This is a guest post by Katie Pierce
We all experience stressful situations brought about by having overwhelming responsibilities, being under lots of pressure, a lack of certainty or control, and many other things. Whatever the source, stress fills the body with hormones that elevate our blood pressure and heart rate.
While we cannot escape all sources of stress in our life, we can learn to respond to them in a better manner. Relaxation techniques can help us relax, lower our blood pressure, and slow down our heart rate.
Instead of collapsing on the couch, drinking beer, and watching endless hours of television at the end of a stressful day, seek out healthier forms of stress relief that will control your blood pressure and restore balance to your body and mind.
Several relaxation techniques can help you in winding down and de-stressing, including deep breathing, meditation, and yoga. Though there is no one-size-fits-all relaxation method, you may try one technique at a time or combine some to determine which one works best for you.
Here are a few relaxation techniques that can help you manage daily stress and anxiety, boost your mood, and improve your overall well-being.
Deep Breathing
Focusing on deep, cleansing breaths, deep breathing, also known as abdominal or belly breathing, is a simple yet powerful relaxation method. It’s easy to learn, can be done practically anywhere, and provides quick relief from stress.
Deep breathing is the backbone of many other relaxation activities. It may be paired with other soothing elements such as music and aromatherapy. While several apps can walk you through the process, all you truly need is a few minutes and a quiet spot where you can disengage your mind from distracting thoughts and sensations.
Breathing, particularly breathwork, may also be the key to flawless, glowing skin. When you’re not breathing correctly, your body does not get enough oxygen—which impairs your mental state and performance and makes your skin look sick and dull. Proper breathing stimulates blood flow to your face and neck area, giving your skin a healthy color and glow.
Massage Therapy
One of the immediate benefits you receive from a massage is a deep sense of relaxation and calm, resulting from the release of endorphins, the brain chemicals responsible for feelings of well-being. Additionally, a massage decreases levels of stress hormones, including adrenalin, cortisol, and norepinephrine.
Different types of massage are used to reduce stress and anxiety, including aromatherapy, lymphatic drainage, Shiatsu, and Swedish massage. Aside from relaxation and the reduction of stress hormones, different forms of therapeutic massage have been shown to improve blood circulation, boost mental alertness, and lower anxiety and depression.
Mindfulness Meditation
For centuries, different forms of mindfulness meditation have been used to alleviate anxiety, depression, stress, and other negative emotions. Generally, this technique entails focusing on your breathing and bringing your mind’s attention to the present moment without lingering on concerns from the past or drifting into worries about the future.
Some techniques draw you to the present by focusing on a single repetitive activity, such as your breathing, a repeated mantra, or repeated affirmations. Other styles of mindfulness meditation train you to focus on and then let go of internal thoughts or sensations. Mindfulness can also be applied to other activities like driving, gardening, eating, or walking.
Meditation is another healthy technique that may help ease pain, anxiety, and stress during periods. Meditation has been shown to alleviate physical and emotional symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), particularly in those who suffer from severe PMS.
Visualization
Visualization, or guided imagery, is a type of meditation that entails picturing a setting where you are at peace and free of any stress and worry. Picture everything you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel with as much detail as possible. Choose whichever setting soothes you the most, whether it’s seeing the sun setting over the ocean, hearing a nightingale sing, smelling the flowers in the garden, tasting your favorite childhood treat, or feeling the sand between your toes.
Although guided imagery may help you reduce stress by conceiving a positive vision of and for yourself, this technique may be challenging for people who have intrusive thoughts or have difficulty forming mental images.
Yoga
Yoga is a sequence of both dynamic and static positions that are coupled with deep breathing. Aside from helping you manage stress and anxiety by creating mental clarity and calmness, yoga can also help improve your balance, flexibility, stamina, and strength.
While nearly all yoga sessions conclude with a relaxation pose, classes that emphasize deep breathing, slow, steady movement, and gentle stretching are the most effective for relieving stress. Satyananda yoga incorporates easy poses, relaxation, and meditation, making it ideal for both beginners and individuals looking for stress relief. Hatha yoga is also relatively easy for stress relief and suitable for beginners.
Practicing yoga before bedtime is an excellent method to relieve any mental or physical tension you may have before falling into a blissful night of deep sleep. Winding down with a relaxing yoga practice will not just help you sleep but also improve the quality and duration of your sleep.
Conclusion
While it’s not difficult to learn the fundamentals of these relaxation techniques, regular practice gives you access to their full stress-relieving potential. Set aside at least 15 to 20 minutes every day for practice. The longer and more frequently you apply these relaxation techniques, the more you can reduce your stress and the better your overall health will be.
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