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Health & Fitness

Reduce Stress in 10 Minutes

Progressive relaxation is an easy way to relax during the day. You can practice this technique anywhere at anytime!

After a long, cold winter it’s time to spring into action. Sunshine and warmer weather propels us to want to spend more time outdoors, whether it be cleaning our yards, taking walks, or tending to a garden. As we add more to our schedules and become more active, we may also become more stressed, worried about how to fit in what feels like the impossible.

Today we’re going to discuss a no-fail technique called progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). PMR is an effective relaxation method that can be done anywhere; at your desk, in your car, even sitting at the ball field. Take this quick test to see if PMR would be beneficial for you: close your eyes and take a deep breath and then exhale slowly. Keep your eyes closed until the exhale is over. Open your eyes and note how your shoulders feel. Are they scrunched up by your ears? If they are, you tend to carry stress. Consciously allow your shoulders to drop.

Now, try this sample of progressive muscle relaxation: ball your hand into a fist as tight as you can. Count to 10. Open your fist and let your hand relax in your lap. Compare it to the other hand. Feel the difference? It should feel lighter and more relaxed. That’s because your muscles said, “Wow, that’s tight,” and then “Ahhh, a release!” Are your shoulders still up? If they are, drop them! If done regularly, PMR can help to alleviate:

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  • Jaw clenching
  • Shoulder scrunching
  • Tight back issues
  • Jittery/bouncy legs and hands

To practice PMR on your own, make yourself comfortable by sitting or lying down. Now, starting at your tootsies, follow the below:

Toes – Point your toes as if you were a ballerina. Count to ten. Relax.

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Calves and feet: Flex your toes toward your face and press your heels to the ground. Count to ten. Relax. Do a couple of ankle circles if you feel the need.

Belly – Suck it in like you’re going to your high school reunion. Count to ten. Relax.

Butt – Squeeze your butt cheeks like it’s nobody’s business. Count to ten. Relax.

Biceps and triceps – Curl your are like you’re at the gym with a weight in your hand and squeeze your biceps. Count to ten. Relax.

Shoulders – Shrug them to your ears, where they probably are all day long. Count to ten. Relax.

Shoulders and upper back – Push the shoulders back and arch your upper back. Count to ten. Relax.

Hands – Flex them up. Count to ten. Relax. Ball them into fists Count to ten. Relax.

Neck – Look down at your toes. Do this gently, remember it’s your neck! Count to ten. Relax. Look from one side to the other; try to touch your chin to your  houlder. Do each side individually, counting to ten and relaxing for each side.

Jaw – press your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Count to five and release. Do it again. During the day, you can press your tongue to the roof of your mouth; you can’t clench your jaw as long as your tongue is pressing against the roof of your mouth.

Mouth –Open up like you’re at the dentist’s office. Count to ten. Relax. Squish your face up. Count to ten. Relax. Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Count to ten. Relax.

Eyes – Open eyes wide. Count to ten. Relax. Close eyes tightly. Count to
ten. Relax.

PMR takes a mere ten minutes, but it will be the most effective ten minutes of your day. The next time you find yourself feeling the stress of your daily routine, take a moment to practice progressive muscle relaxation.

If you’re unable to do a full round of relaxation, it’s easy enough to tighten and relax your hands and feet, move your head from side to side and press your tongue to the roof of your mouth to prevent jaw clenching. When it comes to relieving stress, a little practice can go a long way!

Until next week,

Namaste, Ginger

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