Having a hard time dealing with the relentless stresses and anxieties that fill our daily lives? Can’t sleep at night because one too many things are racing through your mind? Are your stresses taking a toll on you physically, giving you headaches or backaches? Having trouble sitting still because there are just too many things that need to get done? Looking for affordable and easy ways to relieve that stress and anxiety without having to go out of your way and spend money you don’t have? Try out these simple techniques and feel the stress and anxiety begin to melt away.
Deep Breathing
If you begin to feel overwhelmed by stress or are prone to experiencing anxiety attacks, this exercise is a great in-the-moment technique to focus your mind and lower your heart rate. Focus fully on your breathing, making sure that you pull air deeply into your abdomen. When you take in a full breath from your abdomen, your body receives much more oxygen than it would if you pulled the air in through your lungs. And the more oxygen your body receives the less tense and anxious you will begin to feel. Sit up, with your back straight, and with one hand on your chest and one on your stomach, breathe in through your nose. You’ll know if you are doing this correctly if the hand on your stomach rises while the one on your chest remains still. Exhale your breath through your mouth, and count slowly each time you exhale.
Muscle Tensing and Relaxing
This technique will help you recognize the first physical feeling of the muscular tension associated with stress and anxiety. And once you are able to relax your body, your mind will quickly follow suit. Get comfortable, taking off your shoes and getting into some loose fitting clothing. You’ll want to start with some deep breathing exercises first, to ensure that you’re beginning to feel relaxed. Start with your feet first, then follow this steps and move up the rest of your body. Left foot first, tense all the muscles in your foot, squeezing as tightly as you can for a ten second count. Then relax it and feel the tension easing. Take a few seconds to familiarize yourself with this feeling, then refocus and do the same thing with your other foot. Next, your legs, stomach, back, arms, neck, etc. Most importantly, don’t forget to practice your deep breathing while you do this to maintain a regular breathing pattern.
Visualization and Guided Imagery
Much like meditation, this practice is designed to lower stress levels by having you imagine a serene scene that eases your mind. Whether you’re at home and trying to sleep or on a break from a stressful day at work or with the kids, just close your eyes and let your imagination take hold. See, hear, feel, taste, and smell a peaceful scene, whether it be a beach, a park, an open field. Just let your imagination run wild in the serenity of the scene.
Meditation
This can be done at home when sitting, while walking to the office, or when taking the baby on an afternoon stroll through the park. The point of this exercise is to focus your mind and relieve stress by mentally honing in on the now, as opposed to dwelling on the past or the future. When sitting or laying in a quiet atmosphere, get comfortable and focus your mind on a phrase or word that you can keep repeating throughout your meditation session. If you feel your mind being distracted by other thoughts, don’t fight them or judge them, just go through them and ease your mind back to the phrase of focus. If you’re out walking, you can meditate by focusing on the act of walking, feeling the sensation of your feet hitting the ground or the wind against your face. Hone in on each step and let your mind be filled by the feeling of walking.
Mindful Eating
Who’d have thought that eating could be something that helps ease stress and anxiety? Whether it’s a small fiber bar or a full portioned meal, place full attention on the act of eating, without distractions such as television or reading. Eat slowly and enjoy the flavors and textures of the food that you are consuming. Usually, when you’re stressed or anxious, you tend to eat faster without thinking about what you’re eating. Taking the time to enjoy the process will slow you down and ease your anxiety.
Michelle Abrams writes for a discount vouchers website where you can find Argos discount codes and Comet.co.uk discount vouchers.
