Life is stressful and sometimes stress It may overwhelm you, but there are steps you can take to learn to relax.

Normal everyday activities, such as shopping or traffic jams, can make you tense. You may find it difficult to disconnect from digital devices and streaming services in a 24/7 world. Work deadlines, managing kids, or managing a difficult relationship can get you down.

Many things, such as finances, a chronic illness, caring for someone, or a difficult relationship, can be a source of stress.

“Stress is really how your body and brain respond to challenges, such as pressure at work, [handling] the pandemic, increased family responsibility, and other negative experiences that can impact and create stress,” says David Shurtleff, PhD, deputy director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at the National Institutes of Health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted concerns around stress.

“We are seeing much more anxiety and depression over the last year given the COVID situation,” Shurtleff says.

When you feel overwhelmed or can't handle a situation, your body may respond in a bad way. The so-called “fight or flight” response is activated to prepare you to run, and that creates stress.

“Experiencing short periods of stress is okay; in fact, it's even healthy,” says Jonathan C. Smith, PhD, professor of psychology at Roosevelt University, founding director of the university's Mindful Initiative, and prolific author of books on relaxation. practices.

“Living a stress-free life is unhealthy and dangerous. We need a little challenge to stay alive,” says Smith.

But too much stress is not good for you. Some situations, like the isolation you have faced during the pandemic, for example, can cause ongoing stress which, in turn, can lead to health problems.

It's normal to feel overwhelmed by something like a global pandemic, but it's also important to find ways to relax, Shurtleff says. He practices yoga about three times a week and uses a treadmill daily to help keep worries under control.

“Over time, stress can really take a toll on our bodies and brains and lead to really devastating chronic conditions like anxiety and depression,” he says.

However, a range of relaxation practices can help you relax and de-stress.

“There's no one-size-fits-all shoe,” Smith says. He points out “five or six” approaches based on scientific observations and experiences that really work to reduce stress. There are also other therapies that may be helpful to you. You can do one at a time or you can practice a few together.

This is one of the simplest practices to reduce stress because you simply focus on your breathing.

Sit or lie down in a quiet place, breathe deeply through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth or nose if you feel better.

Texas psychiatrist Gregory Scott Brown, MD, suggests the 4-7-8 approach. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and then exhale for 8 seconds.

Deep breathing can help you calm down and relax, she says.

“When I talk to patients, I usually start with breath work because, again, we all breathe every day, but many of us don't realize that breath work, you know, done in a specific way, is medicine. ” says Brown, founder and director of the Center for Green Psychiatry in Austin, Texas.

Mindfulness is an ancient way of meditation which promotes awareness of what is happening in the moment.

It encourages you to focus on your body, your thoughts and what is happening around you.

Mantra meditation, on the other hand, is the opposite of mindfulness. In this practice, you put all your attention on a single goal, such as a mantra, a candle flame, or a phrase.

In both types of meditations, every time your mind wanders (and it will, Smith says), you simply refocus.

It's a brain skill, he says. In that in the first 2 weeks you will not be able to do very well. Your mind will constantly chatter and wander, and that's normal, it happens.

But as you practice, you will improve.

In this technique, you focus on slowly tensing and relaxing muscle groups. You can practice it along with breathing exercises and guided imagery.

Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths. Expand your stomach as you inhale and contract it as you exhale.

Imagine lying on a sandy beach with a gentle breeze gently stirring the warm air. Use your senses to smell the salt water and feel the sun as you transport yourself there. That's imagination or guided visualization.

Use the power of your mind to shift your focus to a peaceful moment or event.

“If we're in a stressful situation, simply changing our mind and focusing on a moment when we were really relaxed” is an effective way to calm ourselves, says Brown.

In this practice you focus on feeling warmth and heaviness in different parts of your body. Then silently repeat pleasant words or affirmations for each body part, as if my arms feel heavy and warm. This technique can create feelings of emotional and physical calm.

Autogenic therapy also combines guided imagery and breathing exercises to reduces stress and you heart rate.

These low-intensity exercises are similar and have been around for thousands of years. Both include physical movements and so-called “meditative” movements to relieve stress and reduce blood pressure.

In yoga, you perform different stretching and strengthening postures. You remain still and focus on your breathing while performing each posture.

Tai Chi It involves slow, graceful movements, like a dance. You will breathe deeply and focus on your body as you move your weight from one posture to the next.

Depending on your physical abilities, you can perform both exercises sitting in a chair, although you normally do tai chi standing up.

Before you start practicing yoga, it's a good idea to find a licensed professional who can help you learn the basic poses and what form of yoga might work best for you.

Many people rely on exercise to help reduce stress in their daily lives.

Whether walking, run, biking, walking or playing tennis, movement of any kind can increase endorphins, the feel-good brain chemicals. When your body creates more endorphins, you may find it easier to forget your worries and find a lasting feeling of well-being.

Trisha Harp, an Atlanta-based life coach, says she often recommends exercise to the people she coaches.

Harp and her husband work together all day, she says. Several times a week they get up in the middle of the day when they feel depressed and walk and talk.

do exercise with another person can get you out of your physical space and give you another person to chat with, which also reduces stress, she says.

Many de-stressing therapies have common objectives. Its goal is to help you pay attention to your body and focus on aspects of your breathing or other exercises that can lower your blood pressure and increase your sense of well-being. You can try:

• Biofeedbackthat measures bodily functions and helps you learn to control them.
• Self-hypnosis, in which a practitioner teaches you to relax when you hear a phrase or receive an unspoken cue.
• Massage Therapywhich may include Swedish, sports, shiatsu or other types of massages.
• music therapywhen a therapist uses music to achieve health goals.
• Art therapy, which uses art to improve your physical, emotional and mental well-being.
• aromatherapyor using essential oils as a type of treatment.
• Hydrotherapy, which may include soaks, compresses, or even steam baths.

While relaxation practices are mostly safe for healthy people, there have been reports of negative impacts, such as increased stress, bad thoughts, or fear of losing control. Talk to your doctor about which practice might be best for you, depending on the relaxation technique you want to try and your health.