Quick Relaxation Techniques

Anger, tension, anxiety, and other negative emotions have the same negative effects on your health. The physiological effects include high blood pressure, increased heart rate, muscle tension, headaches, sleeplessness, and intestinal upset. Negative emotions can result may trigger the development of depression.

Here are some relaxation techniques in twenty minutes or less. With little practice, you will surely learn to overcome negative emotions.

Countdown

Close your eyes. Count backward from ten or twenty. Say each number as you exhale. Call your imagination into play. Imagine yourself going down a stairway or past the floors of a building as an elevator descends. You can even count down your age and imagine yourself traveling briefly back in time. When you have reached zero, inhale and count to three. Now you’re ready to resume your routine and work.

Imagery

This will remind you of the popular quote, “Take time to smell the flowers.” Stop what you’re doing and close your eyes. Imagine a beautiful scene. Perhaps a place you have visited recently or scenery you saw during your last vacation. Spend some five minutes examining and enjoying every detail of the picture. If you are by the lake, listen to the sound of the water. Listen to the chirping of the birds. Count the trees and the flowers. See, hear, and smell things.

Turtle

This will relax the muscles of your neck and back. Sit up straight and let your chin fall to your chest as you exhale. Move your head back slowly as though trying to reach the back of your neck with your head. Then pull your shoulders up as though trying to reach your ears. Then release. You can do this relaxation technique anytime and anywhere.

Scanning

Stay at your desk during your coffee break. Inhale and exhale deeply. Slowly “scan” your body. Think about each part of your body – your face and neck, shoulders, arms, your tummy, legs, and feet. Seek out tense muscles. Inhale and exhale. Then inhale deeply and as you exhale, relax all the muscles that are tense. It may help, as you scan your body, to recite silently some phrase or prayer that has calming effect. My favorite is Psalm 23:1-6.

A simple piece of advice “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), American essayist, lecturer, and poet