Stress Reduction

Do you get stressed out from the pressures of work or school? As a society, we
are constantly on-the-go and busy with the daily events in our lives. Sometimes
we forget to take time out of our day to de-stress, relax and breathe. Learn
some easy and simple exercises to reduce the stress in your life.
Meditation,
Deep Breathing Exercises,
Progressive Relaxation,
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises,
Guided Imagery and
Stress Reduction Tips.
Humor
will also help you to relax and always puts life into perspective.

Meditation

Meditation is an English approximation for the Sanskrit word dhyana, which
means an unbroken flow of thought toward and object of concentration. The
object of meditation might be a word, a picture, an image, a concept, or the
breath. If the object of meditation is a word, you start by concentration on
that word. As your concentration deepens, your mind flows continually toward
this word. As you move deeper into meditation, your mind becomes totally
absorbed in that word.

During meditation, the thinking process is stilled. The mind becomes quiet,
providing profound rest for the mind, with the result that it returns to
thought refreshed and revitalized. Meditation is the finest method for
creating mental relaxation.

There are misunderstandings about meditation. Often when we hear the word,
we think of the dictionary definition to think deeply or ponder some subject.
But here we are referring to a distinct process for working with the mind, not
a type of thinking. Meditation is conscious effort to focus the mind in a
nonanalytic manner and to move away from thinking about things.

Another misunderstanding arises from the association between meditation and
mystical practices of an ascetic lifestyle. But meditation can be effectively
practiced by people richly involved with life who want to experience optimal
health and well-being.

Research studies have consistently shown that people who practice meditation,
their psychological well-being improves. Meditations experience improved
self-esteem, decreased anxiety and depression, higher levels of
self-actualization, and better overall health.

Total Relaxation: Healing Practices for Body, Mind and Spirit by John R.
Harvey, Ph.D.

Deep Breathing Exercises

Background

Breathing exercises have been an integral part of mental, spiritual and
physical development in the orient and India for centuries. Westerners have
only recently become aware of the importance of correct breathing habits.

Effectiveness

Breathing exercises have been found to be effective in reducing anxiety,
depression, irritability, muscular tension and fatigue. They are used in the
treatment and prevention of breath-holding, hyperventilation, shallow
breathing, and cold hands and feet.

Time for Mastery

Breathing exercises can be learned in a matter of minutes. Full
appreciation of the effects of deep breathing may take a matter of months.

Deep Breathing

Lie down on a soft blanket or rug on the floor. Bend your knees and
move your feet about eight inches apart, with your toes turned outward
slightly. Make sure that your spine is straight
Scan your body for tension
Place one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest
Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose into your abdomen to push up
your hand as much as feels comfortable. Your chest should move only a
little and only with your abdomen
When you are at ease with your breathing, smile slightly and inhale
through your nose and exhale through you mouth, making a quiet, relaxing,
whooshing sound like the wind as you blow gently out.
Your mouth, tongue and jaw should be relaxed
Take long, slow, deep breaths which raise and lower your abdomen
Focus on the sound and feeling of breathing as you become more and more
relaxed
At the end of each breathing session, take a little time to once more
scan you body for tension
Compare the tension you feel at the conclusion of the exercise with how
you felt when you began the exercise
As you become more comfortable with deep breathing, you can practice it
whenever you feel like it during the day whether you are sitting or
standing
Practice your deep breathing anytime you start to feel tense

Progression

Start out your exercises by deep breathing for 5 to 10 minutes once or
twice a day, for a couple of times a day
As you become more comfortable in your breathing you can extend this
period as you see fit

Progressive Relaxation

What is Progressive Relaxation?

Background

Developed by Edmund Jacobson, a Chicago physician
Is a deep muscle technique that requires no imagination, willpower, or
suggestion
Based on the premise that the body responds to anxiety-provoking
thoughts and events with muscle tension
By relaxing the deep muscles, one reduces physiological tension
Regular practice blocks the habit of responding to stressful situations
with anxiety and tension

Practical Use

Reduces pulse rate and blood pressure
Decreases perspiration and respiration rates
Can be used as an anti-anxiety pill

Time For Mastery

One to Two Weeks
Two 15 minute sessions per day

Focus Areas:

During the progressive muscle relaxation exercise, we will be focusing on
four major muscle groups:

Hands, forearms, and biceps
Head, face, throat and shoulders, including concentration on
forehead, cheeks, nose, eyes, jaws, lips, tongue, and neck. Considerable
attention is devoted to your head, because from the emotional point of
view, the most important muscles in your body are situated in and around
this region.
Chest, stomach, and lower back
Thighs, buttocks, calves, and feet.

Instructions

Begin by practicing deep breathing exercises, to relax your mind and
body
Turn off or dim the lights
Play some soothing music
Keep your eyes closed

Relaxing expressions to ponder when de-stressing:

Let go of tension
Throw away the tension I am feeling calm and rested
Relax and smooth out the muscles
Let the tension dissolve away

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercises

Hands, Fists, Forearms

Get into a comfortable position in your chair and relax
Clench your right fist, tighter and tighter
Notice the tension in your fist, hand, and forearm
Now relax...
Repeat the entire procedure with your left fist
Repeat the entire procedure with both fists

Biceps

Bend your elbows
Tense your biceps as hard as you can
Observe the feeling of tautness
Relax and straighten out your arms
Let the relaxation develop and feel the difference
Repeat this and all succeeding procedures at least once

Forehead

Turn attention to your head
Wrinkle your forehead as tight as you can
Now relax and smooth it out
Let yourself imagine your entire forehead and scalp becoming smooth and
at rest
Now frown and notice the strain spreading throughout your forehead
Let go; Allow your brow to become smooth again

Eyes

Close your eyes now and squeeze them tightly
Relax your eyes
Let them remain closed gently and comfortably

Jaw

Now clench your jaw, bite hard; notice the tension throughout your
jaw
Relax the jaw
When the jaw is relaxed, your lips will be slightly apart
Let yourself appreciate the contrast between tension and
relaxation
Now press your tongue to the roof of your mouth
Feel the ache in the back of your mouth
Relax
Press your lips now, purse then into an O
Relax your lips
Notice that your forehead, scalp, eyes, jaw, tongue, and lips are all
relaxed

Neck and shoulders

Press your head as far back as it can comfortably go and observe the
tension in your neck
Roll your head slowly to the right and feel the changing locus of
stress
Roll your head slowly to the left
Straighten your head and bring it forward
Press your chin against your chest
Feel the tension in your throat and in the back of your neck
Relax, allowing your head to return to a comfortable position
Let the relaxation deepen
Now, shrug your shoulders
Keep the tension as you hunch your head down between your
shoulders
Relax your shoulders
Drop them back and feel the relaxation spreading through your neck,
throat and shoulders
Pure relaxation, deeper and deeper

Breathing

Give your entire body a chance to relax
Feel the comfort and the heaviness
Now breathe in and fill your lungs completely
Now exhale; let your chest become loose and let the air out with a
hiss
Continue relaxing; letting your breath come freely and gently
Repeat this several times, noticing the tension draining from your
body
As you exhale, tighten your stomach, pushing your hands up
Hold this and then relax
Arch your back without straining
Keep the rest of your body as relaxed as possible
Focus on the tension in your lower back
Now relax deeper and deeper

Buttocks and Thighs

Tighten your buttocks and thighs
Flex your thighs by pressing down your heels as hard as you can
Relax and feel the difference
Now curl your toes downward; making your calves tense
Study the tension
Relax
Now bend your toes towards your face, creating tension in your
shins
Relax again

Notice, how your whole body feels relaxed and heavy at the end of the entire
exercise; the more you let go of stress, the more relaxed and loose each muscle
group becomes.

Guided Imagery

Coming Soon