10 Easy Relaxation Techniques That Quickly Relieve Stress

Stress can run your life if you let it.

Stress is like a nagging companion on a really long road trip. Sometimes it’s helpful and makes you grow as a person, but other times you want to slam on the brakes and say “enough … get out!”

Plus, stress leads to complications like chronic disease, inability to lose weight quickly, and other undesirable conditions.

Luckily, there is a middle ground and you don’t have to go far to find it. Instead of allowing stress to blow your fuses, make losing belly fat impossible, and wreck your health, ease off the gas and follow these 10 diy Relaxations Techniques.

1. Take Deep, Slow Breaths

The fastest way to relieve stress is to take a deep breath. Actually take several deep breaths and focus your attention on your breathing. Deep breathing stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system which calms you down. As a result, stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline normalize. When these hormones are in check, your immune system and overall health improves.

2. Relieve Tension In Your Body

Before you move onto meditation, it’s a good idea to decompress. Stress does a number on your body, getting you all tensed up – especially in the shoulders, face, back, and neck. Plus whatever is stressing you out is likely stuck in your mind playing on loop like a broken record. Decompression is getting rid of all that pent up junk. One good way to decompress is to roll on top of a tennis ball, exercise ball, or foam roller. For your face, put a warm wet cloth over it to relieve tension. Breathe as you do this and clear your mind of negativity.

3. Practice Meditation

Now that you are ready to meditate, find a comfortable position. I recommend lying on your back on a yoga mat on a hard floor. This will align your body and help work out any kinks in your back. This especially helps if you sit at a computer all day. Next breathe deeply for a minute and then slow your breathing. Now think positive thoughts or try not to think of anything specific for awhile. You can get as creative as you want with your meditations like adding soft music or scented candles. Each time you meditate your mind forms new pathways for coping with stress.

4. Listen to Music

Certain kinds of music can really relax you. I recommend music with no lyrics. Classical music, Native American flute, or Celtic music is all quite effective. Of course you can always jam out to your favorite rock or dance tunes. It’s really all in what you prefer. It may also be helpful to make a play list of your feel good music, that way you aren’t spending your relaxation time playing dj.

5. Be Thankful

As you meditate or listen to music, think about all the things you are thankful for. Think of the people who have helped you when you needed them the most. I find when I do this I am reminded to reach out to my friends or family to say hello. This opening up on my part often leads to making fun plans. Then I have something to look forward to and it gives me an opportunity to thank my loved ones in person.

6. Get Connected

Being Thankful is often the first step to connecting with friends and family, but we can also connect with new people and helpful social groups.
Positive interaction with others is always a great stress buster. Having a feeling of belonging is a basic human need. If we neglect this part of ourselves, we often find that stress is our only companion. And we don’t want that.

7. Laugh it off

Humor is good for the soul and for reducing stress. If you’ve had a long, serious-minded day, kick back and turn on a good comedy. Or I like to call one of my funny friends … someone I know that likes to crack jokes or pokes fun at things. You might even try cracking a few jokes yourself.

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8. Live in the Now

Some call this “being present”. This means don’t worry about the past or the future; just enjoy what’s in front of you now.
Most of the time when we live in the now, we notice that there’s nothing actually wrong. We look around and everything is fine. Sure you may be in a circumstance that you wish you were out of. Yet even in that circumstance you are ok until you find a way out.

9. Listen to Your Body

Under stress, we tend to forget about our bodies and our health. We just power forward full throttle without thinking about blowing a gasket. Instead, slow down and listen to your body. Quiet your mind and see if you can pin point any pain in your body. There may be pain from anxiety that’s like a sinking feeling in your chest making you sad. That’s okay, just breathe it out. If there’s muscle pain, massage it out. Listen all over and relax it all out.

10. Get Up And Active

Last but not least, make a move to change your mood. Go for a walk, ride a bike, do some cardio on the floor. Do some Yoga. It’s truly remarkable how exercise and getting fresh air can totally change your mood. Just remember when you start, forget about your problems. Don’t carry them on the walk with you. They’ve had enough of your precious time. This is your time and you deserve it.

Hey you only live once, and although stress has a way of stalking you, you don’t have to give it the keys to your life. Put the brakes on stress, and live your life in peace and happiness.