How Different Kinds Of Relaxation Techniques Work
There are many different types of relaxation exercises that were developed by therapists who deal specifically with people who suffer from anxiety or stress disorders. Allowing yourself ample time for self care every day will help promote the release of endorphins throughout your body which will make you feel better both physically and mentally.
These exercise programs can be difficult at first, but are very effective for those who have suffered long term or are currently suffering from conditions relating to stress or anxiety. Remember that you should never force yourself to engage in any kind of therapy if it is harmful for you psychologically, emotionally, or physically. If at any point during these exercises your symptoms worsen or become more severe, discontinue immediately and seek medical care as soon as possible.
Spend Some Time In Nature
As previously reported by Health, spending time in nature has a profound effect on our stress levels. According to a study in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research, even spending just 20 minutes in a park does wonders for our well-being. According to research psychologist Kelly McGonigal, PhD, author of The Joy of Movement, incorporating a little nature every day is beneficial to managing your stress levels. Depending on how youre social distancing, getting to a park every day may not be easy, but even a short daily walk outside would suffice and help you clear your head.
What Is The Fastest Way To Relieve Stress
There are countless techniques for managing stress. Yoga, mindfulness meditation, and exercise are just a few examples of stress-relieving activities that work wonders. But in the heat of the moment, during a high-pressured job interview, for example, or a disagreement with your spouse, you cant just excuse yourself to meditate or take a long walk. In these situations, you need something more immediate and accessible.
One of the speediest and most reliable ways to stamp out stress is to engage one or more of your sensessight, sound, taste, smell, touchor through movement. Since everyone is different, youll need to do some experimenting to discover which technique works best for youbut the payoff is huge. You can stay calm, productive, and focused when you know how to quickly relieve stress.
Social interaction is your bodys most evolved and surefire strategy for regulating the nervous system. Talking face-to-face with a relaxed and caring listener can help you quickly calm down and release tension. Although you cant always have a pal to lean on in the middle of a stressful situation, maintaining a network of close relationships is vital for your mental health. Between sensory-based stress relief and good listeners, youll have your bases covered.
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Why Do I Feel Like This When Im Not In Any Real Danger
Early humans needed the fast, powerful responses that fear causes, as they were often in situations of physical danger however, we no longer face the same threats in modern-day living.
Despite this, our minds and bodies still work in the same way as our early ancestors, and we have the same reactions to our modern worries about bills, travel and social situations. But we cant run away from or physically attack these problems!
The physical feelings of fear can be scary in themselves especially if you are experiencing them and you dont know why, or if they seem out of proportion to the situation. Instead of alerting you to a danger and preparing you to respond to it, your fear or anxiety can kick in for any perceived threat, which could be imaginary or minor.
Anxiety Stress And Muscle Pain
It is a concept introduced by Wilhelm Reich, a pupil of Freud, who suggested, during psychoanalysis, working directly on the body with exercises, postures, massage, verbalisation and expression of emotions, to remove energy blockages responsible for areas of painful muscle tension. Later, A. Lowen identified seven body energy blockages due to non-expressed emotions:
- Visual blockage. It can make the eyes look dubious, dead or cynical. It can be removed by working on the emotion of fear, e.g. by opening the eyes wide.
- Oral blockage. It affects the muscles of the mouth and throat, especially due to unshed tears or non-expressed rage. It can be removed with suction movement and with stimulating the vomiting reflex.
- Cervical blockage. It is often the result of self-control, non-expressed crying, anger and shouting.
- Thoracic blockage. It manifests with reduced respiratory dynamics that inhibit the emotions.
- Diaphragm blockage. It can cause somatisation in the gastrointestinal tract, mainly in the stomach.
- Abdominal blockage. The most visceral emotions are suppressed at this level. It manifests with irritable bowel.
- Pelvic blockage. It manifests with difficulty in reaching orgasm.
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How To Combat Stress And Anxiety
Here is a stress management tipbut first, Why are so many people today dealing with stress and anxiety more than ever before? The answer may surprise you, and this stress management tip on how to relieve stress and anxiety might just help.
Stress and anxiety can affect people of all ageswhether a person is a student under stress or a person in retirement. The key to dealing with anxiety and stress is through effort and stress management, which leads to anxiety relief and managing stress levels.
Consider these two examples: There was a dentist in Duluth, Minnesota who had more patients at age 89 than he ever had in his previous years of practice. His hands were steady, and his peers considered him very competent. Whenever anyone asked him about the possibility of retirement and giving up the stress, hed say with a twinkle in his eye, Ill quit when they carry me up the hill, feet first. Apparently, anxiety relief and stress were not a concern to him.
Contrast this with a student in his early 20s. On many Friday nights, he would meet his friends at a local restaurant. Whenever the subject about school or anything involving effort came up, he had a standard reply: I have to find good a reason to get out of bed. Getting out of bed to this young man was stressful.
Coronavirus: Stress Fear Anxiety And What To Do About It
People are experiencing an increased level of stress at this time and a portion of this stress can also be generated by the media: we are getting constant updates we are exposed to upsetting images and we are facing the unknown. It looks like we are living in an age when the world is almost shifting in a new direction because of COVID-19 as we are forced to stay indoors to save lives and to change our habits. Plus, there is uncertainty which can cause a great deal of fear.
A certain amount of fear at this time is normal and its because we are aware of fear that we care for our lives and therefore we want to save our lives and those of others. A reasonable amount of fear makes us rethink our actions, for example making sure we wash our hands regularly and we stay at home. This is because we understand that there is a danger and the danger is real, therefore the stress we experience is actually necessary to save our lives and we shouldnt fight it completely because we are basically in survival mode.
However, the problem starts when this fear mode transforms and becomes overwhelming, taking over everything and turning into a state of constant anxiety, in which you become unable to recreate your formal daily life: anxiety blocks creativity, the ability to adapt, it makes sleep more difficult and can compromise the immune system.
After you have acknowledged how you feel, ask yourself what are the things you need to put in place in your daily life?
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How To Fight Stress And Anxiety Naturally
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Everyone, at one point or another, has experienced both stress and anxiety. While stress is the response to a threatening situation, anxiety is the reaction to that stress. The two go hand in hand, and both can be handled if you have the right tools to do so. Many people believe that the best solution to stress and anxiety is to use manufactured drugs or medication, but that isnt always the case.
Ways To Overcome Anxiety
You may appreciate some of the outcomes of your anxiety but likely you dont enjoy the process that gets you there. This is where learning to overcome your anxiety comes in. However, its key to dig down into what is causing the underlying stress or apprehension.
What is the anxiety, fear, worry, or unease trying to tell you? Listen to these messages and explore how you can use this information to alleviate their grip on you.
Also, seek to ground yourself, as much as possible, in the reality of whatever situation is causing you apprehension. Think about what is really likely to happen, including the true worst case scenarios. Maybe even make peace with them.
Once you can start to see the role that your perspective plays in your anxietyand that you have agency in your own thoughtsyou can begin to free yourself from its hold. Overcoming anxiety really starts with reframing your own thoughts.
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Embrace Your Inner Child And Play
When was the last time you colored, played hide and seek, or watched cartoons? Dr. Saltz believes that embracing playtime as an adult can be amazing for stress. Bonus points if you have actual kids around to play with. However determining what that is is entirely up to you and your childhood. Dont be afraid to get silly and embrace whatever uniqueness comes to mind.
How To Combat Anxiety Using Self
Damn were hard on ourselves! This month well do a deep dive in how a lack of self compassion is the root of so much of our anxiety and learn practical tools to use self compassion to squash anxiety as it arises. Coach Jennifer Bronsnick, LCSW joined us this month and sharing her expertise on Self Compassion, Heartmath and EFT.
In this LIVE Masterclass and Group Coaching session, we covered:
- Why a lack of self compassion leads to anxiety
- Steps to get from self criticism to self compassion so you can practice it even when you think you cant do it
- How to use tapping to cultivate self compassion
- How to create your personal self compassion mantra
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Talk It Out With A Friend
When youre feeling stressed, take a break to call a friend and talk about your problems. Good relationships with friends and loved ones are important to any healthy lifestyle.
Theyre especially important when youre under a lot of stress. A reassuring voice, even for a minute, can put everything in perspective.
Tip : Recognize When Youre Stressed
It might seem obvious that youd know when youre stressed, but many of us spend so much time in a frazzled state that weve forgotten what it feels like when our nervous systems are in balance: when were calm yet still alert and focused. If this is you, you can recognize when youre stressed by listening to your body. When youre tired, your eyes feel heavy and you might rest your head on your hand. When youre happy, you laugh easily. And when youre stressed, your body lets you know that, too. Get in the habit of paying attention to your bodys clues.
Observe your muscles and insides. Are your muscles tense or sore? Is your stomach tight, cramped, or aching? Are your hands or jaw clenched?
Observe your breath. Is your breathing shallow? Place one hand on your belly, the other on your chest. Watch your hands rise and fall with each breath. Notice when you breathe fully or when you forget to breathe.
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Why Wont My Fear Go Away And Leave Me Feeling Normal Again
Fear may be a one-off feeling when you are faced with something unfamiliar.
But it can also be an everyday, long-lasting problem even if you cant put your finger on why. Some people feel a constant sense of anxiety all the time, without any particular trigger.
There are plenty of triggers for fear in everyday life, and you cant always work out exactly why you are frightened or how likely you are to be harmed. Even if you can see how out of proportion a fear is, the emotional part of your brain keeps sending danger signals to your body.
Sometimes you need mental and physical ways of tackling fear.
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Small Changes Can Have Big Results
Many of these proven anxiety fighting tips are relatively simple, but dont let that fool you into thinking they wont have a big impact. Plus, simple doesnt mean easy or that there arent many nuances or layers to these strategies that you can explore and benefit from.
In fact, studies show that simply focusing on and altering your breathing can be very helpful. We all know how to breathe, but making slight shifts and really getting in tune with your breathing can be extremely relaxing, restorative, and re-centeringand help combat anxious thoughts.
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Tip : Symptom Trigger Control
Millions of people suffer from anxiety attacks. These attacks are often triggered by other symptoms of anxiety, and cascade until they peak about 10 minutes in with a feeling of pure, unadulterated doom. Anxiety attacks are one of the most stressful and frustrating events to experience, and make it very hard to overcome anxiety.
Stopping anxiety attacks takes time and effort, and isn’t something that you can simply fight away. In fact, the more you think about trying to control your attacks, often the more you’ll worry about one coming. This might even make you more likely to have an attack. It’s the catch-22 of trying to fight panic attacks.
What you can do is control the effects of triggers, and that means that you need to get used to each symptom so that they don’t trigger panic. If you track your anxiety you may be able to identify some regular trigger points. You can do this with what’s known as “exposure therapy.” It’s best to do this in the presence of an expert, but it is also something you can try in the comfort of your own home. Let’s give an example that assumes that you get extreme anxiety that is triggered when you start to feel dizzy.
Over time, you’ll get so used to feeling dizzy and seeing that nothing terrible happens, that it won’t cause as much fear. You can then try it in other styles and intensities too, such as spinning in a circle, or spinning in a chair in a public place. The more you’re used to the symptom, the less likely it will trigger anxiety.
Tip #: Learn To Say No
Always accommodating others by volunteering to help is a wonderful trait however, we can easily become overwhelmed and fatigued if we do it too much. We need a good balance in order to conquer stress.
In fact, volunteer work can actually help depressive symptoms by getting your mind off yourself and pouring it into children or those who are less fortunate than you. But, just volunteering to serve on one more committee because you are good at it may become counterproductive if it adds stress to your already stressful life. So dont be afraid to say no when your plate is already full.
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Quick Stress Relief At Home
Entertaining. Prevent pre-party jitters by playing lively music. Light candles. The flicker and scent will stimulate your senses. Wear clothes that make you feel relaxed and confident.
Kitchen. Ease kitchen stress by breathing in the scent of every ingredient. Delight in the delicate texture of an eggshell. Appreciate the weight of an onion.
Children and relationships. Prevent losing your cool during a spousal spat by squeezing the tips of your thumb and forefinger together. When your toddler has a tantrum, rub lotion into your hands and breathe in the scent.
Sleep. Too stressed to snooze? Try using a white noise machine for background sound or a humidifier with a diffuser for a light scent in the air.
Creating a sanctuary. If clutter is upsetting, spend 10 minutes each day to tidy. Display photos and images that make you feel happy. Throw open the curtains and let in natural light.
What Causes Stress And Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are reactions that were developed by our bodies over thousands of years of evolution. When humans first began living in groups there was safety in numbers which meant less likelihood of being attacked or killed by other animals looking for food. The only problem with this method of survival was that the human brain was not yet capable of dealing with the sheer amount of information it needed to process in order to keep us safe.
So, when faced with new or unfamiliar situations, our stress system would trigger and release cortisol into the body which is very effective for quick bursts of energy allowing you to either fight or flee from dangerous situations.
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How To Engage In Different Kinds Of Exercise:
Focus on specific body parts and try your hardest not to think about anything else besides what you are doing in this moment. Once you notice that your mind has wandered, bring it back to the present by refocusing on yourself and how comfortable you feel.
For example, when stretching, hold each position for a few seconds allowing yourself to relax into the stretch with every breath taken. If it helps, imagine that there is a string coming from your tailbone all the way up into the sky pulling you farther down towards Mother Earth while at the same time lengthening out any tight muscles or joints.
