How to Handle Stress and Anxiety Naturally With Massage and Other Relaxation Techniques

Stress and anxiety can wind you up so tightly that you can find it hard to wind down. When you've been working hard, sometimes you forget that you need to unwind...both in order to function and in order to not go crazy with the stress. Here are some reminders of how to handle stress naturally using relaxation techniques.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hot bath
• Bath salts or bubble bath
• Massage therapist who knows Swedish Massage
• Book
• Movie
• Exercise equipment
• Walking/Running path
• Swimming pool
• Gym
• Loved ones

1. Relax frequently during periods of anxiety. The more frequently you relax and destress, the easier it will be. At work, take silent, discreet breaks by leaning back and breathing deeply and slowly using your abdomen a few times until you can feel your muscles relaxing.

2. Run a hot aromatherapy bath. Splash bubble bath or bath salts into the bathwater and step in as the water steams up around you. If you have access to a hot tub or jacuzzi, immerse yourself to the shoulders and sit back, letting the jets of water massage your body.

3. 
    
   Swedish massage creates friction that physically relaxes the muscles.

   Get a Swedish massage to reduce your overall anxiety. Call a massage therapist, ask your husband or wife for a massage, or ask a friend to massage your stress away using Swedish massage techniques. You can try to give yourself a Swedish massage, but it's not nearly as relaxing as a massage somebody else gives you. In Swedish massage, different strokes are used to relax your muscles: tapotement, the rhythmic, percussive stroke that brings blood quickly to your tissue; petrissage, the deep, slow kneading massaging of the muscles that relaxes you instantly, and effleurage, the light stroking that soothes the skin and muscles. For pure relaxation, nothing beats a Swedish massage done by an experienced massage therapist who knows how to "read" muscles and can let you lie back and enjoy.

4. Drink herbal tea, warm milk, hot chocolate, or another hot liquid that you find soothing to naturally destress.

5. Meditate. Meditation is not just for yoga practitioners anymore. Meditation really works to bring about relaxation. And it's easy to "mini-meditate" by taking a few minutes wherever you are to breathe deeply and slowly and imagine yourself in a beautiful place.

6. 
    
   Natural bodies of water help you get rid of stress.

   Go someplace beautiful. Stop what you're doing and look up at the sky. Anxiety and stress melt away and relaxation takes its place when you remind yourself how inseparable you are from nature.

7. Exercise. Clean house. Swim. Go the the gym. Run. Jog. Walk your dog. Climb. Go for a bike ride. I dare you not to relax and de-stress after your heart has been pumping for a while.

8. Do something fun you don't normally make time for. Part of handling stress and anxiety is changing your routine. Read a book. See a movie. Get away from your computer. It may not be easy to relax into it at first, but after a few minutes you'll settle in.

9. 
    
   Laughter is almost as therapeutic as a massage.

   Finally, the way to relax and get rid of stress naturally that we most often forget about: spend some quality--that's QUALITY--time with someone you're comfortable with. Your spouse. Your kids. Your best friend. Tell jokes, talk out your stresses, and laugh. Laugh a lot.

Tips & Warnings

• Although many people assume getting a professional Swedish massage by a massage therapist is a costly indulgence, just getting one massage a month costs about as much as going out to eat or to the movies with your family, and can relax you much more effectively. And if you have a medical reason for the massage and health insurance, the insurance may cover a limited number of massages annually.
• Because all of these techniques for relaxing are fairly obvious and easy, it's too easy NOT to do them! Don't let that happen. Handle your stress by making yourself relax. Relaxation is the one thing you SHOULD stress about.

[Sidhartha]

on 11/17/2008 all excellent ideas number five is my most favorite.