Kristine Miller

This is a 1953 Lydia Lane article, where actress Kristine Miller talks about relaxation techniques. Enjoy!

Kristine Miller came to Hollywood via Denmark and is fast becoming an important star. “What made you want to be an actress?” I asked Kristine as we had tea together at Republic where she recently made “Geraldine.” “My mother was a professional singer and I think she was eager for me to go into the entertainment field,” Kristine said, “but I suppose I had some ambition of my own.” We chatted about dreams and what helped to make them come true when Kristine added: “It’s good to want something provided you have patience enough to wait for your career to develop otherwise you’ll wear yourself out by fretting because things are not advancing as fast as you would like.”

“Speaking of wearing yourself out,” I remarked, “that is about what everyone is going to do with Christmas shopping next month. Tell me your favorite way to relax?” “Unless ‘you are placid by nature, and very few people in this country are.” Kristine added, “I think it is necessary to learn how to relax. It Is so destructive to your health and beauty to let yourself jet tied up in knots. Every muscle in your body becomes tense, your nerves are pinched, you don’t digest your food properly and most likely you are subject to headaches. The smart thing is to try to recognize the first, ‘signs of tenseness and make yourself let go before the real damage is-done.” . “Tell, me more about how you do it.”

“I like to go to an open window and fill my lungs with good fresh air. I take as deep a breath as I can and hold this for a count of ten. Then I exhale forcefully and try to push out of my lungs every bit of stale air. I count ten while my lungs are empty and then breathe in again. Just three rounds of this will make you feel surprisingly refreshed. Another way to release tension is to flop over like a rag doll –head down, arms limp, neck relaxed. Then come up slowly, trying to feel your spine life on* vertebrae at a time. Don’t be self- conscious about these things. Kristine cautioned. “If someone makes’a caustic remark, pay no attention.”