4 Relaxation Techniques for Stress

While a bit of stress can be healthy to an individual, chronic stress can have a toll on one’s life. Apart from this, too much stress can affect a person’s relationships with other people as well as performance at work. Moreover, it can lead to medical conditions such as cancer, heart problems and hypertension. That said, it is important to learn the different relaxation techniques to combat stress.

By learning how to produce the relaxation response, your mind and body can manage stress. These relaxation techniques can lower your blood pressure, decrease your heart rate, slower your breathing and relax your muscles. Here are some effective relaxation techniques to fight stress:

1. Deep Breathing Exercises

This technique can be done in five minutes and is easy to do. Basically, the key here is to breathe deeply from your abdomen. Deep breathing exercises can be done sitting or lying down and almost anywhere you feel comfortable. If you want it sitting down, start by doing so, comfortably with your back straight. Next, you can put your hands on your hands on your lap or place one hand on your stomach and the other hand on your chest. Then inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth while pushing out much air as you can and at the same time contracting your abdominal muscles. Count slowly as you inhale. Do this exercise for at about five minutes and you will feel more relaxed.

2. Mindfulness Meditation

Lingering in the past and letting it run your life can stress you out. With mindfulness meditation, you will not let things of the past get in the way. Instead you will deal with your present feeling and be in the now. By staying focused and calm with what you are experiencing at the moment, you can manage stress. What’s great about this technique is that you can do it while walking, eating, exercising or sitting. This technique works by focusing on one repetitive action such as breathing or saying words repeatedly. To practice mindfulness meditation, you should do it in a quiet environment and without distractions. Next, pick your point of focus and meditate. Remember that you can do this with your eyes open or closed. If in the middle of your meditation, thoughts distract you, do not fight them but instead acknowledge these thoughts and gently go back to your meditation.

3. Yoga Practice

There are several yoga styles to choose from that can offer benefits for the body and mind, from managing stress to healing the body. Each of these yoga types includes poses that can induce relaxation. Find out what style will work for you and enroll in the yoga practice of your choice.

4. Aromatherapy

Another effective way to relieve stress is to create a soothing ambience in the room by way of aromatherapy. You can use essential oils to create a relaxing atmosphere and calm your nerves after a long day.

There is no particular relaxation technique that can work for an individual and learning these techniques can help in managing stress.