Blissing Out: 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 Medical News
Reviewed By
Jonathan L Gelfand, MD
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 while 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 anddirector emeritus,
Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
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—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.
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