5 Things to Know About Stress Relief Exercises

1. Understanding What Stress Is

Stress is a normal part of everyone's life. It may be present in any event that you must adapt to, and it does not necessarily have a negative or positive correlation. Stress results from situations that require one to change and/or adjust. Stress can include feelings of mental or emotional strain, suspense, anxiety, fear, worry, tension or excitement. Any sort of change can make you feel stressed, even good change. It's not just the change or event itself that matters, but how you react to it.

What may be stressful varies for each person. For example, one person may not feel stressed about retiring from work, while another person may. Getting married is a joyous event. It is also stressful for many. In life, we have to constantly adjust to change. Exposure to stress becomes a issue when the stressor is perceived as something to which one can not adapt to or control, or when an individual believes that he is unable to cope with the situation.

2. Practice a Basic Meditation Exercise

Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Find a comfortable position, either
sitting in a chair, sitting cross-legged on the floor or lying down. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Inhale through the nose and allow your abdominal area to expand, as if you were filling this area with air. Exhale through the nose and allow the stomach to relax, emptying the air out. It is normal for this style of breathing to feel awkward at first, but with practice, it will become easier.

For the next 20 minutes, remain focused on your breath. If the mind wanders, which it will, simply without judgment bring your attention back to the breath.

3. Use Autogenic Training

This technique trains the body and mind to become relaxed by utilizing self suggestions. These suggestions attempt to change the thoughts present in the mind, by suggesting to the body and mind that certain events are occurring. These events can include a slower heartbeat, increased blood flow and less muscle tension. You can use any suggestions that feel appropriate for your situation.

Some typical exercises include concentrating on both arms. Slowly and silently say to yourself six times, "My arms are very heavy." Turn your attention away from your arms, and silently say to yourself just once, "I am very quiet, and I enjoy feeling relaxed for a while."

Then concentrate on the beating of your heart. Slowly and silently say to yourself six times, "My heartbeat is calm and strong." Turn your attention away from your heartbeat, and silently say to yourself just once, "I am very quiet and I enjoy feeling relaxed for a while."

You can repeat the above pattern and focus on relaxing the muscles in other areas of the body or on your breath.

4. Practice Guided Imagery

Start by focusing on your breath and let the body and mind quiet down.

Begin to imagine yourself walking on a beach on a summer day. Hear the waves as they come up gently on the shore. Feel the warm sun on your skin and the sand underneath your feet. Smell the salt air. Find a place where you can sit or lie down either on the shore, in the water, or anywhere else that looks inviting to you. Take some time here to relax and heal the body-mind.

Aim to stay with this exercise for 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Use Mindfulness Meditation

This form of meditation, which has its roots in Buddhism, is focused on learning to become fully present in the moment and to be fully accepting of whatever is occurring in the present moment. Unlike the other forms of meditation presented here, this form of meditation aims to help the participant change their response to stimuli rather then alter their physiology. The goal is for you to be fully aware of the stimuli around you (such as noise or other people), yet learn to not react to the stimuli. You attempt to be a dispassionate observer as you simply "watch" the thoughts which come into your mind. Try to perceive the thoughts simply as events in your mind. Try to not allow yourself to become caught up in the thoughts, just notice that they are there. If you notice sensations of discomfort, allow yourself to become aware of the sensations, yet choose to not react to them. Notice if the sensations change with time.

This type of meditation is usually done in a seated position, however you can lie down if needed. Continue with this exercise for as long as you're comfortable.