1. Breathing.
Focus on controlling your breathing; take slow, deep breaths on a 4:4 second count, in and out. As you exhale, imagine all the tension and negative energy slowly moving out of your body. Feel your muscles relaxing and, if you are lying in bed, growing heavier. Work your way through your entire body, focusing on relaxing one muscle group at a time.
Breathing this way will help to increase your mind-body awareness and focus your energy on muscle relaxation.
2. Yoga or stretching.
YogaThe slow movements and controlled postures of yoga improves muscle strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance, breathing, blood circulation and promotes mental focus, clarity and calmness. Stretching also reduces mental and physical stress, tension and anxiety, promotes good sleep, lowers blood pressure and slows down your heart rate.
And I’m not simply referring to the “lean back in your chair,” yawning, “boy I could sure use another cup of coffee” kind of stretching. Get out of your chair, find a little floor space, and work it like you were on the track team. Touch your toes, flex your calves, make little circles with your arms. The muscles of the body are interconnected so the more you stretch, the more the whole body relaxes.
3. Laughter and humor.
Laughter cuts stress and promotes relaxation. And there is truth to the saying that laughter is the best medicine. Laughing reduces stress hormones like adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol. It also benefits your immune system by increasing the number and activity of Natural Killer T-cells. These cells act as the first line of defense against viral attacks and damaged cells. Find the humor in things and engage in activities that make you laugh to increase your immune function and disease resistance.
4. Exercising.
Go to the gym, take a bike ride, go for a jog, or play catch outside with a friend. There’s no doubt that one of the best contrasts for draining mental exertion is physical exertion. Upping your heart rate a little will get your blood flowing more quickly.
5. Relax your facial muscles.
When we are tense we frown and squint which adds to the tension. Tell your facial muscles to relax and they will. Try to maintain this relaxed face throughout the day.
Also relax the tongue. Usually the tongue is held tightly against the teeth. Free it up in the mouth so it can just rest there without tension.
6. Listening to music.
Listening to your favorite music is a great method of reducing stress and relieving anxiety. Your individual preference in music determines which types of soothing sounds will best reduce your tension, blood pressure, and promote feelings of tranquility. Pay attention to how you feel when you hear a particular song or genre of music, and keep listening to the ones that produce a relaxing effect.
7. Massage.
MassageA massage goes a long way when it comes to relaxing your muscles. Look for a certified deep tissue massage therapist and book a full-body treatment. A deep tissue massage reaches muscle fibers that you aren’t able to target with everyday methods like stretching. During the massage, focus on the breathing technique described above to relax your muscles even more.
8. Meditation.
Meditation is great not only for stress relief, but also for muscle relaxation. Do it right before you go to bed, as it will focus your mental energy and prepare your body for rest. Find a dark, quiet area and either sit with your legs crossed or lie on your back and focus on your breathing.
Try to completely relax your mind, freeing it of all thoughts. Once your mind is clear, visualize your muscles tensing and relaxing, and all the energy moving out of them. Once you’ve worked your way through your entire body, take a few deep breaths and slowly get up. Your muscles should now feel relaxed and y
Answered by
Sudipta Deb
, an ibibo Specialist,
at
11:43 AM on March 01, 2008
