UNIT 7 STRESS MANAGEMENT

TECHNIQUES I*
Structure
7.0 Objectives
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Relaxation Techniques
7.3 Meditation
7.4 Yoga
7.5 Mindfulness
7.6 Biofeedback
7.7 Let Us Sum Up
7.8 References
7.9 Key Words
7.10 Answers to Check Your Progress
7.11 Unit End Questions

7.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this Unit, you will able to:
 discuss the techniques of stress management like relaxation technique,
meditation, Yoga, mindfulness and biofeedback.

7.1 INTRODUCTION
Rahul was a Human Resource Manager in an MNC. He noticed that the
performance and effectiveness of the employees of his organization was
getting affected due to occupational stress. Therefore, he spoke to his
management and arranged for a half an hour meditation session everyday
for the employees, that really made a difference.
Neha worked as a counsellor in a school. She noticed that one of her
teacher colleagues, Snehal was stressed. She decided to speak to Snehal
and found that she was stressed due to some issues that she was facing
at home. Neha discussed cognitive restructuring technique with Snehal and
asked her to practice the same. Post vacation when Neha met Snehal,
Snehal informed that there was a huge difference in the way she approached
the problems that she was facing and that her stress had gone down
considerably.
Niharika was a home manager. Her friend Sheela lately noticed that
Niharika was getting stressed due to her hectic routine. She suggested
Niharika to take up Yoga classes so as to help her deal better with the
stress that she was experiencing.
88 * Prof. Suhas Shetgovekar, Faculty, Discipline of Psychology, SOSS, IGNOU, New Delhi
In the above cases, we can see that certain stress management techniques have Stress Management
Techniques-I
been used (meditation, cognitive restructuring and Yoga). These and many more
can be used by individuals to deal effectively with stress.
In the previous Unit we discussed about coping with stress and covered the
definition and nature of coping and also discussed about coping styles.
In the present Unit and the next, we will focus on stress management techniques.
There are various stress management techniques that can be used by
individuals to deal with stress and as students of psychology, we need to
understand these techniques and how they help individuals deal effectively with
stress. Stress management techniques ranging from relaxation techniques,
meditation, mindfulness, cognitive restructuring and so on can help individual
manage stress effectively.
Before we actually start with discussion on various stress management
techniques, let us do a simple breathing exercise:
Sit straight and close your eyes before you start with the exercise
Then, breath in and breath out gently (as you normally do).
Do this for five to ten minutes
Focus on your thoughts and concentrate on your breathing
Rub your palms together, put them on your eyes and then slowly open
your eyes
I hope you are feeling refreshed after this exercise and all set to study
further about stress management.
The above exercise can be carried out from time to time in a day as required
so as to refresh your mind and body. Important point is to do it with all your
heart and seriousness.
In the Units three, four and five, we discussed about stress, its nature and effects.
These are very important in order to understand stress management. Individual
differences exist in the way stress is perceived and experienced and in a similar
manner, the techniques of stress management found to be effective by different
individuals will also differ. Some may find Yoga to be more suitable, whereas
others may want to go for relaxation techniques.
There are various stress management techniques that will be discussed by us
in the present and the next Units.

7.2 RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

As discussed by us in earlier units there are a number of physiological changes
that take place in the individual who is experiencing stress. These could range
from rapid breathing to increased heartbeat and pulse rate, tightening of muscles
and so on. In such a situation relaxation techniques can be effectively used,
especially, to reduce the muscle tension experienced by the individual undergoing
stress. Relaxation techniques help not only in relieving stress but they also help
in dealing with anxiety, help sleep better, help in regulation of blood pressure,
reduce headaches and migraine and so on.
89
Stress Management One such relaxation technique is Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation. This
technique involves deep muscle relaxation. The main assumption of this technique
is that relaxation and tension cannot occur at the same time, mainly because
both are as a result of two different autonomic nervous systems, that is,
sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. And these systems cannot
be active at the same time as they reciprocally inhibit each other.
The technique mainly involves contracting various body muscles and then relaxing
them. The exercise can be carried out for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and
could be practiced twice a day. The following needs to be kept in mind before
practicing this technique (Ghosh, 2015):
1) It is to be practiced in a place that one finds comfortable.
2) Preferably it needs to be carried out at a time when there are least
distractions.
3) It needs to be carried out with belief in one self and should not be hurriedly
carried out.
4) Any drugs or medications should not be used for relaxation and those
on medication may practice after seeking medical advice.
5) Caution must be maintained by persons suffering from problems like
backaches, fractures and other injuries.
The technique mainly starts with breathing in, holding the breath and letting go.
It is important to be calm as well as comfortable while practicing this technique.
Eyes can be closed during the technique. Breathing exercise could be repeated
a few times and that can be followed by tensing and relaxing of different muscles.
This technique involves contracting and relaxing 16 muscle groups alternatively.
These muscles include arms, hands, shoulders, neck, forehead-eyes-scalp, jaws
- mouth, chest - trunk, stomach, lower back, buttocks, thigh, foot-calf (Ghosh
2015). The contracting and relaxing of muscle is to be carried out as follows:

 Bend the arms up to the elbow, hold for few seconds and relax.

 Hands can be clenched in a fist, hold for some time and open.

 Shoulders can be pulled in upward direction, held in this position for a

while and then released.

 For relaxing the neck, head can be pushed back for a few seconds and
then brought in the original position. Similarly, chin can be brought down
towards the chest, for a few seconds and then brought in the original
position.

 For chest, deep breaths to be taken, held for few seconds and then relaxed.

 Stomach can be pulled in for a few seconds and relaxed.

 For thighs, knees can be pulled together for a while and then relaxed by
drifting them apart.

 Buttocks can be squeezed together and relaxed.

90
 For feet, pull your toes up in the direction of your knees, hold this position Stress Management
Techniques-I
briefly and then relax by letting go. Heels can be pressed against the ground
for a few seconds and the relaxed by letting go.
Post exercise it is important to remain relaxed and not make jerky
movements, though you can have a final stretch. Before you open your eyes
count backwards from ten to one and then rub your palms together and put
them on your eyes. Then, eyes can be opened slowly and the feeling of being
relaxed can be enjoyed.

Box 6.1: Quick method for relief from stress

1) Close your eyes.
2) Try to relax your arms and shoulders.
3) Rotate your head in a circle a few times - first to the right, then to
the left.
4) Take a deep breath and exhale, repeat this for five to ten minutes.
5) Concentrate on your breathing.
6) Put aside all stressful thoughts.
7) Count backwards from ten to one.
8) Rub your palms together and put them on your eyes.
9) Slowly open your eyes.

Check Your Progress I

1) What is the main assumption of Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation?
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7.3 MEDITATION
Meditation is yet another technique that can be used to deal with stress.
Meditation is the English word for Sanskrit term ‘Dhyana’. It can be described
as a process of “quieting the mind in order to spend time in thought for relaxation
with a goal to attain inner state of awareness and intensify personal and spiritual
growth” (https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/4949/meditation). Meditation will
relax your body and thus the negative impact of stress on the body is reduced.
Meditation not only leads to relaxation of body but it also helps in increasing
self-awareness. And regular practice of meditation will have long term benefits.
There are different types of meditation (Villines, 2017, Welch, 2019). Some
of these are briefly explained as follows: 91
Stress Management  Mindfulness meditation: This mainly includes becoming aware about
one’s thoughts. It involves sitting in a place without any distractions and
non-judgmentally observing one’s thoughts and emotions.
 Transcendental meditation: This involves chanting of a ‘mantra’/ chant
or a word repeatedly in certain manner. This again can be done in a quiet
place. One can sit straight but comfortably and practice this meditation
for 15 to 20 minutes.
 Guided meditation: As the name suggests, in this meditation, there is often
a guide who will take you through the meditation process. This meditation
mainly involves visualisation of certain images that you may find relaxing.
It also involves utilising one’s senses. The person may be asked to sit in
a quiet and calm place with eyes closed and visualise certain images that
he/ she finds relaxing.
 Vipassana meditation: The main aim of this meditation is self-observation
in order to transform oneself. It requires attention to be paid to different
bodily sensations in order to create a connection between body and mind.
 Loving kindness meditation (Metta meditation): This meditation
includes directing love and kindness towards others. The individual is
required to sit straight but in a comfortable position in a quiet place. He/
she is then required to take a few deep breaths and repeat to oneself
words that express kindness to self, then to family, friends and other
significant people in his/her life and then to everyone.
 Chakra (means wheel) meditation: In our body there are different energy
centers and power that are spiritual in nature and they are referred to as
chakras or wheels. There are a total of seven such chakras that are located
in different parts of our body and each chakra is represented by a colour.
The main aim of this meditation is to bring about an equilibrium in these
chakras.
The benefits of meditation include not only reduction of stress but it can also
help in managing anxiety, promoting affective health, enhancing self-awareness,
increasing the span of attention and so on. Initially it can be practiced once
in a day for a few minutes and later on, the duration can be increased and
it can also be practiced twice a day.

Box 6.2: A simple way to meditate is given as follows:

 You need to sit on a chair comfortably with your back straight. Let
your feet touch the floor and do not cross your legs or arms. You
can either rest you arms in your lap or keep them on the armrest.
 Then you need to close your eyes.
 Breath in deeply and breath out gently and try to relax your body.
 Keep your eyes closed and you can either repeat a mantra, a word
to your self or can have a (prewritten) self dialogue with your self.
 If you get distracted, repeat the mantra, word or continue with the
self dialogue.
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 Stress Management
 You can do this for 15 to 20 minutes (initially it can be done for Techniques-I
smaller time period and later the duration can be gradually increased).
 As you complete the meditation, count backwards from ten to one.
 Rub your palms together and put them on your eyes.
 Slowly open your eyes.

Check Your Progress II

1) What is transcendental meditation?
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2) What are the benefits of meditation?
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7.4 YOGA
You all must be aware that we celebrate International Day of Yoga on 21st
June every year. Such is the effectiveness of Yoga that it is now promoted at
International level in order to create awareness and promote practice of Yoga
amongst the individuals so as to help them enhance their health and wellbeing.
Yoga as a practice originated in India and the term Yoga is derived from Sanskrit
meaning ‘to unite’, indicating a union of consciousness and body (https://
www.un.org/en/events/yogaday/). The main goal of Yoga is self realisation (Balaji,
2012). Yoga finds its mention in Bhagwad Gita, where a whole chapter is devoted
to it. Three main types of yoga have been mentioned in this regard.
Karma Yoga: That is yoga related to one’s actions.
Bhakti Yoga: Yoga related to devotion.
Jnana Yoga: That is Yoga related to knowledge.
There is also a fourth type that was put forth by Patanjali. He introduced Ashtang
Yoga, that is, power yoga. This yoga involves a movement or a flow from posture
to posture (Balaji, 2012). Figure 7.1 shows various dimensions of Yoga, Balaji,
2012). 93
Stress Management

Fig 7.1: Dimensions of Yoga

Yoga mainly involves bodily postures (Asanas), breathing exercises and meditation
that are to be carried out in a specific manner.
Types of Asanas
There are various types of asanas, some of these have been briefly discussed
as follows:
1) Padmasana: This is also referred as the lotus pose that can be used during
meditation. Padmasana is practiced by sitting straight on the ground with
your feet on top of your thighs. This asana is quite difficult and may need
practice before one is able to carry it out adequately.
2) Sukhasana: This involves sitting cross-legged. This is an easy asana and
like Padmasana, it can be used during meditation.
3) Siddhasana: This is similar to Padmasana but less difficult. In this. you
need to sit with your toes tucked in to your thighs.

94 Fig. 7.2: Siddhasana

4) Vajrasana: Vajra is a Sanskrit term that can be translated as ‘diamond’ Stress Management
Techniques-I
(Balaji, 2012). This involves sitting on one’s heels by placing palms on
the knees. (Figure 7.3)

Fig. 7.3: Vajrasana

5) Trikonasana: In this asana, you need to stand on the floor with legs apart
and then you need to stretch your body to the left in such a way that
spine is straight and your body is facing towards front and your arms are
perpendicular to the floor, with left hand resting on the floor and right hand
straight up (Balaji, 2012, pg. 3). Refer to figure 7.4.

Fig. 7.4: Trikonasana

6) Bhujangasana: Also referred to as cobra pose, in this the person has

to lie face down on the floor, with hands on the floor below the shoulder.
Then he/ she has to lift his/ her head and chest slowly. The elbows are
to be kept near the body, with neck straight and eyes looking up.

Fig. 7.5: Bhujangasana 95

Stress Management Pranayam
Pranayam is a breathing exercise that can be carried out for stress relief, though
it has number of other health benefits as well. In this you need to put your
right thumb on your right nostril and deeply inhale through your left nostril. Then
you close your left nostril with your right index finger and hold your breath
for a few seconds. Then exhale through your right nostril. The same can be
repeated with your left nostril (Balaji, 2012, pg 3). Refer to figure 7.6.

Fig. 7.6: Pranayam

Yoga has a number of benefits including relief from stress, higher productivity,
mindfulness and overall better physical and mental health. But it is important
that one develops its understanding and take suitable training before it is
practiced.
Note: Figures for Asanas and Pranayam have been taken from Balaji
Deekshitulu PV (2012) Stress and Yoga. Journal of Yoga and Physical
Therapy, 2:109.doi:10.4172/2157-7595.1000109
Check Your Progress III
1) What are the three main types of Yoga?
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7.5 MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness denotes awareness about ones thinking, the way one feels, physical
sensations and one’s surrounding in the present moment. It mainly involves
becoming non-judgmental in one’s awareness about one’s thoughts and feelings.
It mainly involves paying attention to things that we generally do not notice as
we are too occupied with our lives, thinking about future and past and are
seldom focusing on present. Mindfulness is often termed as a contrast to
automatic pilot mode (or a default mode) where we do things without much
thought or attention. Often, we are doing certain activities like driving, household
chores or even eating which we may do by not paying our complete attention
to the task and most often our attention and thought process may be somewhere
else rather than on these activities. Thus, we are in auto pilot mode. Whereas,
mindfulness involves becoming aware and focusing our attention on these
activities. The main characteristics of mindfulness according to Kabat-Zinn (1990)
96 are being nonjudgmental, cultivating patience, being open minded, having trust,
non-striving, acceptance and letting go. In fact Kabat-Zinn was also responsible Stress Management
Techniques-I
for starting a programme on Mindfulness- Based Stress Reduction in 1997 at
University of Massachusetts Medical School. It is also important that when
mindfulness is practiced, one involves in observing one’s experiences including
thoughts, feelings and physiological sensations. Though when one is focusing at
varied experiences, it is to be done one at a time. Besides observation, it also
involves description of what is being observed but this is to be done non-
judgmentally. Mindfulness also requires complete participation, thus complete
attention and focus needs to be provided to the task at hand. While practicing
mindfulness, it is possible that one’s attention and focus may drift, in which case
one needs to gently bring back the focus and attention on observing the
experience.
Practicing mindfulness can have a positive impact on an individual’s body and
mind. It not only helps in dealing with certain illnesses by strengthening one’s
immune system but it also helps deal with stress and promote positive mental
health. Even memory, attention, problem solving and decision making can improve
with the help of mindfulness. It can also enhance one’s self esteem and can
play a role in building and maintaining positive relationships.
One of the most important activities that we often do mindlessly is eating. We
eat so that our body gets the necessary nourishment. But most often we do
this activity on an auto pilot mode while we either watch television or browse
our mobiles or engage in social networking. Next time you have your lunch
or dinner try to exercise mindfulness eating. Do this by switching off the television,
keeping aside the mobile and concentrate on your food. Appreciate your food
and pay attention to its taste, colour, sound, texture, aroma and so on (sense
it with all your senses) and be non- judgmental in doing so. And even while
carrying out other activities as well, try to carry them out in a mindful manner.
Check Your Progress IV
1) What is mindfulness?
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2) What are the main characteristics of mindfulness according to Kabat-Zinn?
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Stress Management
Box 7.3: Practicing mindfulness breathing
 You need to sit or lie down (on your back) comfortably. If you sit,
ensure that your back is straight.
 Then you need to close your eyes.
 Breath in and breath out naturally.
 Focus on your breathing.
 As you do this there will be thoughts in your mind, you may experience
emotions, there will be sensations, you may also hear some sounds.
What you need to do is accept these without being judgemental.
 If you get distracted, try to bring back your attention gently on your
breathing.

7.6 BIOFEEDBACK
As described by Ghosh (2015, as cited on pg 179), “biofeedback is a technique
of making unconscious or involuntary bodily processes (as heartbeat or
brainwaves) perceptible to the senses (as by the use of an oscilloscope) in order
to manipulate them by conscious mental control”. It can also be described as
a process that is non-invasive in nature and helps in comprehending the effect
of stress on one’s body. It helps monitor the bodily changes that take place
when stress is experienced and with the help of such a feedback, the bodily
reactions can be managed and resilience towards stress can be improved. Thus,
the individual will get immediate feedback about varied physiological processes.
Biofeedback can be obtained for breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, Galvanic
skin response etc. that mainly includes measurement of amount of sweat on
skin, temperature of skin, tension in muscles and so on.

When stress is experienced, there are various physiological changes that take
place in the individual experiencing stress. When individual becomes aware about
these changes with the help of biofeedback, he/ she will be in a better position
to manipulate and control them. Thus, the physiological arousal that is
experienced during stress can be dealt with by using varied techniques including
deep breathing, relaxation and so on. And as the body is relaxed there is no
negative effect of stress on health of the individual. Biofeedback can also help
an individual identify what he/ she needs to manipulate or control and which
technique is more effective while doing so. Accordingly, the individual can
effectively manage stress experienced by him/ her. Biofeedback can be obtained
by becoming more aware about one’s physical responses. For instance, we can
notice our rapid breathing while experiencing stress. Biofeedback can also be
obtained by using certain tools like thermometer or weighing scales.

We discussed a few techniques of stress management in this unit and many

more will be discussed in the subsequent unit. We have to remember that each
of us experience and react to stress in different manner and thus the techniques
that we may find effective to manage stress will also vary. You need to become
aware about your stress, understand it and then select one or more techniques
that will help you deal effectively with your stress.
98
Check Your Progress V Stress Management
Techniques-I
1. What is biofeedback?
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7.7 LET US SUM UP

To summarise, in the present Unit we discussed various techniques of stress
management including relaxation techniques, meditation, Yoga, mindfulness and
biofeedback. There are a number of physiological changes take place in the
individual who is experiencing stress. This could range from rapid breathing to
increased heartbeat and pulse rate, tightening of muscles and so on. In such
a situation relaxation techniques can be effectively used especially to reduce
the muscle tension experienced by the individual undergoing stress. Relaxation
techniques help not only in relieving stress but they also help in dealing with
anxiety, help sleep better, help in regulation of blood pressure, reduce headaches
and migraine and so on. Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation was also
discussed in this context. Meditation is yet another technique that can be used
to deal with stress. Meditation will relax your body and thus the negative impact
of stress on the body is reduced. Meditation not only leads to relaxation of
body but it also helps in increasing self-awareness. And regular practice of
meditation will have long term benefits. Different types of meditations like
mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, guided meditation, Vipassana
meditation, loving kindness meditation (Metta meditation) and Chakra (means
wheel) meditation were also briefly described. With regard to the next technique,
Yoga is derived from Sanskrit meaning ‘to unite’, indicating a union of
consciousness and body. The main goal of Yoga is self-realisation. Yoga find
its mention in Bhagwad Gita, where a whole chapter is devoted to it. Under
this section, various Asanas and Pranayam were explained. Mindfulness was
the next technique discussed and it denotes awareness about ones thinking, the
way one feels, physical sensations and one’s surrounding in the present moment.
It mainly involves becoming non-judgemental in one’s awareness about one’s
thoughts and feelings. It mainly involves paying attention to things that we
generally don’t notice as we are too occupied with our lives, thinking about
future and past and thus seldom focusing on present. Lastly, we discussed
biofeedback that is a technique of making unconscious or involuntary bodily
processes (as heartbeat or brainwaves) perceptible to the senses (as by the
use of an oscilloscope) in order to manipulate them by conscious mental control.

7.8 REFERENCES
Asanas Retrieved from http://www.yoga-age.com/modern/asanas.html on
11th November, 2019 at 1:20 pm.
Bartram, D., & Gardner, D. (2008). Coping with Stress. In Practice,
30, 228-231. 99
Stress Management Bjarnadottir, A. (2019). Mindful Eating 101 — A Beginner’s Guide. Retrieved
from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mindful-eating-guide on 7th November,
2019 at 7:00 pm.

Balaji, D. P. V. (2012). Stress and Yoga. Journal of Yoga and Physical

Therapy 2, 109. doi:10.4172/2157-7595.1000109

Calucchia, C. (2019). Transcendental Meditation: Meditation for Busy Minds.

Retrieved from https://www.mydomaine.com/how-to-do-transcendental-meditation
on 7th November, 2019 at 8:00 pm.

Ghosh, M. (2015). Health Psychology: Concepts in Health and Wellbeing.

New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

International Day of Yoga. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/events/yogaday/

on 9th November, 2019 at 10: 00 pm.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of your

Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and Illness. New York: Delacourt.

Hawton, K., Salkovskis, P., Kirk, J., & Clark, D. (1989). Cognitive behaviour
Therapy for Psychiatric problems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Meditation Retrieved from https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/4949/meditation

on 11th November, 2019 at 4: 00 pm.

Mindfulness Retrieved from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/

definition#how-cultivate-mindfulness on 6th November, 2019 at 3:00 pm.

Sanderson, C. (2013). Health Psychology. USA: John Wiley and Sons Inc.

Schafer, W. (1998). Stress Management for Wellness. United States: Thomson

Wadsworth.

Scott, E. (2019). the Benefits of Yoga for Stress Management Retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-yoga-for-stress-management-
3145205 on 9th November, 2019 at 10: 30 pm.

The Difference between Sukhasana, Siddhasana, Padmasana Retrieved from

https://yogafirsthand.com/2013/04/21/the-difference-between-sukhasana-
siddhasana-padmasana/ on 11th November, 2019 t 2:00 pm.

Villines, Z. (2017). What is the Best Type of Meditation? Retrieved from https:/
/www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320392.php on 6th November, 2019 at
9:30 am.

Welch, A (2019). A Guide to 7 Different Types of Meditation Retrieved

from https://www.everydayhealth.com/meditation/types/on 5th November 2019
at 3:00 pm.

8 Steps to Mindful Eating, Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/

staying-healthy/8-steps-to-mindful-eating on 7th November, 2019 at 7:00 pm.
100
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7.9 KEY WORDS Techniques-I

Biofeedback : Biofeedback can be described as a process

that is non-invasive in nature and helps in
comprehending the effect of stress on one’s
body.
Meditation : It can be described as a process of quieting
the mind in order to spend time in thought
for relaxation with a goal to attain inner state
of awareness and intensify personal and
spiritual growth.
Mindfulness : Mindfulness denotes awareness about
ones thinking, the way one feels, physical
sensations and one’s surrounding in the present
moment.
Yoga : Yoga as a practice originated in India and
the term Yoga is derived from Sanskrit
meaning ‘to unite’, indicating a union of
consciousness and body. The main goal of
Yoga is self realisation. Yoga mainly involves
bodily postures (Asanas), breathing exercises
and meditation that are to be carried out in
a specific manner.

7.10 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Check Your Progress I
1) What is the main assumption of Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation?
Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation technique involves deep muscle
relaxation. The main assumption of this technique is that relaxation and
tension cannot occur at the same time, mainly because both are as a result
of two different autonomic nervous systems, that is, sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous system.s
Check Your Progress II
1) What is transcendental meditation?
Transcendental meditation involves chanting of a ‘mantra’/ chant or a word
repeatedly in certain manner.
2) What are the benefits of meditation?
The benefits of meditation include not only reduction of stress but it can
also help in managing anxiety, promoting affective health, enhancing self-
awareness, increasing the span of attention and so on.
Check Your Progress III
1) What are the three main types of Yoga?
The three main types of Yoga are
101
Stress Management Karma Yoga: That is yoga related to one’s actions.
Bhakti Yoga: Yoga is related to devotion.
Jnana Yoga: That is Yoga related to knowledge.
Check Your Progress IV
1) What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness denotes awareness about ones thinking, the way one feels,
physical sensations and one’s surrounding in the present moment. It mainly
involves becoming non-judgmental in one’s awareness about one’s thoughts
and feelings.
2) What are the main characteristics of mindfulness according to Kabat-Zinn?
The main characteristics of mindfulness according to Kabat-Zinn (1990)
are being nonjudgmental, cultivating patience, being open minded, having
trust, non-striving, acceptance and letting go.
Check Your Progress V
1) What is biofeedback?
Biofeedback is a technique of making unconscious or involuntary bodily
processes (as heartbeat or brainwaves) perceptible to the senses (as by
the use of an oscilloscope) in order to manipulate them by conscious mental
control.

7.11 UNIT END QUESTIONS

1) Discuss in detail relaxation technique.
2) Explain different types of meditation.
3) Discuss in detail various types of Asanas in Yoga.
4) Describe mindfulness.
5) Explain biofeedback as a technique of stress management.

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