Tag Archives: relaxation techniques

Finding a Relaxation Technique that Works for You

by

Very few people avoid stress in their lives. Finding the right relaxation techniques that enable us to cope with and even eliminate the effects of stress is essential for mental health as well as being critical in maintaining good energy levels. The relaxation response is what all of us are after, but there are different ways to produce it.

Learning how to relax

Image courtesy of anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As diverse as people and stressors, relaxation techniques run the gamut from breathing control to visualization. The choice between deep breathing relaxation and muscle relaxation, for example, may depend on physical fitness or the environment in which stress needs to be reduced. The way in which someone reacts to stress may factor into the choice of relaxation techniques.

Mindful walking might be a good choice for those who speed up internally but slow down physically, while rhythmic exercise might be better for someone looking to boost their energy or relieve depression. Deep breathing might be perfect for dissipating momentary stress while the simple focus on bodily sensation achieved in body scan meditation might produce a more lasting calm. Whether the technique involves muscular manipulation or moment-to-moment mindfulness, it should elicit the relaxation response.

An activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, the relaxation response is accompanied by lowered blood pressure and increased blood-flow to the brain. This in turn results in increased energy and less fatigue and combats irritability and anxiety. Better productivity, greater motivation, and improved decision-making all result from this response.

Among the most popular relaxation techniques is progressive muscle relaxation, a process of tensing and relaxing each muscle group.  Usually starting with the feet and moving upwards to the head, this practice starts with tensing muscle groups, squeezing the muscles as tightly as possible, maintaining the tension for ten seconds, then relax those same muscles.  This technique can be combined with and indeed involves deep breathing, which produces added relaxation, and requires only space to stretch out and time to focus on each muscle group.

Must-Try Stress Relief Solutions

by

Being stressed out is no fun, but it is a common occurrence in today’s go go go society. If you are stressed out, your health and happiness can decrease significantly. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to decrease stress in your life. Aside from taking medication, there are much simpler and safer alternatives to relieve stress. Here are some tips that can help relieve the stress you encounter each day.

A great way to relieve stress is to exercise regularly. This helps to release the tension inside your body. Also, during exercise, feel good chemicals are released in the brain. You can also perform relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation. Taking time to focus your body and mind is a fantastic stress reliever that has been proven throughout the centuries.

Eating the right foods is also very important. There are certain types of food which will provide your body with the natural energy it needs, and certain foods that can make you feel sluggish and ill. Try to eat as many natural and healthy foods as you can throughout the day. Even more important is getting enough sleep. Many people these days only sleep around 5-6 hours per night. This is not near enough sleep to keep you body running. Aim for at least 7-8 hours of shut-eye each night. This will keep your energy levels high and your mind sharp. Listening to calming music can also help. Lastly, smelling relaxing scents can help you free your mind from stress. Aromatherapy is a great way to relieve stress, using scents such as lavender and rose to bring calming effects. These are just a few stress-relief solutions that you can start right away for greater peace of mind.

Relaxation Techniques To Beat Stress

by

Stress can be really hard to deal with. A lot of people find different ways on how they can eliminate the stressful feelings they are experiencing. Some even spend a lot of money so they can buy medicines which could help solve their problem. These meds can cost them a lot while having themselves dependent and addicted to those drugs without knowing that there are tons of natural ways on how they can be free from stress. If you are a person who always or easily feels stress, you could follow some relaxation techniques which would require no money from you and are really drug-free.

The first thing you can do is to take a break. Many people, especially those who have jobs, acquire stress from a lot of factors such as the weather, their relationships with other people and other external factors. If you feel like you are about to erupt, you can try sitting down or lying down in a quiet place and taking deep breaths. The tension you’re feeling can be released by doing so. Another thing you can do is listening to music. There are tons of relaxing sounds that you can download from the internet that you can listen. Studies show that doing so can help you attain calming effects. The next thing you can consider doing is meditating. Researchers discovered that meditation can help you bring balance to the processes that your nervous system is performing. Meditation requires deep breathing exercises that you could train yourself to do every now and then. Of course, to achieve successful meditation, all your clothes must be too loose and you yourself must feel relaxed to be able to flow and breathe freely. The last thing you can do is visualizing yourself in a relaxed condition situated in a place that you consider calming. Psychology guarantees that picturing yourself in a calm and stress-free condition can help you achieve a stress-free state. Relaxation techniques can successfully remove your stress using natural ways. Compared to using different kinds of drugs, relaxation techniques are far more helpful and they can really help you save a lot of money that you are supposed to spend to purchase unnecessary drugs.

Relaxation Techniques

by

Physical relaxation techniques help you handle the effects of flight and fight response in your body and lessen muscle tension. This should be done if your mind is already not performing clearly and efficiently especially if under pressure. Some techniques for physical relaxation include deep breathing, progressive muscular relaxation and relaxation response.

Deep breathing is the simplest method of relaxation but is very effective. Deep breathing is a main element of almost all relaxation techniques ranging from yoga to Zen meditation and also to calm someone down. It can work together with other relaxation techniques such like progressive muscular relaxation, meditation and relaxation imagery in reducing stress. It is very simple, all you need to do is take several deep breaths and relax while breathing and that’s it! Deep breathing activities is a way to relax, thus, when done frequently, can provide relief from symptoms of stress that may result in high blood pressure, depression, stomach problems, headaches, anxiety and many more; deep breathing cures stuttering, anxiety disorders, and hyperventilation. A regular deep breathing is therapeutic and can be a way of life if done regularly.

Progressive Muscular Relaxation is useful to relax the body when muscles are tense. The plan is to tense your muscles until they are contracted tightly. Keep it in an extremely tight condition for a while and then loose the tight muscles normally.  Continue relaxing your muscles even more to feel more relaxed as possible. It is good to tense the muscles first than to relax it immediately so that you would be able to feel the relaxing feeling better than doing it right away. An example of doing this practice is by tightening your clenched fist for a while. Loosen your hand after the severe tightness and then relax it even more to get the feeling of deep relaxation in your hands. Aside from the hands, progressive muscular relaxation can also be done on face, arms, chest, abdomen, and legs. This technique has also been proven effective for hypertension, insomnia, and ulcers.

The relaxation response is derived from the name of a book. It was released on 1968 at Harvard University by Dr. Herbert Benson. He made several experiments from different common meditation techniques ad he recognized that the various techniques can really control the flight or fight response and can reduce stress. Immediate responses include slowed heartbeat, deep relaxation, increased skin resistance and reduced oxygen consumption.