Progressive muscle relaxation for stress relief

Progressive muscle relaxation is another effective and widely used strategy for relieving stress. It involves a two-step process in which you systematically tense and relax different muscle groups in the body.

With regular practice, progressive muscle relaxation gives you an intimate familiarity with what tension—as well as complete relaxation—feels like in different parts of the body. This awareness helps you spot and counteract the first signs of the muscular tension that accompanies stress. And as your body relaxes, so will your mind. You can combine deep breathing with progressive muscle relaxation for an additional level of relief from stress.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Sequence

Most progressive muscle relaxation practitioners start at the feet and work their way up to the face. For a sequence of muscle groups to follow, see the box to the right:

* Loosen your clothing, take off your shoes, and get comfortable.
* Take a few minutes to relax, breathing in and out in slow, deep breaths.
* When you’re relaxed and ready to start, shift your attention to your right foot. Take a moment to focus on the way it feels.
* Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot, squeezing as tightly as you can. Hold for a count of 10.
* Relax your right foot. Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose.
* Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.
* When you’re ready, shift your attention to your left foot. Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release.
* Move slowly up through your body — legs, abdomen, back, neck, face — contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go.

Meditation for stress relief

Meditation has a long history in religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. And while it is still widely used as a spiritual practice, it is also a powerful stress reliever. Meditation focuses the mind’s energy on a word, a sound, a symbol, a comforting image, or your own breathing. The goal is to produce a deep state of relaxation and tranquility while simultaneously enhancing mental focus. There are many types of meditation—both secular and sacred—so regardless of religious affiliation or beliefs, you can harness its stress-busting benefits.
Mindfulness meditation

Meditation that cultivates mindfulness is particularly effective at reducing stress, as well as anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. Mindfulness is the quality of being fully engaged in the present moment, without analyzing or otherwise “over-thinking” the experience. Rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, mindfulness meditation switches the focus to what’s happening right now.

The goal of mindfulness meditation is to develop a nonjudgmental, moment-to-moment awareness of what you’re experiencing: random thoughts, your passing emotions, the sensations of your body, sensory input from your surroundings. However, mindfulness meditation is not equal to zoning out. It involves a challenging balancing act between boredom and distraction. It takes effort to maintain your concentration and to bring it back to the present moment when your mind wanders or you start to drift off. But the very act of redirecting your attention is where the learning and growth occur.

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