By: Dr. Arti Patel, PT, DPT, CSCS
Feeling stressed? Constantly feeling busy with work or family duties with no “me time” or able to unwind? Below you will find activities that you can do daily in as little as 5 minutes to feel more relaxed.
Everyday demands, small changes in daily routine, and deadlines can lead to physical, mental, or emotional stress. In this post, we will discuss relaxation techniques that anyone can use to feel more energized and power through the day as well as provide resources to help you relax. Metikaridis et al. performed a study on stress management techniques on patients with neck pain. They found that performing methods such as diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation was shown to decrease stress and anxiety.
Taking 5-10 minutes of your day to perform a relaxation activity that best helps you can help you stay focused, reduce stress, and power through the day.
So what are some things that you can do? Listed below you will find activities as well resources for each activity.
-Walk outside/sun exposure
Getting daily sunshine can help improve mental and physical health. Try taking a 5-10 minute walk at lunch and see how the rest of the work afternoon goes!
-Listen to music
·Apps like Spotify offer soothing sounds playlist as well as daily wellness playlist that offers music and wellness to guide you through your day
-Breathing exercises
-Take a bath
-Read
Reading before bed has been shown to improve sleep
-Laugh
-Hug a loved one/pet or talk to family/friend
-Stretch/working out
There are many different types of workouts you can perform such as yoga, pilates, and resistance training
Nike Training or if your gym has an app can guide you through workouts you can perform at home with little to no equipment
-Meditation
The Chopra center offers guided meditation as well as 21 day meditation series
There are many actions that can be taken as listed above to promote relaxation and rest with a busy lifestyle or daily demands. Try different methods and if one does not work, try performing another activity to help you feel relaxed. As always, know your limits and ask for help when needed. Be sure to give yourself time at least once a week to relax.
References:
Metikaridis, Damianos T. et al. ‘Effect of a Stress Management Program on Subjects with Neck Pain: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial’. 1 Jan. 2017 : 23 – 33.
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