Taking a breath can reduce stress levels.

Most Americans lead hectic lives that leave little time for relaxation. Taking a moment to relax, however, is important. Make time in your busy schedule to take a breather-literally. It has been proven that a few minutes of deep breathing help people manage stress better. Deep breathing can also lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

Whether you are sitting at your desk, riding in an elevator or waiting in traffic, following these steps can help you cope with daily stress:

1. Put your hand on your belly.
2. Take a series of deep, slow breaths. Breathe deeply so that your belly rises and falls about an inch.

Be sure that you are breathing from your diaphragm. The diaphragm is the muscle that separates your chest cavity from your abdominal cavity. Your belly, not your chest, should rise and fall as you do this breathing exercise.

3. Count slowly from one to four as you breath in.
4. As you breath out, count backward from four to one.

All it takes is a few minutes to complete this exercise. The goal is to breathe freely without holding your breath and to focus your energy on relaxing with deep abdominal breathing.

Unlike deep breathing, stress induced shallow breathing limits the amount of oxygen your body can take in. This kind of breathing also causes the blood to move faster through your body and can raise your heart rate and your blood pressure.

Taken from a book titled, "Fitness a lifetime commitment",
by Burgess Publishing Company 1982.

Techniques For Relaxation

Relaxation is a conscious release of muscular tension. It is a skill that is based on an awareness of the presence of tension, and it is one that is not easily performed by many individuals. These individuals must learn to relax in much the same way that they would learn any other motor skill.

Various relaxation techniques have been reported to be successful in the release of tension. Benson proposed the following technique:

1. Sit quietly in a comfortable position and close the eyes.
2. Beginning at the feet and progressing to the head, relax all the muscles.
3. Breathe through the nose. Each time you breathe out, silently say the word one. Breathe easily and naturally.
4. Continue for 10 to 20 minutes. You may occasionally check the time, but do not use an alarm. When you finish, sit quietly for several minutes.
5. Maintain a positive attitude and permit relaxation to occur at its own pace. When distraction thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling upon them, and continue to repeat the word one.

Arnheim et al. reported a more involved relaxation technique.

1. Assume a supine position on a firm mat with each body curve (i.e., the neck, elbows, lower back, and knees) comfortably supported by a pillow or a towel. The arms should be spread so that they do not contact the clothing or the body. Take five deep breaths; inhale and exhale slowly.

2. Curl the toes down and point the feet downward. Do not bite down hard with the teeth or hold the breath. Relax. Try to relax all other parts as you tense one area of the body.

3. Curl the toes and the feet back toward the head. Breathe easily and relax.

4. Press down against the floor with the heels and attempt to curl the legs backward. Relax.

5. Straighten the legs to full extension. Let go and breathe easily.

6. Draw the thighs up to a bent position and raise the heels about 3 inches off the floor. Tension should be felt in the buttocks and also in the lower back. Relax.

7. Forcibly rotate the thighs outward. Feel the tension in the outer hip region. Relax.

8. Rotate the thighs inward. Feel the tension deep in the inner thighs. Relax slowly and let the thighs again rotate outward.

9. Squeeze the buttocks together tightly and tilt the hips backward. Tension should be felt in the buttocks and also in the lower back. Relax.

10. Tighten the abdominal muscles and flatten the lower back. Tension should be felt in both areas. Relax.

11. Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply three times. Return to normal quiet breathing.

12. Press the head back and lift the upper back off the floor. The tension should be felt in the back of the neck and upper back. Relax.

13. Squeeze the shoulder blades together. Tension should be felt in the back of the shoulders. Relax.

14. Leaving the arms in their resting position, lift and roll the shoulders inward so that tension is felt in the front of the chest. Relax.

15. Spread and clinch the fingers of both hands three times. Relax.

16. Make tight fists with both hands and slowly curl the wrists back, forward, and to both sides. Allow the fingers and thumbs to open gradually and relax.

17. Make tight fists with both hands and slowly flex the forearm against the upper arm. At the same time, lift the arm at the shoulder. Slowly uncurl the arms and return them to their original resting position. Relax.

18. Make tight fists with both hands, stiffen the arms, and press hard against the floor. Hold the pressure for 30 seconds. Slowly relax.

19. Shrug the right shoulder. Bend the head sideward and touch the ear to the elevated shoulder. Slowly relax.

20. Repeat step 19 with the left shoulder.

21. Bend the head forward and touch the chin to the chest. Slowly relax.

22. Lift the eyebrows upward and wrinkle the forehead. Let the face go blank.

23. Close the eyelids tightly and wrinkle the nose. Relax the face slowly.

24. Open the mouth widely as if to yawn. Slowly relax.

25. Bite down hard and then show the teeth in a forced smile. Slowly relax.

26. Pucker the lips in a whistle position. Slowly relax.

27. Push the tongue hard against the roof of the mouth. Relax. Perform this three times.

28. Move slowly and take any position desired. Relax and rest.

With practice, either of the above techniques can be successful in the promotion of relaxation. Individuals who have difficulty in the attainment of a relaxed state should use a technique that is successful for them.

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