Relaxation Techniques That Really Work
Everyone experiences stress and its effects. Short-term effects of stress include
headaches, shallow breathing, trouble sleeping, anxiety, and upset stomach. Long-term
chronic stress can increase the risk for heart disease, back pain, depression, persistent
muscle aches and pains, and a weak immune system.
Chronic stress can affect your emotions and behavior by making you irritable, impatient,
less enthusiastic about your job, and even depressed.
To keep stress at a minimum and reduce its effects on your life, research shows it
is helpful to find and practice healthy ways to manage it. Try the following techniques
to see what works best for you.
Take a breath
Start by sitting up straight. Breathe in so your rib cage expands, and then exhale
slowly. Breathing in this way relaxes muscles, reducing tension and the likelihood
of muscle and back pain.
You can focus on a word, a mantra, or even your breath by focusing on your nostrils,
feeling the breath coming in and going out. What you're trying to do is put the focus
on something other than your problems. Do this for 10 to 20 minutes, twice a day.
Sit or lie down, if you can, and close your eyes. Starting at your head, tense your
face by clenching your teeth and furrowing your brow. Hold the tension for 5 seconds,
then release it.
Next, tense your shoulders by bringing them up to your ears. Hold for 5 seconds, then
release. Tense your arm muscles and hold for 5 seconds, then release. Continue to
tighten and release each group of muscles in your body until you reach your toes.
Focus on the warmth and heaviness of your body as you relax. Breathe gently for a
few moments, then open your eyes.
Sit or lie down and close your eyes. For 5 to 10 minutes, imagine you're in a place
you love like the beach, the mountains, or the house you grew up in. Breathe slowly
and deeply as you imagine what you see, feel, hear, taste, and smell in your special
Be patient with yourself and with the process. Practicing a method that seems to work
for you on an ongoing basis — not just when your life is out of control — is important.
Doing so can give you a place of calm to return to when the going gets rough.