Monday, May 14, 2012
Reduce Stress with These DIY Relaxation Techniques
What causes stress for you? Too
many demands put on you at home? At
work? Trying to cram too many activities into 24 hours? Family
problems? Health issues? Personal
failures? The list can be long and
for each of us, there are different things that trigger stress.
When you feel anxiety swelling, and your neck
and shoulder muscles knotting, what do you do to get a handle on your
stress? If you try to ignore it, it only
gets worse. The Mayo
Clinic has very helpful hints on how to reduce stress, so we wanted to
share some highlights that we all can use.
The top three coping methods are, (which come
as no surprise):
- Exercise
- Get enough sleep
- Connect with supportive friends and family
For actual relaxation techniques to work, a
person has to refocus attention on something that calms you and makes you aware
of your own body.
Autogenic relaxation technique. Auto (meaning self) genic (originating from
within) refers to using both visual imagery and body awareness to combat
stress. For example, image yourself in a
peaceful place and at the same time slowly breathe, feel your heart rate drop,
and relax each arm or leg one by one.
Progressive muscle relaxation. Slowly tense and then relax each muscle group. Tense the muscle for 5 seconds and relax for
30 seconds, and repeat. You can start at
your toes and work up to the neck or vice versa.
Visualization. Use as many senses (sight, sound, smell,
touch) as you can as you form a mental image of a favorite quiet place. Close your eyes and make it as real as
possible. Perhaps you’re walking on the
beach in the quiet of the morning. Hear
the crash of the waves, the crunch of the sand, the call of the gulls, smell
the tang of salt water on the breeze, feel the sun as it warms…
Any relaxation technique takes practice. It takes time to become aware of how stress
is affecting your body and what you can do to nip it in the bud. The more you do it, the more it will become
second nature to you. Of course, if
stress becomes unmanageable, talk with your doctor about other options. Otherwise, your body, in time, may develop
serious health conditions like heart disease or diabetes.
Identifying undue stress and eliminating it
can let you enjoy life like it’s meant to be enjoyed. Could some of your stress be alleviated if
you received help with your home, yard, or daily responsibilities? If so, contact
us, at Simplify, to learn how our Home
Concierge Service can help you reduce stress today.
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