag of potato chips or a dozen cookies after all.

Now let's get started: With your feet, one at a time: point and curl toes. Turn feet from right to left.

Ankles and feet: Flex feet moving at ankles. One ankle at a time, rotate it clockwise and then counter clockwise.

Calf: Using your hands to help if necessary, bend your knees and pull toes toward head. Point and flex your feet.

Thigh: push thigh muscles down, tensing muscles. Keep shoulders flat on the bed, or floor, and roll hips from side to side slowly.

Stomach: Exhale from the belly and then inhale deeply puffing out your stomach as you breathe in. Contract stomach, making it as small and tight as possible, hold and relax.

Chest, Shoulders, and Upper Back: Pull shoulder blades back and together, puff out your chest. Relax and then pull your shoulders up toward your ears.

Upper Arms: Still lying on your back, push your elbows down into the bed or exercise cushion.

Hand and Forearms: Reach toward the ceiling and flex wrist in all directions. Relax arms to the side and then make tight fists

Neck and Throat: Pull chin toward chest, then allow your head to move back as far as possible. Relax and then allow your head to move from side to side.

Mouth: Smile. Show your beautiful teeth.

Cheeks and Nose - squint and wrinkle nose like a rabbit.

Forehead and eyes: Open your eyes as wide as possible and lift your eye brows, crinkle your forehead. Relax and repeat.

Now roll on your tummy and as much as possible, repeat these relaxation techniques. After you've finished, stand up, straighten your posture and inhale and exhale five times. Treat yourself to a tall glass of cool water. Other "after" relaxation tips: Read a favorite book, draw or doodle, listen to soothing music, take a walk, watch a funny movie. Decide where you want to spend your time. Create a "time and activity journal." In it, simply write down all the things you do in a day or week. How much TV do you watch? Is the evening news upsetting you and could you get enough by reading the morning paper? If you're unhappy with your job or the commute, might you work from home a few days a week? Can you get your spouse or kids to chip in on errands and chores or negotiate some answers that make everyone less tense? Treat yourself as a valuable super person and pat yourself on the back for the things you do, especially if no one else notices. And then reward yourself with a massage, a facial, a window shopping trip or a walk in the park. Medical science and your own head knows that stress has a negative impact on your life. Beat some of it with these tips as you stay fit for life.