One of the most common issues people in the 21st century have faced is that they suffer from too much stress. Theres always the debate about whether mild levels of stress and pressure are good for productivity or not. But most experts agree that stress is bad and can lead to negative health effects.
Best Ways of Relieving StressThankfully, there a lot of different ways to combat stress. However, dont be fooled – it wont make the cause of the anxiety disappear altogether. You will need to work on figuring out why you are finding yourself stressed and then go about fixing that problem. Once the tension has been released from your body and youve cleared your thoughts, you will hopefully be able to deal with the source of the stress head-on.
The main techniques for stress relief revolve around the ideas of deep breathing and deep muscle relaxation. These techniques are as tried and true as they come, being used throughout our ancient history, from yoga to tai chi.
Breathing
- Deep
- Regular
- Quiet
- Comfortable
It seems strange to get tips on breathing, but this type of breathing isnt just about respiration any more. This is about relaxing. You need to practice breathing regularly and deeply in a place where you know you wont be disturbed. It is essential that you feel comfortable – loose clothes are the key. If youre not comfortable, you wont relax.
You need to focus on the breathing, doing it in regular rhythms, which will slowly calm you down. You fill up the entirety of your lungs by breathing in through your nose before breathing out through your mouth. Breathe slowly whilst counting from one to five, holding your breath for the entirety, and then do the same whilst exhaling. After a while, you will start to feel calmer. If not, keep trying. This practice should be done for three to five minutes, two or three times a day.
You dont have to start meditating, but deep breathing and muscle relaxation can really help. Also, look around for massage couches to help relieve stress.
Deep Muscle Relaxation
You will need around 20 minutes of your day for this exercise. It works by stretching different muscles in turn and then relaxing them. This helps to release built-up tension in the body, which helps to relax your mind.
For this exercise, its good to find a warm, quiet spot where you can be alone. It can be done sitting or standing – as long as you’re comfortable. To start, close your eyes and focus on your breathing, as mentioned above. Its important to mention at this point that you shouldnt spend lots of time on areas of your body that are currently causing you pain. Focus on other parts of the body.
You may need a bit of practice at deep muscle relaxation before you can fully feel the benefits. Each area should be stretched for a few seconds, then relax. You can then repeat it a couple of times. The areas that need to be stretched are:
- Face
- Neck
- Shoulder
- Chest
- Arms
- Wrists and Hands
- Legs
There are different ways of stretching these body parts. Do whichever way you find most comfortable. Remember, you should be able to do these sitting down, so none of the stretches should be too strenuous.
Another way of getting some relaxation time and spending quality time with a loved one – another key way of relieving stress – is to get a massage. For this, you can buy relatively inexpensive massage couches. These are just the physical ways of relieving stress. There are, of course, other activities you could do, but they differ greatly depending on the person.
