甚麼是漸進式肌肉鬆馳法？

當我們長期處於緊張及受壓的狀態時，身體會啟動交感神經系統（就像「油門」一樣），肌肉自動變得繃緊而不自知。漸進式肌肉鬆弛練習是有系統地協助我們逐漸放鬆全身肌肉，從而激活副交感神經系統（亦即身體的「剎車掣」），消除緊繃感覺，從而達致身心鬆弛。

漸進式肌肉鬆馳練習的好處

研究顯示練習漸進式肌肉鬆弛法可以幫助放鬆身體及心情，減慢身體脈搏，降低血壓，達致身體放鬆及休息的效果[1,2]。有些研究更指出肌肉鬆弛練習對消除頸及下背疼痛有明顯的幫助[3,4]。除了身體上的放鬆及紓緩外，研究亦發現可以幫助改善睡眠質素，減輕壓力、抑鬱和焦慮情緒[5-8]。

漸進式肌肉鬆馳練習方法

練習時每次會集中收緊及放鬆身體一小部分的肌肉，幫助我們意識到肌肉緊繃時的感覺，然後再主動放鬆該部分的肌肉，從以達致鬆弛的效果。練習時可以配合著呼吸的節奏進行收緊及放鬆動作，吸氣時用力收緊肌肉，而呼氣時則放鬆，過程中可以一直細心留意著各組肌肉收緊和放鬆時的感覺。

以下是幾組常見特別容易緊繃的肌肉，你可以嘗試每天在家中練習肌肉鬆弛法一至兩次，每次練習15至20分鐘，久而久之便能夠體驗到放鬆練習的好處。

手部肌肉

雙手用力握緊拳頭，感受一下整個手掌連帶前臂肌肉的張力，持續收緊3秒，然後鬆開拳頭，放鬆10秒，感受一下雙手放鬆的感覺。

肩膀

用力聳肩，讓肩膀能夠儘量貼緊耳朵，感受一下雙肩之間緊繃的感覺，維持3秒。然後垂低肩膀，感受雙肩愈來愈重及放鬆的感覺，停留10秒。

背部肌肉

用力夾緊後背，盡力讓胸部向前挺，讓肩膊儘量向後夾緊，感受著背部緊繃的感覺3秒。然後放鬆，讓肩膊和胸部回復到原來的位置，停留10秒。

腿部肌肉

雙腿向前伸直，腳掌儘量向上翹起，讓腳趾指向上方，收緊小腿，感受一下腳部的張力，持續3秒之後放鬆，讓雙腳回復原來的位置，停留10秒。

*如果有傷患或高血壓的人士，可以避免練習收緊肌肉的部分，只集中放鬆肌肉便可以。

參考資料

[1] Toussaint, L., Nguyen, Q. A., Roettger, C., Dixon, K., Offenbächer, M., Kohls, N., Hirsch, J., & Sirois, F. (2021). Effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery in promoting psychological and physiological states of relaxation. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021, 5924040.

[2] Sheu, S., Irvin, B. L., Lin, H. S., & Mar, C. L. (2003). Effects of progressive muscle relaxation on blood pressure and psychosocial status for clients with essential hypertension in Taiwan. Holistic Nursing Practice, 17(1), 41–47.

[3] Lauche, R., Materdey, S., Cramer, H., Haller, H., Stange, R., Dobos, G., & Rampp, T. (2013). Effectiveness of home-based cupping massage compared to progressive muscle relaxation in patients with chronic neck pain — A randomized controlled trial. PloS One, 8(6), e65378.

[4] MSS, M. M. (2018). Randomized, controlled, crossover study of self-administered jacobson relaxation in chronic, nonspecific, low-back pain. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 24(6), 22–30.

[5] Manzoni, G. M., Pagnini, F., Castelnuovo, G., & Molinari, E. (2008). Relaxation training for anxiety: A ten-years systematic review with meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 8(1), 1–12.

[6] Harorani, M., Davodabady, F., Masmouei, B., & Barati, N. (2020). The effect of progressive muscle relaxation on anxiety and sleep quality in burn patients: A randomized clinical trial. Burns, 46(5), 1107–1113.

[7] Chaudhuri, A., Manna, M., Mandal, K., & Pattanayak, K. (2020). Is there any effect of progressive muscle relaxation exercise on anxiety and depression of the patient with coronary artery disease?. International Journal of Pharma Research and Health Sciences, 8(5), 3231–3236.

[8] Jyothimol, P. V., & Lobo, S. M. (2020). Effectiveness of relaxation technique in reducing stress among nursing students. International Journal of Nursing and Health Research, 2(1), 54–56.