Easy Exercises To Reduce Stress

Twenty years ago it was regarded as a “yuppie” complaint – now it is widely recognized that stress and stress related ailments account for an amazing number of problems.

In many ways we need stress in our lives and today we certainly cannot avoid it. What we can do is learn to cope with it, to ensure that the stress within our lives does not become debilitating.

Here I try to give you some easy exercises you can do to help reduce the effects stress is having on your health. None of the exercises take much time, they can be done anytime, anywhere, as often as you like and they don’t cost you a penny.

Breathing for example – we all do it, it costs nothing and yet consciously making use of simple breathing exercises can reduce levels of stress

• allowing the heart rate to settle
• the blood pressure to drop
• the mind to clear
• other body functions to return to normal levels.
• Feeling calmer with a good oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange does allow you to cope much better.

Here are two simple exercises you might like to try

Exercise One: Take a deep breath, hunch your shoulder up as high as they can go then let them fall as far down as they will go as you give an explosive breath out. Follow this with a couple of minutes of simply watching the pattern of your breathing. Allow yourself to notice how some breaths are short, some long but each follows the one before without effort. From here you can establish a circle of breath – breathing in slowly to a silent count of four, pause to a count of four and breath out to a count of four, pause to a count of four. As you practice you will be able to carry this on for longer periods. If you lose count simply start at the beginning again.

Exercise Two: Take three really good breaths filling your lungs right down to the bottom and exhaling completely. Take a breath in to the count of four and breath out to a count of six, repeat six times. Breathe in to a count of six, breathe out to a count of eight, repeat six times. Breathe in to a count of eight, breathe out to a count of ten, repeat six times. Increase the spacing as many times as you like. You develop more and more lung capacity with a great deal of practice.

Simple stretching exercises can also help. Remember to let your body dictate what is enough, never push yourself too far and cause a strain or injury.

Exercise One: Taking a slow deep breath in, slowly raise straight arms from your sides straight above your head. Intertwine your fingers and turn you hands palm upward toward the ceiling. Taking measured breaths slowly stretch each arm upwards one after the other. Don’t strain. Repeat four times.

Exercise Two: Put your left arm behind your head with the elbow straight in line with your spine and the hand hanging down your back. With your right hand very gentle press down on your left elbow and release. Repeat with the right arm. You’ll feel the large muscle running down your neck and shoulder release some of its tension. Again don’t strain.

You know what the very best part is? You are taking charge, you can be in control and not let stress control you.

Enjoy.