Need stress relief? Counter mental tension with three "ezo" techniques that will get you back on your feet
Ubiquitous stress
Stress is a natural part of life. Our body can defend itself against it and can process it. But when it's too much or chronic, it can take a toll on your overall health, not to mention the acute discomfort that comes from stressful situations. The best fight against stress is a balanced lifestyle that includes plenty of rest and activities that are fun and enjoyable. But sometimes we don't have the space to switch off. In such situations, it is good to know techniques to help manage the acute onslaught of stress.
Among the most popular techniques are breathing exercises. It's no wonder, 5 minutes of boxed or cyclic breathing a day can work wonders, but sometimes you get fed up with the huffing and holding your breath. Or your lungs. And you're looking for a method to expand your stress management options. Here are three lesser-known and somewhat "esoteric" practices you can use to combat stress.
Ground yourself
Grounding is a widely used method for coping with stress, anxiety or panic attacks. Most often, it is a practice of using sensory sensations to bring yourself back to the present and ground yourself in it, so that the mind doesn't run off to potential black scenarios. For example, holding a piece of ice and feeling its coldness, feeling objects around you or focusing on the taste of a food or drink is recommended.
But you can also take grounding much more literally, which is the essence of a slightly comical exercise recommended by New York Reiki master Boshko Boskovic. Stand with both feet on the ground and begin to sway slightly. Breathe. Shift your attention to your left foot and then to your right foot, fully aware of the ground beneath your feet. Place your feet fully on the ground and wiggle and spread your toes.
Feel what it feels like. Do you feel contact with solid ground? Is it reaching towards you or are you reaching towards it? Imagine that you are releasing the roots that connect you to the earth. You are anchored, nothing can defeat you or pull you out.
2. Feel your skin
This exercise is based on the knowledge that the skin is our largest sensory organ and the boundary that holds us together. The skin separates us from our surroundings and defines our independence. When you connect with your skin and focus on it, it helps you realize that you are separate from your surroundings, safely contained and whole. You don't fall apart, everything is together.
Start touching the exposed parts of your body - ears, hands, neck, ankles... wherever you are comfortable. Focus your attention on the contact of your clothes with your skin. Gently squeeze your knees or thighs, touch your upper arms, and don't forget your face or the top of your head. Feel the physical touch and the enclosure of your body. In stressful situations, focus on the fact that your skin is the boundary between you and the rest of the world.
3. Shake it off
"Shake it off!" sings Taylor Swift, and she's right. Shaking (yourself) off is a simple, fun, yet effective exercise to relieve stress. Just shake it off. Shaking exercises safely utilize an innate mechanism that deactivates muscle tension, thereby calming the nervous system. It is a method that is also sometimes called Tension and Trauma Release Exercise (TRE) and is based on the recognition that stress, trauma and tension is not only a psychological condition but also a physical one.
You can do similar exercises on your own. It is pleasant with rhythmic music, but can also be done in silence. Start by shaking one arm, then the other, engaging the whole of the first arm and then the other arm. Continue with a circular motion with your shoulders and slowly move to gently shaking your neck and head. Swing the left and then the right hip, shaking the knees and legs. Shake the stress out of the left lower limb and then lift the right limb and shake the tension out of it as well. Repeat the exercise as needed.
Zdroj: GiphyYou may feel silly and childish, maybe a little embarrassed. Try reversing the feeling and telling yourself that it's fun to do a little jumping jacks. Of course, no one says you have to do the shaking exercises in front of your colleagues in the office. You can include them after you get home from a stressful day, for example, or when you get upset by an unpleasant news story or report on TV or the internet.
