• Take a Hot Bubble Bath
• Pamper yourself with a Pedicure and a Facial
• Throw on your Comfiest Pyjamas and Grab a Good Book!
• Physical Activity
• Have some Delectable Desserts in the house and Indulge!
• Light an Aromatherapy Candle and Play some Soft Music
• Convince your Sweetheart to give you a Massage!
• Kick Back in Comfortable Clothes and Look through your Photo Albums
• Start Keeping a Diary or a Journal, just for yourself!
• Immediate Results for Urgent Needs: Deep Breathing, Stretching, Go Somewhere to Be Alone and Have a Good Cry or
• Confront the Source
• Do Something for you
• Enjoy a cup of Herbal Tea and a few Cookies or a Good
• Order-Out! Indulge in some Comfort Foods or a cup of Hot Cocoa
• Try something like Yoga or Meditation to Relieve the Days Stressors
• Break out of the Routine
• Spend Time with Loved Ones and Pets!

Instant Stress release

DEEP BREATHE:

The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible in your lungs. When you take deep breaths from the abdomen, rather than shallow breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The more oxygen you get, the less tense, short of breath, and anxious you feel. So the next time you feel stressed, take a minute to slow down and breathe deeply:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
• Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.
• Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
• Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.

If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor.  Put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.

MOVE:

Sometimes stress is so habitual that we have to literally shake it off. Stand up, extend your arms out and imagine that you’re a soggy wet dog and give yourself a good shake. If a good wiggle doesn’t work for you, go for a short walk and take in your surroundings.

SMILE (OR LAUGH):

Give yourself a happy break. Just like whistling a happy tune, smile to fake a happy mood. Smiling sends a message to your unconscious mind and automatically generates a positive mood and attitude. If you fake happiness long enough, you might just start to believe that it’s true.  If that isn’t working, pick up the paper for today’s comic strip or watch a 5-minute funny video on You Tube.

TIGHTEN AND RELEASE:

Lie flat on the floor. Starting with the feet: tighten and squeeze your feet as much as you can. Then move upward, tense and relax the ankles, calves, knees, thighs and entire body one by one. When you get to your head, lift the head off the ground and squeeze all the muscles of your face. Lie quietly for a minute afterward, noticing the change in your body and basking in the calm.

VISUALIZATION/MEDITATION:

Visualization, or guided imagery, is a variation on traditional meditation that can help relieve stress. When used as a relaxation technique, guided imagery involves imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all tension and anxiety. Choose whatever setting is most calming to you, whether a tropical beach, a favourite childhood spot, or a quiet wooded glen. You can do this visualization exercise on your own, with a therapist’s help, or using an audio recording. 

Close your eyes and let your worries drift away. Imagine your restful place. Picture it as vividly as you can—everything you can see, hear, smell, and feel. Guided imagery works best if you incorporate as many sensory details as possible. For example, if you are thinking about a dock on a quiet lake:

• See the sun setting over the water
• Hear the birds singing
• Smell the pine trees
• Feel the cool water on your bare feet
• Taste the fresh, clean air

SET BOUNDARIES

learn to say no so that you are not overwhelmed by your commitments.

SOCIAL SUPPORT

a network of friends and family will help you lessen stress by providing support when you are feeling low or stressed.

DISTRACT YOURSELF

sometimes the best way to deal with stress is to think about something else. TV, movies, music, video games and so on can all provide ways to break the cycle of worry.