Relaxation techniques

• Deep breathing can be a very effective way of relaxing
• Find somewhere where you can be alone without any interruptions for
  a while
• Now start to breathe...
• This relaxed breathing...

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If you have twenty minutes to spend on yourself, a bit of muscle relaxation could work wonders for your stress levels. All you are doing is stretching and relaxing all of the muscles in your body, one by one, to release the tension you're holding in your body. This, in turn, relaxes your mind.

Find a warm, quiet place where you won't be interrupted. Make yourself comfortable and start the deep breathing exercise above. It can help if you play soothing music, or if you're a fan of aromatherapy, vaporise a calming essential oil blend.

Hold each of these stretches for a few seconds, and then let it go and relax. Repeat each stretch a couple of times.

• Face: push your eyebrows together, like you're frowning, then let them go.
• Neck: drop your head gently and push your chin into your chest. Then lift your head.
• Shoulders: Shrug your shoulders up towards your ears then drop them.
• Chest: breathe slowly and deeply, filling your lungs completely, and breathe out slowly.
• Arms: lift your arms away from your body - stretch - then relax them back again.
• Legs: Stretch your legs out as if you were pushing the, away from you, then imagine letting go and pulling them back in again.
• Wrists and hands: Pull each of your hands towards you, give your fingers and thumbs a stretch - then let it go.¹

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If you can get to a yoga or meditation class, these can be great ways to calm your mind and relax when feeling stressed. Some NHS practices will refer you to a complementary therapist if they have funding for it, so if you think that it might benefit you, there's no harm in asking.²

One of the most effective methods for managing stress-related conditions is yoga therapy. Yoga therapy is the adaptation of yoga for people with health problems, taught by qualified yoga teachers who also have medical training.²

Other therapies that might help you relax include Meditation, Reflexology, Reiki, T'ai Chi and the Alexander technique. The NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners currently has over 5,000 members, covering over 28 complementary and alternative therapies - and you can access this at www.nhsdirectory.org. Getting help with referrals to a complementary health practitioner on the NHS can be hit and miss, as not all Primary Care Trusts presently have the funding available for it.²

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For some people, an energetic game of football, a swim or a long walk listening to music can be a great antidote to stress. Even mundane physical tasks like cleaning can help, according to reports from 2008 which came to the conclusion that just 20 minutes of physical activity a day was all it took to see mental health benefits. Astound everyone and vacuum the house, do some dusting or just go for a brisk walk and ignore the mess. Either way you could be doing your stress levels a favour.³

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