Relaxation techniques such as autogenic training, breathing therapy, or yoga can relieve tension and bring body and soul into balance. Helpful procedures and exercises
Stress is a natural reaction of our body and was especially vital in the times of our ancestors. If we get into dangerous situations, our body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline, dopamine, and cortisol.
These substances release energy reserves and slow down our immune system to prepare us for an escape or a fight. But today, we no longer have to hunt with spears or flee from a saber-toothed tiger. Instead, we bother with superiors, frantically push our way through crowded streets and try to get family and jobs under one roof.
In contrast to the past, however, there is usually no physical exercise, ensuring that the stress hormones released are quickly broken down again.
Possible consequence:
- The heart beats up to the neck.
- The blood pressure rises.
- Digestion and metabolism get mixed up.
- The head buzzes, tension, and sleep disorders become the norm.
This, in turn, puts a strain on the body and psyche – and can make you sick in the long term.
Relieve Stress Regularly
Relaxing correctly is essential for our well-being and health. Even if it is only a few minutes a day, a little break can relieve current states of tension and even reduce chronic stress.
The brief relaxation in between does not remove the cause of anger, deadline pressure, and grief. But it helps to get some distance. With the detour of a relaxed posture, the symptoms sometimes even calm down by themselves.
Here you can find out more about coping with stress, relaxation techniques such as yoga or progressive muscle relaxation, massage, and body benefits such as sauna, wellness, and much more. Find out which method is correct for you. But please do not stress – just read on and relax.
Respiratory Therapy
With breathing therapy, you learn to improve your awareness of the breathing process and your body’s signals. Other sensory experiences are gradually faded out so that the body relaxes. During the exercises, the pulse rate slows down, and the blood pressure drops, the tension of the skeletal muscles, and the skin conductivity decrease. Breathing therapy can be helpful for stress, for example – but it can also support treatment for asthma, chronic bronchitis, and depression.
Endurance Training
Jogging, cycling, swimming, and many other endurance sports are ideal as valves to reduce energy accumulated by stress. Endurance training for relaxation particularly benefits those who are mainly mentally challenged at work, such as office workers. Anyone who sits all day long and suffers from inner restlessness, the urge to move around, or exhaustion can quickly relieve tension and stress hormones through endurance sports. If you are new to the sport and older than 35 years or suffer from chronic illnesses, it is better to ask your doctor whether there is something against the training. You will find many tips for more exercise in the overview: Sport.
Autogenic Training
Autogenic training was initially being called “concentrative self-relaxation” and is a light form of self-hypnosis. You put yourself into a hypnotic state of consciousness through various techniques, lifted again through a withdrawal exercise. During the resting state, you convey particular messages to your consciousness, which in the optimal case lead to long-lasting relaxation and improved concentration. Your body, which is constantly focused on activity, is switched to peace. The video shows you how to do this: Autogenic training – this is how it works.
Reflexology
The medical effects of this method have not yet been proven. The principle of foot reflexology assumes that every area on the sole or back of the foot is connected to a specific organ. As the practitioners work on the individual zones in a targeted manner, beneficial effects are to impact the connected organs. According to some research, foot reflexology can help reduce stress and fatigue.
Enjoy
Shifting down a gear is extremely important for mental well-being and physical health. This also includes taking a break from time to time and consciously enjoying what you would otherwise not allow yourself to do. Whether it’s relaxing baths, saunas, or walks – rewarding yourself creates intense moments of switching off and relaxation.
Meditation
Meditation is also an effective means of mobilizing internal reserves of strength against stress and learning mindfulness in daily life. By meditating, you practice relaxing effectively – not only during meditation but also during the everyday stressful situations of everyday life.
Pilates
Like yoga, Pilates is a systematic full-body workout that primarily strengthens the pelvic floor and abdominal and back muscles. Pilates teaches you better movement control and coordination and reduces your risk of injury. The conscious letting go should also help to find and relieve tension. You can find more information and exercises in the Pilates video.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation was developed by the American physician Edmund Jacobson and is a very effective method to promote physical and mental well-being. By alternating between tensing and relaxing specific muscle groups, you learn to reduce stress, recharge your batteries and relieve tension. The advantage: The techniques can be used almost anywhere, work against sleep disorders, and support many physical complaints such as high blood pressure or headaches.
Qigong
Qigong is a 3000-year-old Chinese form of exercise and means “exercise energy.” Flowing movements and calm breathing help you to feel more vital and balanced even after short, regular exercises. At the same time, Qigong is surrounded by great dignity and serenity. The therapy is suitable for all ages and can usually be learned without exceptional athletic talent or mobility.
Sauna
Those who regularly let off steam in the sauna not only train their immune system and cleanse their skin down to the pores. The warm and cozy ambiance also ensures physical and mental relaxation. How often you visit the heating room and what you should pay attention to can be found here: Sauna – sweating for health.
Tai Chi
Tai-Chi is one of the so-called internal martial arts from China and consists of many different styles and exercises. In the Far Eastern sport, every part of the body is constantly in motion, gently building up tension and re-releasing it. This should strengthen the life energy and sharpen the perception. Would you like to learn more about the technology?
The Five Tibetans
The five Tibetans – this is how five yoga-related exercises are called. They are not complicated and only take about 20 minutes. The movements should strengthen tendons, muscles, and bones and activate energy centers and promote the release of “happiness hormones.” This, in turn, can reduce stress.
Wellness Programs
The English term wellness means “well-being.” It encompasses a whole range of different health programs in the broadest sense. Many of the applications such as Ayurveda, baths, or Feng Shui are not only used for beauty or healing – they are also ideal for relaxation.
yoga
Many think of yoga as acrobatic contortionist or painful gymnastics. The Indian teaching pursues the goal of achieving inner and outer balance – that is, to reduce stress, relax and recharge your batteries.