On De-stressing There are many things you can do that will help you to de-stress, feel better and maintain a better state of mind. When you’re facing a stressful situation, you can reduce your stress simply by deep breathing. Deep breathing involves not only the lungs but also the abdomen. To experience abdominal breathing, sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Inhale through your nose and the hand on your stomach should begin to rise. Your other hand should move very little. Exhale as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. Once again, the hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen sitting up, lie on the floor, put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale. Breathing techniques can be practiced almost anywhere and can be combined with other relaxation exercises, such as aromatherapy and music. All you really need is 10 minutes a day and a place to stretch out.
Breathing Exercises Muscle Relaxation You can combine deep breathing with the controlled contracting and relaxing of muscles to achieve an additional level of relief from stress:
* Loosen your clothing and get comfortable.
* Tighten the muscles in your toes. Hold for a count of 10. Relax and enjoy the release of tension.
* Flex the muscles in your feet. Hold for a count of 10. Relax.
* Move slowly up through your body — legs, abdomen, back, neck, face — contracting and relaxing muscles as you go.
* Breathe deeply and slowly.
When you meditate you bring together all of the mind’s energies and focus them on a word, a sound, a symbol, a comforting image, or your own breathing. The optimal setting for meditation is a quiet, clean place. People typically meditate sitting on the floor or in a chair with their eyes closed.
Meditation involves both effort and passive participation. It takes effort to bring your attention back to your chosen focus but you also become simply a witness to everything that happens: random thoughts, sensory input, body sensations, such as itches and cramps and external stimuli. As a result, you incorporate them into the meditation experience. All meditation practices involve the development of mindfulness — being fully engaged in whatever is happening in the present moment, without analyzing or otherwise “over-thinking” the experience.
A variation of traditional meditation involves guided imagery or visualization. If you use this method, you’ll imagine a scene in which you feel at peace, able to let go of all concerns and tensions. In guided imagery, audio instructions help you visualize the scene, focus your thoughts and relax.
You don’t have to be seated or still to meditate. In walking meditation, mindfulness involves being focused on the physicality of each step — the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath while moving, feeling the wind against your face.
There are many forms of yoga, and all have a spiritual component. Most Westerners practice hatha yoga, which focuses on the physical aspects. Yoga teaches you a series of stationary and moving poses called asanas and a form of breath control known as pranayama, as well as concentration techniques.
Yoga postures are designed to balance the different systems of the body, including the central nervous, the endocrine (glandular, and the digestive systems. By slowing down your mental activity, taking your mind off the causes of stress, and having you gently stretch your body in ways that massage your internal organs, yoga helps you create dynamic peacefulness within yourself.
Tai Chi Tai Chi is a self-paced, non-competitive series of slow, gentle, flowing body movements that emphasize concentration, relaxation, and the conscious circulation of vital energy throughout the body. Though Tai Chi was first developed as a martial art during the 13th century, it is primarily practiced today as a way of calming the mind, conditioning the body, and reducing stress. As in meditation, Tai Chi practitioners focus on their breathing and keeping their attention in the present moment.
Tai Chi is considered less strenuous and challenging than yoga and is generally safe for people of all ages and levels of fitness. Because the movements are low impact, it’s often appealing to older adults, people with joint pain, and those recovering from injuries. It can also improve balance and reduce the risk of falls. Once you have learned the moves, you can practice it anywhere, at any time, by yourself or with others; and without special clothing or gear.Massage Therapy A professional massage can provide soothing, deep relaxation and can improve physiological processes such as circulation. As the tense muscles relax, so does your entire body, as well as your overstressed mind. According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the most common type of massage is Swedish massage, which is specifically meant to relax and energize you through stroking and kneading the muscles.
Another common type of massage is Shiatsu, also known as acupressure. Therapists use their fingers to manipulate the body’s pressure points to open channels that can release fresh energy and carry away spent energy and toxins.
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