"Learning" to Breathe

so at the wellness workshop last week, they taught us to use a breathing (diaghramatic breathing - deep breathing flexing your diaghram not ur rib cage) and progressive muscle relaxation techniques to help deal with stress and fatigue, among other symptoms.  Who knew we would learn how to breathe???  At the beginning of the workshop, we were given a CD (Time for Healing, Relaxation for Mind and Body), but didn't find out exactly what it was for until last week.

The progressive muscle relaxation starts with your feet (tensing the muscles and completely relaxing them) and ends with the muscles in my face.  While i wasn't as skeptical as I can be about things, such as this, i have to admit that it has me sleeping ah lil better and feelin less stiff.  I copied the CD onto my phone and every nite when i hit the bed, i go through the entire exercise (it lasts 20-30 mins) coupled with the breathing technique.  Tensing the muscles was extremely uncomfortable at first because u have to tense up and hold for a few, but it is getting better with each one.  (Try tensing - really tensing - ur facial muscles for 30 secs or so...it's a RATHER uncomfortable feeling)

Anyway, after these past few weeks at work (things have slowed down for now, but i am not completely over the hump as yet), this is exactly what the the doctor ordered for me.

A picture of total relaxation right here...