Stress really is a silent killer. Most people don’t know they are under stress, let alone the toll it takes on them. Hormones released from stress can harm the body, so it’s important to take steps to destress yourself.
Let’s review some ways to reduce stress in the article below.
Table of Contents
Massages
Going to get a massage is grand, but not everyone has the time or money to do this at all, let alone regularly. There are a few tricks you can do by yourself to ease tension in the body.
Hands
Your hands are extremely important. They are a gateway to the rest of your body. If it helps, you can massage various parts of one hand with the other hand:
- Fingers
- Palms
- Webbing (area between fingers and thumb)
Feet
Your feet are important as well. Some believe that sections on the bottom of the foot reflect certain organs within your body. Ease tension in your feet by stretching and using balls:
- Use a golf or tennis ball to roll under the foot.
- Pull toes upward and downward. Maintain flexibility.
Back
Don’t slouch on back health. Be sure to maintain good posture and try the following:
- Use a tennis ball against the wall.
- Rollers are useful for the back and other areas of the body.
- Use a large medicine ball to stretch out your back.
- You can use a tool like a Theracane if pressure points are hard to reach.
Deep Breathing
Farmer Burns once said, “Deep breathing alone has made many a weak man strong and many a sick man well.”
Wise words.
You would do well to learn from them.
- In through the nose and out through the mouth for 4 counts minimum.
- As you gain lung capacity, increase counts.
- As you deep breathe, you can hold muscle groups and release them to get the target areas to relax.
You can place your hands on your chest and belly to detect shallow breathing if you’re not trained to properly deep breathe.
Other Stress Reduction Activities
- Ear massage and pressure points
- Exercise (gym, yoga, martial arts, walking, running, etc.)
- Meditation (self or using a relaxation app on your phone)
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Cleaning/Organizing
- Music
- Socializing
- Laughter
- Keeping a journal
- Walking outside, spending time in nature
Action Steps
If you are not exercising, I can’t begin to describe the stress-reducing benefits exercising can offer. You need to get on it! That would be step one. I would also recommend you find other things you like to do. There are plenty of options in this article.
What stress-reducing techniques did you learn to use in your life? What action steps do you need to take to utilize these techniques or strategies?