Stress
It affects us all at some stage or another. How we get the balance back in our lives can take a while. It’s a huge subject but here are five tips to help alleviate any immediate feelings of stress that you can give a go:
Try to remove yourself from what is causing the stress (even if you can only do this temporarily).
Slow your breathing down – try to make your out breath at least two counts longer than your in breath. Work up to breathing in for the count of 7 and breathing out for the count of 11.
Listen to some relaxing sounds or music (whilst breathing mindfully) – it could literally be the sound of wind through trees or waves crashing on rocks. There are lots of apps offering these.
Try progressive muscle relaxation – breathe in and tense each muscle group in turn (for example the glute muscles of the bottom) and hold for five seconds, then breathe out and release the muscles quickly (don’t do it slowly). It should be a sudden movement. Work your way through the body.
Guided visualisation – find somewhere quiet to sit and listen to someone guide you through a meditation or visualisation. These are a great way to quieten the mind without trying to meditate totally on your own. Lots can be found online.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Just a few tips proven to help relieve stress that have worked for me.
If you are feeling stressed, give them a try x