Stress triggers a number of physical and mental effects, according to the Helpguide website. These include concentration problems, worry and rapid heartbeat. Visualization techniques can be an effective part of a stress management program. A 2010 published study by researchers at the College of Medicine at National Cheng-Kung University in Taiwan found that guided imagery, combined with special music, eased breathing problems in cancer patients.
Relaxing Imagery
Mind Tools, a job stress advice website, recommends relaxing imagery as a stress reduction tool. It recommends using a place or scene that you associate with pleasant times. It could be a beach you enjoy visiting, a tranquil forest where you once camped or a favorite vacation spot. You can create your own special place if you prefer. Close your eyes and mentally visit that place for a few minutes when you are feeling stressed out. You can sit or lie down, depending on the circumstances. Imagine the feelings, smells, sounds and tastes. For example, if your special place is a beach, feel the hot sun on your skin and the sand between your toes, hear the gulls and taste the salt. This mental "vacation" helps you center yourself.
Guided Visualizations
Guided visualizations are a stress management technique for people who prefer guidance rather than envisioning their own imagery. Recorded visualizations are available on CDs or as downloadable audio files. A stressed-out person can take short breaks during the day to listen to them or use them in the morning or at night on a regular basis.
Pre-Sleep Visualization
Helpguide advises that plenty of sleep is vital to proper stress management. You can use the time before going to sleep for relaxing visualizations. This moves your thoughts away from worries and stressors and forces you to focus on something neutral or pleasant until you fall asleep. Think of a place with which you are very familiar. It can be somewhere you enjoy, such as a vacation spot, or somewhere you visit often, like a shopping mall. Imagine walking slowly around the place, noticing every small detail. Redirect yourself to the walk-through if your mind tries to wander. Move on to a different place if you don't fall alseep before you finish your first mental "tour."
Vision Boards
A vision board is a way to keep yourself focused. It reminds you of the things you want to achieve and the good things in your life. Martha Beck, in an article for Oprah Winfrey's "O" magazine, recommends cutting out pictures of positive, pleasant things and representations of your goals. Post them on a board in a prominent area where you will see them every day. Stress often comes from feeling out of control. The vision board lets you control your environment and reminds you of achievable goals.
