3 Simple Stress Reduction Techniques

I’m always on at you about adrenal health, and getting enough sleep, and managing stress, aren’t I? But it’s because I care about you and it’s because it’s sooooooo important to your health. Today I’m going to outline for you 3 simple stress reduction techniques that you can do anywhere. If you can start your day with one or more of these, and end your day with one or more of these, I can promise that your days will be a little easier. A little bit goes a long way, and each of these techniques each only take a few minutes.

DEEP BREATHING (5 MIN)

1. Select a comfortable sitting position.
2. Close your eyes, and direct your attention to your own breathing process.
3. Think about nothing but your breathing; let it flow in and out of your body.
4. Say to yourself: “I am relaxing, breathing smoothly and rhythmically. Fresh oxygen is flowing in and out of my body. I feel calm, renewed, and refreshed.”
5. Continue to focus on your breathing as it flows in and out, in and out, thinking about nothing but the smooth rhythmical process of your own breathing.
6. After 5 minutes, stand up, stretch, smile, and continue with your daily activities.

MENTAL RELAXATION (5 TO 10 MIN)

1. Select a comfortable sitting or reclining position.
2. Close your eyes, and think about a place that you have been before that you found to be a perfect place for mental and physical relaxation. This should be a quiet environment, such as the ocean, the mountains, a forest, a panoramic view, etc. If you cannot think of a real place, then create one.
3. Now imagine that you are actually in your ideal relaxation place. Imagine that you are seeing all of the colors, hearing all of the sounds, and smelling all of the different scents. Just lie back and enjoy your soothing, rejuvenating environment.
4. Feel the peacefulness, the calmness, and imagine your whole body and mind being renewed and refreshed.
5. After 5 to 10 minutes, slowly open your eyes and stretch. You have the realization that you may instantly return to your relaxation place whenever you desire, and experience a peacefulness and calmness in body and mind.

TENSING THE MUSCLES (5 TO 10 MIN)

1. Select a comfortable sitting or reclining position.
2. Loosen any tight clothing.
3. Now tense your toes and feet. Hold the tension, study the tension, and then relax.
4. Now tense your lower legs, knees, and thighs. Hold the tension, study the tension, and then relax.
5. Now tense your buttocks. Hold and study the tension. Relax.
6. Tense your fingers and hands. Hold and study the tension, then relax.
7. Tense your lower arms, elbows, and upper arms. Hold it, study it, and relax.
8. Tense your stomach, hold the tension, feel the tension, and relax.
9. Now tense your chest. Hold and study the tension. Relax. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
10. Tense your lower back. Hold and study the tension and relax.
11. Tense the upper back. Hold the tension, feel the tension, then relax.
12. Now tense the neck, back, and front of your neck. Hold the tension, study the tension, and then relax.
13. Now tense the shoulders. Hold and study the tension. Then relax.
14. Now tense your entire head. Make a grimace on your face so that you feel the tension in your facial muscles. Study the tension and then relax.
15. Now try to tense every muscle in your body. Hold it, study it, and then relax.
16. Continue sitting or reclining for a few minutes, feeling the relaxation flowing through your body. Know the difference between muscles that are tense and muscles that are relaxed.
17. Now stretch, feeling renewed and refreshed; continue with your daily activities.

It’s so important to keep bringing your body back into parasympathetic (rest and digest) state, from the dominant sympathetic state (flight or fright). The more you can do simple exercises like these, the more balanced your body will be overall, and the happier and more balanced you will feel.