Relaxation Techniques
Stress plays a huge role in our daily lives. Stress factors into our health, weight, mood, and relationships. It is no wonder that stress reduction is a hot topic. A good way to help combat and reduce stress is through the utilization of relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques work to reduce stress by lowering the heart rate, slowing the breathing rate, and reducing tension to name just a few.
Here are a few quick and simple relaxation techniques to try to help manage your stress.
- Progressive muscle relaxation – Start at the toes and tense and relax each muscle all the way up the body. Tense the muscles for about 5 seconds then relax them for about 30 seconds.
- Visualization – You might want to visualize going to a peaceful calm place or you might want to visualize the stress leaving your body. Either way it is important to use as many of your senses as possible during visualization.
- Meditation – Meditation is any repetitive action. When you find yourself frazzled take a few minutes and focus on what you are doing and the repetition of the actions.
- Deep breathing – In with the good air and out with the bad air. When tension and stress take over you begin to breathe shallowly without even noticing.
