Self Help Page

What Can I do To Help Myself?

You can do this. It's dead simple.

Find a firm but comfortable surface to lie on - some carpet, a rug on a floor or a blanket spread over a table.

Get yourself one or more paperback books to put under your head with the spines of the books away from your body. The height of books you require to help this process work will be somewhere between five and 10 centimetres. If you're not sure where to start, begin with the current edition of the White Pages and peel back some pages until you're comfortable. The idea is to establish a happy relationship between your head and your spine. i.e. not so high that your throat feels crushed, not so low that your head feels tipped back. If in doubt, err on the high side.

Put your back down gently onto the floor or table, your head on the books and draw your knees up so they point at the ceiling. Place your heels near your buttocks, not so close that your legs feel cramped, not so far away that you have to make an effort to hold your legs up. Feel free to wriggle and twist until you're comfortable.

Now comes the tough bit. Stay awake! Keep your eyes open and think of your head and your tail keeping a distance from each other. Think of the length of your back and your front; the trick is to think about it but not make any effort to make it happen! Think of the width of your shoulders in the back and front. Always inhale through your nose; exhale however you please. Stay there for as long as you're comfortable. 15 - 20 minutes is good. If you're a busy person, promise yourself at least five minutes - you'll soon get so comfortable you'll want to stay there longer.

PS Get up by rolling onto your side and proceeding into a crawl position, as if you had a stiff back. Don't be surprised if your lower back does feel a bit stiff at the end of the process-muscles are changing shape and function. Your sense of balance will feel a little unusual once you're back on your feet. It's normal and any lightheadedness will pass.

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