Body

relaxa
tion
Introduction
Relaxation is a state of the body when the muscles become relaxed, breath slows down and gets
deeper, heart rate is lower, skin resistance is changed, etc. To discuss the state of passive eye
relaxation proposed by Dr. Bates, first we should know the method of relaxation and unwinding the
whole body, since it is difficult to rest the eyes by relaxing their muscles if the whole body remains
tensed. The mental strain, neurosis, anxious disorder and stress all tense our muscles, including the
eyeball muscles responsible for quality and acuity of vision. When our body is tired, the eyes will
never function normally. The basic rules of relaxation are as follows:
1. Be sure that you have enough sleep to rest your body and so the eyes.
2. Engage your body in a lot of movement by sports. I advise especially to visit a swimming
pool once a week, and try such recreational sports like jogging, cycling, ice-skating, skating
or even an ordinary evening walk. Choose the one You enjoy the most, and Your body and
eyes will turn the favor in a short time.
3.

Before moving to the vision exercises, go through some of the relaxation exercises for the
body and mind below.

Exercise R1. Basic stretching exercises

This exercise is in a sense a warm-up that should be practiced before moving to the proper vision
practice. 2 minutes will be enough to relax our arms, neck and muscles of the upper body part, which
is a good base for the further practice.
Stand straight in a small stretch and perform the following exercises:

1.

Move your arms circularly to one side and another.

2.

Tilt the body to the right so as the right hand sets itself
along the right leg. Repeat with the left body part.

3.

Perform semi-turns with the upper body to the left and

right.

4.

Put your palms together and make circular turns with

your hands in front of your body.

5.

Come to the wall or door and while leaning with your

hands, make a pump-like move, moving your chest and
stretching the back muscles.

6.

Make five turns with the neck to the right and left keeping
your head at the same height.

7.

Make five turns with the neck from the starting position
(straight head) to the left (to the bottom) and again back
to the top, then repeat the steps to the right.

8.

Lower your head so that the chin can touch the body, and
make five turns to right and left keeping the head in the
position.

You can modify this exercise set at own will. The aim is to relax the upper body, especially the nape
and the neck.
Duration: 2-4 minutes

Repetitions: 2-4 times per day

Alternative exercises: R2

Eye strain: low

Exercise R2. Brain gym exercises by Paul Dennison

You can choose any exercises below to stimulate your brain and whole body for further practice. You
do not need to go through them all, just choose those that most appeal to You.
Alternate movements
Raise the right knee and touch it with the left elbow, then set the right elbow to the raised left knee
(this is like marching in place). This exercise stimulates large areas of both brain hemispheres and
improves their communication.
Lazy eights
Do this exercise drawing or tracking the figure eight laid over its side (sign of eternity) with your
eyes. Always start to move your eyes from the center to the left and top left hand, then the right
hand and finish with both hands set together. This exercise integrates both hemispheres, relaxes the
muscles of hands and arms, supports the eye movement and good eye hand coordination.
Lazy eights for the eyes
Keep the thumb at the height of the eye in the center line of the body along the elbow. Keep your
head still but loose and move only your eyes to track the thumb. Draw the eights with the thumb as
above. Continue this even, smooth movement with each hand at least 3 times. Then, both hands set

together form X. Focusing on the center of X, track the thumbs set together by drawing a lazy eight
again. The lazy eights are for the eyes just as lazy eights for the hand in writing, but here we are
focused on the eye movement and improvement of hand eye and eye hand coordination.
Elephant
Pull out your hand with its dorsum upside, set your head on the arm of the hand pulled out, have
your knees bent slightly, stand in a small stride. Draw the lazy eights in the air with your hands (have
your ear set to the arm). Your entire body is working. This exercise activates the brain lobes and is
one of the most integrating exercises of the brain gym.
Energetic yawning
Touch the place on the teeth right before the place of connection of the bottom jaw with the top jaw
with the ends of your fingers, massage it and slightly open the mouth imaging that you are yawning.
This exercise relaxes the muscles and supports the full functioning of the nerves in the
temporomaxillary joint improving all the nerve systems to and from the eyes, as well as the muscles
of face and mouth.
Circular movements with the neck
Lower the chin as much as possible, move the head slowly from one arm to another, breathe freely.
Abdominal breathing.
Breathe in with your nose. First, clear the lungs breathing out through the pressed lips. Place the
hands on the belly and move them up as you breathe in, and down when you breathe out. Breathe in
and count to three, stop breathing for three seconds, breathe out and count to three, then stop
breathing for three seconds again. This breathing pattern is 3-3-3. You can also try the breathing
pattern 6-1-6.
Duration: 2-4 minutes.

Repetitions: 2-4 times per day

Alternative exercises: R1

Eye strain: low