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Practice
focused relaxation.
Sit comfortably or lie down with your knees bent and feet flat
on the floor. Support
your neck with a pillow if you prefer.
Scan your body, noticing where you feel tension or discomfort.
Breathe slowly into these areas.
Imagine relaxation flooding into the areas of discomfort.
Begin by practicing ten minutes once a day.
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Meditate.
You will
probably have a better chance of sticking with a technique you learn
in a class or other group, but in the meantime, try this. Silently repeat a word that has little emotional meaning
for you, such as “one.” Give
it your full attention. When
other thoughts or images come into your mind, ignore them and return
your focus to the unspoken word.
Don’t strain or try to hard.
Simply let your mind keep coming back to your chosen word again
and again as thoughts pass through your mind.
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Practice
abdominal breathing.
Inhale slowly through your
nose. Exhale completely,
squeezing the belly tight. Begin
by practicing for 5 minutes at a time.
Try it when you feel anxious or can’t sleep.
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Get
a massage.
When you relax with massage, you let go of muscle tension,
worry and mental confusion. This
may be one of the few times you slow down and notice what it feels
like to relax. This
actually helps you program yourself to tune into those feelings and
encourage your body and mind to let go of stress and tension.
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Soak
in a hot bath.
Add several drops of essential oils like lavender or
ylang-ylang for relaxation. Or
just soak your feet. Add
Epsom salts to a bathtub or basin of warm water and enjoy!
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Try
biofeedback.
A professional biofeedback practitioner can help you develop
self-regulation over the mental and physical processes that are
associated with stress-related disorders.
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Take
a nap.
A 20 minute nap rejuvenates the body and mind!
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Take
a warm shower.
As the water rushes around your neck, drop your neck forward
and stretch it from side to side.
Then circle your shoulders slowly under the hot water.
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Try
autosuggestion.
Frequently repeat a suggestion to yourself such as “shoulders
free” or “back relaxed.” Repeat
the suggestion, but don’t strain or do anything at all but say the
phrase. This plants an
idea which may gently support muscle relaxation.
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Stretch
your body.
Many people find stretching increases relaxation and relieves
many of the effects of stress.
