Question:
Coping Skills for Treating Stress (6 Relaxation Techniques) ?
Answer:
Recently I found out I was unconsciously clenching my
teeth. (See my thread.) Since non-stop stress can hurt
our health (as the book about The Triple Whammy tells
us), I started surfing for information about stress.
I found an article online which gives us 6 suggestions
for helping us to reduce stress in our bodies.
Personally, I like #s 1, 3 & 5. The article says:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are many ways to relax, so select a method that works
best for you. Relaxation techniques include:
1-Deep breathing. Unlike children, most adults breathe with
their chests. Each time you breathe in, your chest expands,
and each time you breathe out, it contracts. Children generally
breathe from their diaphragms, the muscle that separates the
chest from the abdomen. Deep breathing with your diaphragm,
a technique that you can relearn, can be relaxing. To practice
deep breathing, sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor.
Breathe in through your nose, and allow your abdomen to
expand as you breathe in. Pause for a second, and then exhale
through your mouth, gently pushing in your abdomen with your hand.
2-Progressive muscle relaxation. This involves relaxing a series
of muscles one at a time. First increase the tension level in a
group of muscles, such as a leg or an arm, by tightening the
muscles and then relaxing them. Then move on to the next
muscle group. It may also help to apply warm, moist heat.
3-Guided imagery. Also known as visualization, this method of
relaxation involves lying quietly and picturing yourself in a
pleasant and peaceful setting. You experience the setting with
all of your senses, as if you were actually there. For instance,
imagine lying on the beach. Picture the beautiful blue sky,
smell the salt water, hear the sounds of the waves, and feel
the warm breeze on your skin. The messages your brain
receives as you experience these senses help you to relax.
4-Meditation. Meditation is a way to calm your mind and body.
During meditation you sit quietly and focus on nothing or on a
mantra - a simple sound repeated over and over. This causes
you to enter a deeply restful state that reduces your body's
stress response. Your breathing slows, your muscles relax,
and your brain wave activity indicates a state of relaxation.
5-Music, dance and art therapy. These therapies can reduce
stress and anxiety and promote self-confidence and well-being.
Like other forms of relaxation, graceful dance, art expression,
and performing or listening to music help reduce pain by
relieving muscle tension and slowing your breathing.
6-Yoga. Yoga incorporates proper breathing, movement and
posture. It involves completing a series of postures, during
which you pay special attention to your breathing - inhaling
during certain movements and exhaling with others.
When I used to go to keep fit classes, we always started with a warm up then
deep breathing excercises, at the end we would lay on the floor then
contract and release our body, starting with the head, neck arms stomach,
thighs, legs and feet, then tense the whole body together, then release, we
would then close our eyes and listen to lovely relaxing music, quite often
we would almost fall asleep we were so relaxed.
so that was 1,2 and 3
I have tried yoga, but not to relax, just to be able to stretch and be
supple.
Now my linedancing is a good stress buster and a feelgood factor.
Otherwise I like to lay down on the sofa close my eyes and play nice
romantic music.
If I need to take my mind off things I play Mahjjong on my pooter.
Well, that disagrees with what I was taught in Biology lessons, i.e. it's a
gender thing. Human females breathe using their chest (internal and external
intercostal) muscles even when at rest (i.e. rarely breathe using their
diaphram) awhereas males use diaphramic breathing unless under stress, e.g.
exercise, when they switch to chest breathing.
This explains why heroines in romantic novels are often referred to as
having heaving "heaving bosoms".
