10 Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress On-the-Spot

10 Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress On-the-Spot If your hectic lifestyle has got you down, experts say relaxation techniques can bring you back into balance some in five minutes or less. By,Jenny,Stamos,Kovacs WebMD Feature Compiled and edited by Reward Gerald Kihedu Bachelor of education in guidance and counseling (Bed-Guco) Data Source from webmd (www.webmd.com) CONTACT 0757260116—OR O717507080 E-MAIL -Rewardgerald85@gmail.com Rewardkihedu@hotmail.com or Rewardgk.blogsport.com Take example The kids need a ride to school, your husband can't find his shorts, your boss has just scheduled an online meeting, and your best friend desperately needs your help -- all at the same time. Is it any wonder that you can't find a minute for relaxation? In fact, if you're like most women, you may have even forgotten how to relax. And though experts say that some stress is good for you -- it can sharpen your senses and your mind -- too much stress is bad for your mental and physical health. At the same time, relaxation can do wonders to restore balance in your life -- and may even reduce some of the health risks associated with stress. WebMD talked to the experts to learn more about relaxation -- and how to attain it. What follows are 10 on-the-spot techniques you can use -- any time and almost anywhere -- to reduce the tension in your life. 1. Meditate If you're thinking meditation means twisting your body into an uncomfortable position and uttering "oohs" and "omms" for an hour, guess again. Any repetitive action can be a source of meditation, says Herbert Benson, MD, author of The Relaxation Response and director emeritus of Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Chestnut Hill, Mass. This includes walking, swimming, painting, knitting -- any activity that helps keep your attention calmly in the present moment. When you catch yourself thinking about your job, your relationship or your lifelong to-do list, experts say to simply let the thought escape, and bring your mind back the repetition of the activity. Try it for just 5 to 10 minutes a day and watch stress levels drop. 2. Picture Yourself Relaxed Is your mind too talkative to meditate? Try creating a peaceful visualization, or "dreamscape." To start, simply visualize anything that keeps your thoughts away from current tensions. It could be a favorite vacation spot, a fantasy island, that penthouse in New York City (dare salaam,Dodoma,moshi) -- or something "touchable," like the feel of your favorite silk robe or cozy sweater. The idea is to take your mind off your stress, and replace it with an image that evokes a sense of calm. The more realistic your daydream in terms of colors, sights, sounds; even touch and feel -the more relaxation you'll experience. 3. Breathe Deeply Feeling stressed evokes tense, shallow breathing, while calm is associated with relaxed breathing, says Michael Lee, author of Turn Stress into Bliss and founder of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in Bristol, Vermont. So to turn tension into relaxation, he says, change the way you breathe. Try this: Let out a big sigh, dropping your chest, and exhaling through gently pursed lips, says Joan Borysenko, PhD, director of Harvard's Mind-Body Clinical Programs. Now imagine your low belly, or center, as a deep, powerful place. Feel your breath coming and going as your mind stays focused there. Inhale, feeling your entire belly, sides and lower back expand. Exhale, sighing again as you drop your chest, and feeling your belly, back and sides contract. Repeat 10 times, relaxing more fully each time. 4. Look Around You "Mindfulness is the here-and-now approach to living that makes daily life richer and more meaningful," says Claire Michaels Wheeler, MD, PhD, author of 10 Simple Solutions to Stress. It's approaching life like a child, without passing judgment on what occurs. Mindfulness means focusing on one activity at a time, so forget multi-tasking! Staying in the present-tense can help promote relaxation and provide a buffer against anxiety and depression. Practice it by focusing on your immediate surroundings. If you're outdoors, enjoy the shape and colors of flowers, hear a bird's call or consider a tree. In the mall, look at the details of a dress in the window, examine a piece of jewelry and focus on how it's made, or window-shop for furniture, checking out every detail of pattern and style. As long as you can keep your mind focused on something in the present, stress will take a back seat. 5. Drink Hot Tea If you're a coffee-guzzler, consider going green. Coffee raises levels of the notorious stress hormone, cortisol, while green tea offers health and beauty, says Nicholas Perricone, MD, author of 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity. Chamomile tea is a traditional favorite for calming the mind and reducing stress. And black tea may be a stress-fighter, too, researchers from University College London report. Participants who drank regular black tea displayed lower levels of cortisol, and reported feeling calmer during six weeks of stressful situations than those who drank a placebo with the same amount of caffeine. 6. Show Some Love Induce the relaxation response by cuddling your pet, giving an unexpected hug to a friend or family member, snuggling with your spouse, or talking to a friend about the good things in your lives, says psychologist Deborah Rozman, PhD, co-author of Transforming Stress. When you do, you'll be reducing your stress levels. Why? Experts say social interaction helps your brain think better, encouraging you to see new solutions to situations that once seemed impossible, she says. Studies have also shown that physical contact -- like petting your dog or cat -- may actually help lower blood pressure and decrease stress hormones. 7. Try Self-Massage When your muscles are tense and you've no time to visit a pro, try this simple self-massage technique from Darrin Zeer, author of Lover's Massage and Office Yoga. Relax, and travel straight to Zen-land. • Place both hands on your shoulders and neck. • Squeeze with your fingers and palms. • Rub vigorously, keeping shoulders relaxed. • Wrap one hand around the other forearm. • Squeeze the muscles with thumb and fingers. • Move up and down from your elbow to fingertips and back again. • Repeat with other arm. 8. Take a Time-Out Adults need time-outs, too. So when you sense your temper is about to erupt, Jeff Brantley, MD, author of Five Good Minutes In the Evening, suggests finding a quiet place to sit or lie down and put the stressful situation on hold. Take a few deep breaths and concentrate on releasing tension and calming your heartbeat. Quiet your mind and remember: Time is always on your side, so relax. The stress can wait. 9. Try a Musical Detour Music can calm the heartbeat and soothe the soul, the experts say. So, when the going gets rough, take a musical stress detour by aligning your heartbeat with the slow tempo of a relaxing song. And you might want to make that a classical tune. Research shows that listening to 30 minutes of classical music may produce calming effects equivalent to taking 10 mg of Valium. 10. Take an Attitude Break Thirty seconds is enough time to shift your heart's rhythm from stressed to relaxed, Rozman says. The way to do that: Engage your heart and your mind in positive thinking. Start by envisioning anything that triggers a positive feeling -- a vision of your child or spouse, the image of your pet, that great piece of jewelry you're saving up to buy, a memento from a vacation -- whatever it is, conjuring up the thought will help slow breathing, relax tense muscles and put a smile on your face. Rozman says that creating a positive emotional attitude can also calm and steady your heart rhythm, contributing to feelings of relaxation and peace. Additional or alternative way to trigger stress By reward Gerald kihedu 11 prayer What is prayer Many people believe prayer is a way to communicate directly with a spiritual energy or higher being. Prayer can be silent, as in meditation, or spoken aloud in a group, as in a religious setting. Prayer may help people find an inner sense of meaning, or it may strengthen their belief in a higher being. Prayer may feel very supportive to people faced with life-changing problems, such as cancer. hiv, poverty ,and other life grievances What is prayer used for? Many established religions view prayer as a powerful tool in helping a wide range of physical or mental problems. Recommended Related to Mind, Body, Spirit Types of Grief Reactions Many authors have proposed types of grief reactions.[1,2] Research has focused on normal and complicated grief while specifying types of complicated grief [3] and available empirical support [4] with a focus on the characteristics of different types of dysfunction.[1] Controversy over whether it is most accurate to think of grief as progressing in sequential stages (i.e., stage theories) continues.[5,6] Most literature attempts to distinguish between normal grief and various forms of complicated... Read the Types of Grief Reactions article Prayer can be an expression of gratitude or a sincere request for help. You can use prayer for a positive outcome in a situation or for inner strength during difficult times in life. Health benefits, such as lower blood pressure, increased longevity, and reduced risk for depression, may occur in people who regularly practice their spiritual faith or who are part of a religious community. Is prayer safe? Some people believe prayer has the power to heal physical and mental illness. Some claims of medical "miracles" have been attributed to the use of prayer. Some people, depending on their belief in prayer, may experience a feeling of inner strength or power when they engage in prayer. Some studies that measured the effect of prayer have shown positive health effects. Other studies are inconclusive.1 When combined with conventional medical treatment, prayer is not thought to have any negative side effects or complications. Prayer can be used alongside conventional treatment, but not in place of it. Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy. (12) judge on event that face or happen to you In our daily life we some time came across may obstacles, problems, cuarels, and othe life difficulties thad led as to be stressed but what occur to many people is the habit of trying to jurge and take a time to revie and judge every event that came across them,albert elis the well known 13 avoid staying alone, in a place where there is low sense of people or animal contact 14 walk to somewhere (new place)