"Rid Your Body of Stress and Tension: Quick and Easy Relaxation Techniques" by Tarun Patel

The constant pressures and worries of daily life can cause a build up of tension in your body. This tension can cause headaches, aches and pains, stomach upsets, anxiety and anger. By using some easy relaxation techniques you can relieve the tension in your body quickly and feel calmer in minutes. Find a place where you can be alone for a few minutes when you feel stressed and use these relaxation techniques.

Focused Attention

Find an object to look at and begin to focus your attention on the object. It may be something on your desk or outside the window. Sometimes it can help to carry a small object with you that you use only for relaxation. As you look at the object just notice the textures and patterns. Notice the outline of the object, smooth, jagged. If your mind begins to wander bring your attention back to the texture, color and shape of the object you are focusing on.

Then start to slow your breathing down. Roll your shoulders and stretch your arms to loosen up your chest muscles. Keep looking at the object. Slow your breathing and begin to use abdominal breathing as you do in relaxation sessions. You will be starting to feel more relaxed by now.

Now sit still, breathe slowly and deeply and maintain your focus on the object you have chosen. You may want to repeat an affirmation to yourself such as "I am calm. I can cope. I feel relaxed" Focused attention can be used this way anywhere. Practice doing it each day for 5 minutes and you will quickly be able to relax in stressful situations.

Muscle Relaxation

Relaxation of the muscles is used in most relaxation methods. Progressive muscle relaxation takes you through a sequence of tensing and then relaxing each muscle starting with the toes. But if you are in a stressful situation and need to relax quickly you cannot lie down and do progressive relaxation. Instead you can use a modified relaxation method that nobody will notice and you can do anywhere.

Choose one area to work on. It may be your right forearm or your left thigh. Then tense the muscles in this area for about 10-15 seconds. Then relax them for 10-15 seconds. While you are relaxing the area imagine that the muscles feel heavy and loose. Repeat this 3-4 times and then move to another area.

You can do this in meetings, in the supermarket, at school or anywhere. No one will notice and it is a fast relaxation technique to relieve stress and tension. If you practice relaxation regularly then you will learn many simple and easy relaxation techniques that you can use to relax in a stressful situation. Using focused attention and muscle relaxation forms the basis of a good stress relief program. By managing your stress and tension quickly you can prevent the build up of tension that comes at the end of the day and be in a better state of mind to deal with problems.