3 simple ways to overcome
stress
DO YOU often have neck and lower back pain, migraine, or
high blood pressure? Do you have trouble sleeping and often
feel weak? Are you sweating too much when working or having
lack of focus? If you answered "yes" to most of
the questions, chances are, you may already be stressed out.
Stress often occurs when a body undergoes physical, mental, or
psychological strain. Exhaustion from working too much or
emotional events such as losing a job or the death of a loved
one can all lead to stress.
However, despite all the trouble it causes, stress should never
be avoided. Like pleasure, stress is vital to our everyday
life. Quick thinking and decision-making skills are sharpened
by stress. The body itself benefits from stress by becoming
adaptive to the environment and to the many factors that surround
us.
The best way to overcome stress is to balance it with the
right amount of relaxation. Relaxation can be as simple as
taking a short nap in the afternoon. Taking a hot bath can
also help relieve your tired body at the end of a long day's
work.
Here are some simple exercises to relieve your body of stress:
1. Progressive muscular relaxation relaxes your entire body by
relieving muscle tension one muscle group at a time.
Remove your shoes, loosen tight clothing and lie down with your
eyes closed. Keep your head, neck, and trunk in a straight
line.
Raise your eyebrows, tense your forehead muscles, hold for 5 seconds;
then relax.
Proceed with your other facial muscles such as lips, chin, and
jaw.
After you are done with your face, continue on by raising and tensing
your shoulder and neck muscles.
Tense your arm muscles by raising and clenching your fists one
at a time.
Tense and relax your rib muscles by contracting your ribs and tightening
your stomach muscles.
Lift your leg and push your feet away from you such that your leg
muscle becomes tense. Then relax after five seconds and do
the same with your other leg.
2.. Deep Breathing
Signs of stress often include hyperventilation or shallow, rapid
breathing. Deep, slow breathing can actually interrupt your
stress response and help you to relax.
Lie down with your hands resting on your abdomen. Slowly and rhythmically
fill and empty your lungs using the diaphragm. You should
feel your diaphragm move up and down.
3. Chest Breathing
Chest breathing gives your body a boost when you are feeling fatigued
by quickly injecting the blood with oxygen. Although appropriate
in some situations that call for swift action, chest breathing
may cause serious health consequences if it becomes a regular
breathing pattern.
Lie down on a firm surface and rest your hands on your upper chest.
Breathe slowly in and out using chest muscles.*
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