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The first thing to do when trying to combat stress is to read the preceding parts of this section of the book. Start by improving what you eat, by taking more exercise, by breathing better, by getting more and better-quality sleep and by changing your lifestyle and attitudes. Even if you do nothing else and your life continues to have just as many potentially stressful events as before you’ll feel a new person and many of the above list of symptoms will disappear over a few weeks.

There are other steps, though, that you may find helpful. They include activities with proven value in reducing stress both at the stressful time itself and in between.

There are so many types of relaxation exercises that a book such as this cannot even give an overview of them. Here, however, is one example of an exercise sequence that is simple and effective:

• Take the phone off the hook

• Make sure the room is warm and quiet and that you won’t be interrupted

• Choose a time of day that is free from stress (morning or evening is best)

• Avoid doing the exercises after a meal

• Try to do them twice a day

• Put a blanket on the floor or sit directly on the carpet

• Wear loose clothing-nothing constricting

• Remove shoes, ties; undo bra or belt

• Sit up in a supported position

• Clear your mind of intrusive thoughts and let things happen

• Breathe deeply and regularly

• Once the breathing is established try to introduce thoughts such as of a wave of warmth or

happiness coming over you. All this relaxes tense muscles and the action of the sympathetic

nervous system and prepares you for the relaxation exercises you want to do. For example:

• Systematically and consciously relax all the areas of the body in sequence

• Start with the feet-deliberately tighten the foot muscles and then relax them after 10 seconds

of holding them in tension. Feel them release as you let go. Try consciously to register how

good this feels

• Work up to the top of the body, tightening and relaxing area by area

• Do this for ten minutes and then spend a further ten minutes returning to normal. Just sit or

lie there feeling relaxed and carry on with the deep breathing. Get up slowly and gently to

resume your normal activities.

 

*53/72/5*

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. This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 at 10:24 pm and is filed under General health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.