Life is stressful and sometimes the stress can overwhelm you, but there are steps you can take to learn to relax.
Normal daily activities such as grocery shopping or traffic jams can make you tense. In a 24/7 world, it can be difficult to disconnect from digital devices and streaming services. Deadlines for work, dealing with the kids, or dealing with a difficult relationship can get you down.
Many things – such as finances, a chronic illness, caregiving or a shaky relationship – can cause tension.
“Stress is actually how your body and brain respond to challenges, such as pressure at work, [handling] the pandemic, increasing family responsibilities, and other negative experiences that can impact and cause stress,” said David Shurtleff, PhD, deputy director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at the National Institutes of Health.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted concerns around stress.
“We’re seeing a lot more anxiety and depression over the last year given the COVID situation,” Shurtleff says.
When you feel overwhelmed or unable to handle a situation, your body may react in a bad way. The so-called “fight or flight” response kicks in to get you ready to run, and that causes stress.
“Experiencing short periods of stress is okay, in fact, it’s healthy,” says Jonathan C. Smith, PhD, professor of psychology at Roosevelt University, founder and director of the university’s Mindful Initiative, and a prolific author of books about relaxation. practices.
“Living a stress-free life is unhealthy and dangerous. We need a little challenge to keep us alive,” says Smith.
But too much stress is not good for you. For example, some situations, such as the isolation you have faced during the pandemic, can cause ongoing stress, which in turn can lead to health problems.
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by something like a global pandemic, but it’s also important to find ways to relax, says Shurtleff. He practices yoga about three times a week and uses a treadmill daily to manage his worries.
“Stress can have a major impact on our bodies and brains over time and lead to very devastating chronic conditions such as anxiety and depression,” he says.
However, there is a whole range of relaxation exercises that can help you calm down and de-stress.
“There is no one shoe that fits all,” says Smith. He points to “five or six” approaches, based on scientific observations and experience, that really work for stress reduction. There are also other therapies that you may find helpful. You can do it one by one, but you can also practice together.
This is one of the easiest ways to reduce stress because you simply focus on your breathing.
Sit or lie down in a quiet place, take a deep breath through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth, or your nose if that feels better.
Texas psychiatrist Gregory Scott Brown, MD, suggests the 4-7-8 approach. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and then exhale for 8 seconds.
Deep breathing can help you calm down and relax, he says.
“When I talk to patients, I usually start with breathwork, because we all breathe every day, but many of us don’t realize that breathwork, you know, done in a specific way, is medicine. says Brown, founder and director of the Center for Green Psychiatry in Austin, Texas.
Mindfulness is an ancient form of meditation that promotes awareness of what is happening in the moment.
It encourages you to focus on your body, your thoughts and what is happening around you.
Mantra meditation, on the other hand, is the opposite of mindfulness. In this exercise you focus all your attention on one target, such as a mantra, a candle flame or a sentence.
In both types of meditation, when your mind wanders – as Smith will say – simply refocus.
It’s a brain skill, he says. In addition, you will not be able to do it very well during the first 2 weeks. Your mind will constantly chatter and distract, and that’s normal, that happens.
But as you practice, you’ll get better at it.
With this technique you concentrate on slowly tensing and relaxing muscle groups. You can practice it along with breathing exercises and guided imagery.
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Expand your stomach as you inhale and contract it as you exhale.
You can start with your head and facial muscles and work your way down, or you can start with your toes and work your way up. While focusing on each muscle group, tense and hold for about 5 seconds and relax for 30 seconds, then repeat.
“Tensing certain muscle groups while combining breathing exercises with them can again induce a feeling of calm and relaxation,” says Brown.
You should consult your doctor before trying progressive muscle relaxation if you have problems such as muscle spasms, serious injuries, or chronic pain.
Imagine lying on a sandy beach with a gentle breeze gently stirring the warm air. Use your senses to smell the salt water and feel the sun as you transport yourself there. That is guided imagery or visualization.
It uses the power of your mind to shift your focus to a peaceful time or event.
“When we find ourselves in a stressful situation, simply changing our mind and focusing on a moment when we were very, very relaxed is an effective way to calm down,” says Brown.
In this exercise you focus on feeling warmth and heaviness in different parts of your body. Then silently repeat pleasant words or statements to each body part, as if my arms feel heavy and warm. This technique can create feelings of emotional and physical calm.
Autogenic therapy also combines guided imagery and breathing exercises to reduce stress and your heart rate.
These low-intensity exercises are similar and have been around for thousands of years. Both involve physical and so-called ‘meditative’ movements to reduce stress and lower blood pressure.
With yoga you perform various stretching and strengthening postures. You remain still and focus on your breathing as you perform each pose.
Tai chi involves slow, graceful movements, like a dance. You breathe deeply and focus on your body as you shift your weight from one position to another.
Depending on your physical capabilities, you can perform both exercises sitting in a chair, although Tai Chi is usually done standing.
Before you start practicing yoga, it’s a good idea to find a licensed professional who can help you learn the basic poses and which form of yoga works best for you.
Many people swear by exercise to reduce stress in their daily lives.
Whether it’s walking, running, cycling, hiking or tennis, exercise of any kind can boost your endorphins, the chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. When your body produces more endorphins, you may find it easier to forget your worries and experience a lasting sense of well-being.
Atlanta-based life coach Trisha Harp says she often recommends exercise to people she mentors.
Harp and her husband work next to each other all day, she says. Several times a week they get up in the middle of the day when they feel down and go for a walk and talk.
Exercising with someone else can get you out of your physical space and give you someone else to talk to, which is also stress-reducing, she says.
Many de-stress therapies have common goals. They are intended to help you pay attention to your body and focus on aspects of your breathing or other exercises that can lower your blood pressure and increase feelings of well-being. You can try:
- Biofeedback, which measures bodily functions and helps you learn to control them.
- Self-hypnosis, where a practitioner teaches you to relax when you hear a phrase or receive an unspoken signal.
- Massage therapy, including Swedish, sports, shiatsu or other types of massages.
- Music therapy, when a therapist uses music to achieve health goals.
- Art therapy, which uses art to improve your physical, emotional and mental well-being.
- Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils as a type of treatment.
- Hydrotherapy, including soaks, compresses or even steam baths.
Although relaxation exercises are usually safe for healthy people, there have been reports of negative consequences, such as increased stress, bad thoughts or fear of losing control. Talk to your doctor about which exercise is best for you, depending on the relaxation technique you want to try and your health.