Stress Management Techniques-
There are many techniques for stress management.
As each personality is unique, a technique that is favorable to one may
not yield similar results on another person. Depending on your
preferences and liking, you can choose any of them or a combination of
them. The end result of all of them is the same - to relax you, both
your mind and the body.
Let's look at some of the popular techniques:-
Yoga
Yoga is one of the most effective techniques to manage stress.
Originating from India, in a broader sense, yoga involves slow
stretching exercises, performing certain postures or asanas, breathing
exercises or pranayama and meditation. However, majority of the people
associate yoga with only postures and stretching exercises. To keep
things simple, I'll cover the other aspects of yoga in subsequent
sections.
There are many set of postures, each targeting a particular system of
the body - the endocrine system, nervous system, digestive system,
reproductive system and the muscle group. While certain postures may
appear difficult to newcomers, while they certainly are, some of the
postures are relatively easy and can be performed by anybody. With
practice and time, one's flexibility improves considerably and many
postures that may have appeared difficult in the beginning could be
performed with ease.
Breathing Exercises or Pranayama
This aspect of yoga deals with consciously altering our breath pattern.
The way we breathe has a direct connection to our mind and our mood.
When we are joyous, we have a certain breathing pattern. When we are
fearful, we have a certain breathing pattern. And when we are stressed,
our breathing becomes shallow and rapid. By taking slow, deep breathes
at the instance of a stressful situation, we can instantly relieve
stress before it start creating undesirable effects in our body.
There are many types of breathing exercises, with Kapalbhati, Anuloma
Viloma (Alternating Nostril Breathing) and Brahmari (Humming Bee)
playing a significant role in alleviating stress. In fact, one of the
very popular Indian yoga guru, Swami Ramdev, whose package of seven
breathing exercises that has helped millions worldwide, hails Kapalbhati
as a panacea for most human ailments.
Tai Chi
Tai
Chi involves performing a series of postures in a slow, graceful manner
without pausing. One of the significant benefits of exercises involving
mind and body like Tai Chi is that they provide absolutely no room for
distraction and bring you back into the present moment, helping you to
relax instantly. Another benefit of yoga and tai chi is that they are
gentle on joints and body and hence can be easily performed by the aged
and weak persons.
Progressive Relaxation
This is one of the most powerful techniques to alleviate stress and
induce relaxation. The principle here is that is if you tense a muscle
and then release the tension, relaxation follows automatically. In this
method, you gradually tense each muscle group of the body, hold the
tension for a while and then let go, being aware of the relaxation that
follows.
A similar technique belonging to yoga called Yoga Nidra is also very popular. It does not involve tensing the muscles but involves gradual shifting of awareness through each and every part of the body in a reclined position.
Meditation
No
method of relaxation can be complete without a mention of meditation.
There is lot of confusion among many teachings as to what exactly
construes meditation. From chanting mantras, concentrating on a flame or
object, to sitting in an upright position without moving, one can find
all sorts of definitions for meditation. While all the above can lead
you to meditation, they are not meditation as a whole. The real meaning
of meditation however is to learn to live in the present moment. To let
go of any resistance that you may have towards the present moment and
accepting it completely. That being said, any thing you do can turn into
meditation if you do it lovingly and with full awareness.
Oil Massage
This is one of the highly recommended therapies for stress since it has
various other benefits as well. A massage removes accumulated toxins in
the body and cleanses the system. It nourishes the tissues and improves
circulation providing the body with a warm glow. An oil massage is also
relaxing and relieves tired muscles and therefore helps in obtaining a
good night sleep. The oil that is used in the massage also helps as a
lubricating agent for the joints.
With all these benefits and the relaxation that an oil massage provides,
it is undoubtedly one of the most coveted options for stress relief. In
fact, an oil massage is recommended as part of the daily routine in
Ayurveda
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