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Relaxation
Physical Relaxation Exercise No . II The woman who can never relax, never take a real rest, will not retain beauty. Her face will show signs of the fatigue her body is undergoing. Her body will lack poise.
By being in a continual state of nervous tension (as many women are) she will grow old before her time, lose her looks, find that the tension has sapped all her strength away.
Once in the morning and once in the afternoon, relax completely for ten minutes at least. No matter how urgent the task, stick to this rule. Sit on a very comfortable chair, or lie flat on a mattress; prop up the legs about eighteen inches from the ground with a stiff cushion under the knees, and let every muscle go ‘flop’. A cushion under the head, if lying on the mattress, will relax the neck muscles. Close the eyes. Make the mind blank.
The idea of propping up the legs is to make the spine lie flat and to cool the feet by letting the blood run away from them. When resting in a chair, prop up the legs and relax every muscle. It will not come easily at first, but it can be turned into a habit.
There are many jobs which can be done in a sitting position – darning, mending and sewing machine work. Be careful to sit correctly in order to avoid fatigue. Only a few women are aware of the fact that a faulty position may enlarge the hips. Never set on the edge of a chair. Place the body well back and have a firm cushion to support the lower part of the back. Another thing to remember is to choose a chair of the correct height. Do not cross the legs. Sit with the knees and foot close together and firmly planted on the floor or on a stool.
Fatigue can be avoided at other tasks by adopting a correct standing posture. When a job necessitates your being on the feet for a long time, keep the knees and heels close together. This makes a pillar on which the body can rest. The weight of the body is not thrown on one leg or the other, but is distributed evenly on both.
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