|
AHH! Stress Relief
One
of the benefits of exercise is stress relief. Some forms of exercise have been
shown to be very helpful in reducing tension and elevating mood so that feelings
of anxiety and the pressures of daily living are lessened. These include
breathing exercises, exercises to relax neck, shoulder and back muscles, and
movement like tai chi, yoga and aerobic exercises.
Tai chi and yoga are ancient forms of exercise that may include meditation or
other forms of relaxation. An instructional video or class is essential to learn
these forms. Videos featuring Lilias Folan are an excellent way to start.
With aerobics, any form of aerobic exercise you find enjoyable will be uplifting
and aid in stress reduction—walking, dancing, sweeping, raking, skating.
Vigorous movement releases tension while increasing production of chemicals in
the brain that lift the spirits.
Breathing exercises
Anxiety and stress increase the heart and respiration rates, raising the body’s
demand for oxygen. Deep breathing pulls in more oxygen and releases tension.
Deep breathing can be done any time to reduce stress. It is helpful to practice
deep breathing daily as well as using it as part of warm up and cool down for
any exercise session.
Deep Breathing
♦ Sit or stand, pull your elbows back and inhale deeply
♦ Hold your breath for 5 counts
♦ Exhale slowly and completely
♦ Repeat for a total of 5 complete breaths.
Tension is often carried in the neck, shoulder and back, sometimes
without even realizing it. Exercises can help muscles in these areas relax,
releasing tension and stress.
Head and Neck
1. Start with mouth closed.
|
|
A. |
Stretch mouth
open and yawn. |
|
|
B. |
Imagine you are
chewing a large piece of sticky toffee. Stretch your mouth in all
directions for 5-10 seconds. |
|
2. |
Slowly nod your
head up and down 5 times. Finish with your chin slightly dropped. |
|
3. |
Look straight
ahead with your chin slightly dropped. Slowly turn your head to look
over alternate shoulders. Repeat 5 times in each direction. |
|
4. |
Look straight ahead with your chin slightly
dropped. Keep looking straight ahead and bend your head sideways, with
your ear going towards your shoulder. Do not lift your shoulder. Bend
your head to the other side. Repeat 5 times in each direction.
|
Shoulders
|
1. |
Look straight
ahead with your shoulders relaxed. Slowly roll your shoulders forward in
a circular movement for 5-10 counts then backwards for 5-10 counts. |
|
2. |
Look straight
ahead with your shoulders relaxed. Breathe in as you lift up your
shoulders. Breathe out as you relax your shoulders. Repeat 5-10 times. |
|
3. |
Sit or stand
with your arms by your sides, fingers curled in a loose fist. |
|
|
A. |
Bring your
hands up to your shoulders. |
|
|
B. |
Spread open
your fingers as you stretch your arms upward, with palms facing each
other. |
|
|
C. |
Lower arms
sideways with palms facing downward. |
|
|
D. |
Repeat 5-10
times. |
Back
|
1. |
Sit or stand
with arms held out to the side. |
| |
A. |
Slowly turn
your head to look at one hand. Keep looking at your hand as you move
your arm back, twisting from the waist. |
| |
B. |
Slowly return
to face forward. |
| |
C. |
Slowly twist to
the other side. Slowly return to face forward. |
| |
D. |
Repeat 5-10
times. |
|
2. |
Stand with your
feet apart and hands on waist. |
| |
A. |
Keeping both
feet flat, slowly stretch one arm up and across your body. Let your body
twist and look at your hand. |
| |
B. |
Repeat on the
other side. |
| |
C. |
Do 5-10 times
on each side. |
|
