I often wonder if I like going on vacation more than most. I would be happy going to Kauai Hawaii twice a year for life! Then again, who wouldn't if we could afford it? Finances aside, believe it or not, we all need to dedicate more time to relaxation and recuperation! It's true. I, like almost everyone, may feel like taking time for yourself is selfish, but relaxation is important because it helps us save energy and replenish the energy stores that are depleted throughout the day through activities. It also helps us prevent mini meltdowns, develop chronic conditions**, and deal with stress. Heaven knows the holiday season is laced with it! Amist the hustle and bustle, try to utilize these 5 Ways in 5 Days to Handle Holiday Stress. Permitting your body to relax is hard to do but I believe it is a vital part of your health and is as important as eating a balanced diet and getting adequate exercise.
In managing stress this holiday season, I am focusing on relaxation to help manage stress this holiday season. This week, each of the 5 Ways in 5 Days to Handle Holiday Stress will be relaxation techniques that are essential tools to manage stress.
With not much further ado, I'll share with you this wonderful technique that I learned in massage school and now use while meditating. The key is pay attention to how you breathe. With this technique, you will not only get a good lung workout, maximizing your lung capacity, but also to get more air delivered through the bloodstream to the rest of the body. When air is delivered to the muscles, it helps the nutrients that are also brought by the blood be converted into energy. So breathing is also good for digestion and metabolism!
Method #1/5 to Reduce Stress:
Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing (DDB)
Great for focusing while meditating or praying.
1. Sit down in a relaxed posture. I do not recommend laying down for this technique. You may fall asleep if you're not focused!
2. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. As you inhale, try to let the lowest part of your lungs fill first, then the center and then the top. Also, as you inhale, slowly count up how long the inhale takes. It took me between 6-8 seconds.
3. Hold your breath at the top of the inhale for the same amount of time that the inhalation took
4. Exhale slowly out your mouth for 6-8 seconds. It helps to make a small, pursed "O" with your lips to keep from breathing out too quickly.
5. Hold your breath at the bottom of the exhale for 6-8 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 approximately 25 times.
DO NOT DO THIS WHILE DRIVING!! You need a quiet room where you won't be interrupted.
This is an excellent technique to help you gain awareness of how your body feels. Try to focus on your body as you do this exercise, on how it feels as the air pours into your lungs. How does it feel as you are holding your breath? As you exhale?
As you get the rhythm down, pay attention to how your bod feels physically? How is your energy? Sluggish? Just ok? How do your muscles feel? Your joints? Is there any areas of pain that you did not notice that may need to be addressed? How do you feel emotionally? You may feel a rush of emotions that you have been putting off. Spiritually? You may find that your soul feels as heavy as your body does.
When the session is over with, take time to notice these things again. How does your body feel after this exercise?
How did DDB work for you?
FOOD
Breakfast: scrambled eggs on WW toast
Snack: cinnamon oatmeal and 2 HBE
Lunch: split pea soup and mini bell peppers
Dinner: a giant stuffed Portobello mushroom "pizza"
Snack: an apple, a string cheese and a HBE
EXERCISE
It is about 30* outside, and my garage is maybe 40* so I did not go for a run today on road or on treadmill. I needed the extra sleep so I stayed cozy in my bed. Hee hee. Guilty!
**Without setting aside adequate time to let your body relax through getting adequate sleep, intentionally stretching and performing breathing techniques, stress can grip your body and affect you mentally, emotionally, and physically. A few of the physical affects are (but are not limited to) chronic hypertension, hypertonicity of muscles which often leads to muscular imbalances and thereby chronic conditions and unexplained pain, chronic headaches, poor posture, scoliosis, lower back pain, as well as just about any reoccurring muscular pain. Sorry for the rant. I am a Massage Therapist after all.
Thank you SO MUCH for reading all!
Great for focusing while meditating or praying.
1. Sit down in a relaxed posture. I do not recommend laying down for this technique. You may fall asleep if you're not focused!
2. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. As you inhale, try to let the lowest part of your lungs fill first, then the center and then the top. Also, as you inhale, slowly count up how long the inhale takes. It took me between 6-8 seconds.
3. Hold your breath at the top of the inhale for the same amount of time that the inhalation took
4. Exhale slowly out your mouth for 6-8 seconds. It helps to make a small, pursed "O" with your lips to keep from breathing out too quickly.
5. Hold your breath at the bottom of the exhale for 6-8 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 approximately 25 times.
DO NOT DO THIS WHILE DRIVING!! You need a quiet room where you won't be interrupted.
This is an excellent technique to help you gain awareness of how your body feels. Try to focus on your body as you do this exercise, on how it feels as the air pours into your lungs. How does it feel as you are holding your breath? As you exhale?
As you get the rhythm down, pay attention to how your bod feels physically? How is your energy? Sluggish? Just ok? How do your muscles feel? Your joints? Is there any areas of pain that you did not notice that may need to be addressed? How do you feel emotionally? You may feel a rush of emotions that you have been putting off. Spiritually? You may find that your soul feels as heavy as your body does.
When the session is over with, take time to notice these things again. How does your body feel after this exercise?
How did DDB work for you?
FOOD
Breakfast: scrambled eggs on WW toast
Snack: cinnamon oatmeal and 2 HBE
Lunch: split pea soup and mini bell peppers
Dinner: a giant stuffed Portobello mushroom "pizza"
Snack: an apple, a string cheese and a HBE
EXERCISE
It is about 30* outside, and my garage is maybe 40* so I did not go for a run today on road or on treadmill. I needed the extra sleep so I stayed cozy in my bed. Hee hee. Guilty!
**Without setting aside adequate time to let your body relax through getting adequate sleep, intentionally stretching and performing breathing techniques, stress can grip your body and affect you mentally, emotionally, and physically. A few of the physical affects are (but are not limited to) chronic hypertension, hypertonicity of muscles which often leads to muscular imbalances and thereby chronic conditions and unexplained pain, chronic headaches, poor posture, scoliosis, lower back pain, as well as just about any reoccurring muscular pain. Sorry for the rant. I am a Massage Therapist after all.
Thank you SO MUCH for reading all!
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