Life changes, including an increase in work demands, the loss of a loved one or the move to a new city, contribute to the amount of stress you experience. These stresses can trigger certain physiological changes to your heart rate, breathing and hormones that may cause negative consequences to your health. To prevent the damaging impacts of stress, engage in more stress-reducing exercises like deep breathing, meditation, working out and daydreaming.
Breathing Exercises
The University of South Florida (USF) suggests several breathing exercises to increase the flow of oxygen throughout your body and lessen the effects of stress. Proper breathing relies on making yourself comfortable, inhaling deeply through your nostrils, holding that breath for a few seconds and releasing it from your mouth. Repeat this a few times while concentrating on a relaxing idea, like "peace" or "calm," and picturing a soothing image like an endless green field or a sun setting over the ocean.
Other breathing techniques involve letting out a huge sigh. During this exercise, you would breathe in through your nose as usual, but as you breathe out, make a low moaning sound of relief like a sigh. USF says this will help to alleviate any tension as well as stress.
Meditation
Meditation exercises follow the routine of making yourself comfortable and freeing your mind of concentration. That is, let go of any worries you have; instead concentrate on the moment, on the air around you and on your breathing. Meditation relieves you of the mental stress of your daily life by drawing your focus to the current experience, separate from any problems that may be affecting you.
Physical Exercise
Physical exercise fills your body full of endorphins--natural pain relievers--and improves your self-esteem and general sense of well-being, according to the Mayo Clinic. For starters, stretching prior to working out helps relieve any built-up muscle tension. Secondly, focusing on your breathing while exercising acts as a form of meditation. You can even practice deep breathing to both speed recovery of oxygen and relax yourself during and following exercise routines. Any form of exercise will do, from basic yoga poses to high-speed running, and the more you enjoy it, the better.
Imaginative Exercises
Mental imagery will help you let go of your everyday worries, reducing your stress. It may help to escape to a park or practice drifting off into a relaxing location while you take a shower or bath. The National Library of Medicine's Managing Stress guide says fooling your mind into taking a Caribbean vacation may be the next-best alternative to actually taking one. So let go of your worries, relax and enjoy your freedom from stress.
