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There are many ways to reduce tension and relax. Here are the ten stress
relievers I believe are most effective for the amount of work and time
involved. Some can be learned in the time it takes to read this page, while
others take a little more practice, but there's something here for everyone!
1. Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing is an easy stress reliever that has numerous benefits for
the body, including oxygenating the blood, which ‘wakes up’ the brain,
relaxing muscles and quieting the mind. Breathing exercises are especially
helpful because you can do them anywhere, and they work quickly so you can
de-stress in a flash. The Karate Breathing Meditation is a great exercise
to start with, and this basic breathing exercise can be done anywhere!
2. Meditation
Meditation builds on deep breathing, and takes it a step further. When you
meditate, your brain enters an area of functioning that’s similar to
sleep, but carries some added benefits you can’t achieve as well in any
other state, including the release of certain hormones that promote
health. Also, the mental focus on nothingness keeps your mind from working
overtime and increasing your stress level. Here's an article on different
types of meditation to help you get started.
3. Guided Imagery
It takes slightly more time to practice guided imagery, but this is a
great way to leave your stress behind for a while and relax your body.
Some find it easier to practice than meditation, as lots of us find it
more doable to focus on ‘something’ than on ‘nothing’. You can
play natural sounds in the background as you practice, to promote a more
immersive experience.
4. Visualizations
Building on guided imagery, you can also imagine yourself achieving goals
like becoming healthier and more relaxed, doing well at tasks, and
handling conflict in better ways. Also, visualizing yourself doing well on
tasks you’re trying to master actually functions like physical practice,
so you can improve your performance through visualizations as well!
5. Self-hypnosis
Self-hypnosis incorporates some of the features of guided imagery and
visualizations, with the added benefit of enabling you to communicate
directly you’re your subconscious mind to enhance your abilities, more
easily give up bad habits, feel less pain, more effectively develop
healthier habits, and even find answers to questions that may not be clear
to your waking mind! It takes some practice and training, but is well
worth it. Learn more about using hypnosis to manage stress in your life.
6. Exercise
Many people exercise to control weight and get in better physical
condition to become more healthy or physically attractive, but exercise
and stress management are also closely linked. Exercise provides a
distraction from stressful situations, as well as an outlet for
frustrations, and gives you a lift via endorphins as well. This article
can tell you more about the stress management benefits of exercise, and
help you get more active in your daily life.
7. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
By tensing and relaxing all the muscle groups in your body, you can
relieve tension and feel much more relaxed in minutes, with no special
training or equipment. Start by tensing all the muscles in your face,
holding a tight grimace ten seconds, then completely relaxing for ten
seconds. Repeat this with your neck, followed by your shoulders, etc. You
can do this anywhere, and as you practice, you will find you can relax
more quickly and easily, reducing tension as quickly as it starts!
8. Sex
You probably already know that sex is a great tension reliever, but have
you officially thought of it as a stress-relieving practice? Perhaps you
should. The physical benefits of sex are numerous, and most of them work
very well toward relieving stress. Sadly, many people have less sex
when their stress levels are high.
9. Music
Music therapy has shown numerous health benefits for people with
conditions ranging from mild (like stress) to severe (like cancer). When
dealing with stress, the right music can actually lower your blood
pressure, relax your body and calm your mind.
10. Yoga
Yoga is one of the oldest self-improvement practices around, dating back
over 5 thousand years! It combines the practices of several other stress
management techniques such as breathing, meditation, imagery and movement,
giving you a lot of benefit for the amount of time and energy required.
Learn more about how to manage stress with yoga.
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