It is impossible to feel stressed and relaxed at the same time, making relaxation a great way to halt symptoms of stress. Also, relaxation can help boost energy, refocus, increase productivity, reduce pain and tension and reduce illness--all things that left unchecked can lead to more stress, reports Help Guide.org. There are many ways to bring on relaxation for yourself.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Focus on individual muscles throughout your body and progressively move your way through every muscle group. Do this in a location where you can focus on your relaxation, suggests HelpGuide.org. Begin by tensing the muscles in your toes and slowly working your way through all your muscle groups up until your neck and head. Mayo Clinic suggests tensing and holding individual muscles for five seconds followed by relaxing the muscle for 30 seconds before moving on to the next muscle group.
Deep Breathing
According to Yoga Journal, there are steps you can take to make your breathing more relaxing. Start your breaths from your abdomen instead of your upper chest, getting as deep a breath as possible, reports HelpGuide.org. Breathe through your nose with one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach to help ensure deep breathing. HelpGuide.org suggests breathing in through your nose, making the hand on your chest rise, and breathing out through your mouth. Your exhales should be slow and calm.
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is a visualization technique that will help you to refocus and let go of tension. Begin by thinking about a place that makes you feel at peace, such as a sandy beach or a sitting beside a waterfall. Then imagine this place and begin to image yourself being in this location. According to the Mayo Clinic, the key to guided imagery is using all of your senses to place yourself in the peaceful location. If you are on a beach make sure you can hear the waves and the birds and smell the salty water. The more senses you allow yourself to use the more your mind will experience the peaceful location, which will help reduce more of your stress.
Exercise
Exercise produces endorphins in your body that help you feel better and calmer overall, reports Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA). According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise has the ability to take your mind off your daily stressors and hassles. You will begin to positively affect your stress levels with just five minutes of aerobic activity, reports ADAA. As you begin your exercise routine build up to the exercise to prevent injury and burnout, and pick something you enjoy, suggests Mayo Clinic.
Self-Massage
In times of stress you can use a self-massage to help counteract the physical symptoms of stress. HelpGuide.org suggests types of self-massage, including scalp massage, rubbing your fingertips in a circular motion over your scalp for at least 20 to 30 seconds; eye massage, placing gentle pressure on the sides of your nose, just under your eyebrows, two to threee times for a couple of seconds each time; and sinus massage, slide your fingertips from the bridge of your nose down across your cheek bones.
