Take action to relieve stress

At the moment we’re not only stressed with the usual stuff but with the endless upheaval going on in the world which now beams continually into our homes and offices.  Not only are we faced with seeing the suffering of so many people but also with the uncertainty of what is next.  All this stress leads to tension in our bodies – headaches, clenched jaw, neck pain, tight shoulders, shallow breathing, knots in the stomach – which in turn leads to further health problems and illness so it’s important to take action to relieve it – here are a few suggestions.

1.     Do some tapping on the meridian points – it’s simple, quick and effective.  You can tap along with me on a video here: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgD9GF7kehw]

2.      Progressive muscle relaxation : Take each muscle group starting at your feet and tense each one and relax – do this twice. You might do your toes, ankles, calf muscles, thighs, buttocks, stomach, back, shoulders, chest, jaw, mouth, nose, eyes, forehead.

3.      Breathing Exercises:  breathe right down into your abdomen so it sticks out when you breathe in. (Check that your fingers move apart.)

a)     Count 4 breaths in, hold for 16 and breathe out for 8.  Do a round of 10 breaths.  Good to do in bed before you get up or at night before you go to sleep.

b)     Count each breath backwards from 27 as you breathe.   As you breathe in say I’m breathing in 27, as you breath out  I’m breathing out 27……..I’m breathing in 26, I’m breathing out 26.

c)     Breathe in what you want and breathe out what you don’t want. Say to yourself I’m breathing out fear, I’m breathing in peace, I’m breathing out anxiety, I’m breathing in calm.

4.     Find the time to exercise – preferably something you enjoy and make sure you pay attention to your body.  It’s no good walking in the park while your mind is busy elsewhere.  Note your surroundings, breath deeply and focus on your body.  Walk, run, swim, cycle, aerobics, dance, yoga, tai chi.  Spend some time in nature whenever possible – hug a tree, walk barefoot on the beach or on grass.

5.     Avoid tea, coffee, alcohol, soft drinks and chocolate.  They may make you feel better for a short period but in fact really add stress to the body over the longer term.  Drink lots of water.

6.     Take a good look at what negative thoughts might be causing your body to tense up.   If you think positive thoughts your body will start to release the tension.