Most people these days are stressed. Many of us wear lots of different hats, with working, housework, after school activities and everything else we squeeze into the day! It is really important to keep our stress to a minimum as much as we possibly can. Don’t get me wrong, some stress is normal, and can actually be good for us. It can help to push us, motivate us and keep us alert and focussed to do our best.
When stress becomes chronic, or ongoing, it then becomes an issue. It can affect our gut health, increase our anxiety, affect our ability to connect with others, affect our relationships, affect our mindset and even affect our sleep. When our stress levels are high, we might notice symptoms such as headaches, snapping at our spouse or children, decreased motivation, decreased drive to achieve things, a decrease in our passion, lowered energy levels, mind unable to switch off, anxiety, tight belly, butterflies and skin issues flaring.
Stress drives many conditions. It doesn’t just mean being flat out busy, although this is one type of stress. Other types of stress on the body include excessive exercise, not getting enough sleep, working shift work hours, certain foods that we eat, environmental toxins, dehydration, even being too hot or too cold.
It is important to find ways to manage our stress levels. There are many different ways, but one I want to mention now is meditation. This can be anything that helps you to feel calm and relaxed. It could be going for a walk in nature, colouring in, having a bath, reading or it can be listening to a calming meditation, either through an app such as Insight Timer or Smiling Mind or such as the one I will show you now.
Find a comfortable place. Either sit or lie down comfortably. You can put on some relaxation music if you like. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, in through your nose, and out through your mouth. As you do this, allow your body to relax and sink into your seat or the floor even more.
Now I’d like you to become aware of your feet. If you are sitting, place them flat on the floor. All the while, nice, slow, deep breathing, in through your nose, out through your mouth.
Now focus on your toes. Tense them up, and then relax. Tense and relax, tense and then relax them.
Moving onto your ankles, make some small circles one way, and then back the other way, and then relax your ankles.
Now move your focus to your calf muscles, the muscles at the back of your legs below your knees. Squeeze them tight, then relax
them. Squeeze, and relax, squeeze and relax them.
Think about your knees, and visualise them relaxing, you can bend and straighten them, or just relax them.
Moving on up your leg to your thighs and hamstring muscles, so the big muscles at the front and the back of your upper leg. Tense
those muscles up, then relax them. Squeeze them, and relax, squeeze them tight and relax them.
Now your glute muscles. Shift your focus to them. Squeeze them tight, and release, squeeze and release, squeeze and relax them.
Any thoughts that come in to your head, release them and shift your focus back to relaxing your body.
Shift your focus now to your lower back and notice any built up tension there. Breathe in through your nose, and as you breathe out
through your mouth, let go of that tension, and feel those muscles relax. Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth, relaxing your back. Breathe in, and out, feeling your back nice and relaxed.
Now your tummy. Shift your focus to your tummy. As you breathe in through your nose focus on letting your belly relax, and breathe
out, noticing the rise and fall of your belly as you let go of any tension. Breathe in again, and out. In and out.
Moving now to your hands, squeeze your fingers into a fist, then relax them. Squeeze and relax, squeeze, then relax them, letting all
that tension out through the tips of your fingers.
Relax your wrists, gently making small circles with them one way, and then back the other way.
Then focus on relaxing your arms, letting them flop gently next to your body.
Now moving onto your shoulders, lift them up towards your ears as you take a deep breath in through your nose, then as you breathe out through your mouth, let them relax back down. Breathe in and shoulders up, and out and relax them down. Breathe in and squeeze them up, breathe out and relax them down.
Now I would like you to focus on your breathing. Nice, slow, relaxing breaths in through your nose, then out through your mouth, releasing and relaxing any tension in your neck, relaxing your jaw, relaxing your cheeks, relaxing your eyebrows, relaxing your forehead and releasing and relaxing your head.
Take some nice, relaxing breaths in through your nose, and out through your mouth, feeling your diaphragm expand and contract with each breath. Noticing how calm and relaxed your body is feeling and enjoying it. (Pause for a minute or so).
Ok, now I’d like you to start bringing your attention back to the room. Slowly, notice the sounds you can hear around you, and then
when you feel ready, slowly open your eyes.
How are you feeling? Hopefully nice and relaxed!
This is a gentle relaxation technique that you can use anytime you have a moment to sit quietly and relax. Feel free to come back to it
whenever you like.
I hope you enjoy it.