By: Joann Bally CSCS
Here are some quick and easy techniques you can use when there’s too much going on and the stress gets to you.
Naps work well for some people, especially when they don’t get enough sleep. For other people, they don’t work at all. It’s important to keep your nap short—the so-called power nap. If you sleep more than 20 or 30 minutes, you risk going into deep sleep and not feeling refreshed when you wake from it. If you can sleep for 20 or 30 minutes but still wake up feeling sluggish, try drinking a cup of coffee before you lie down. When you wake up after 30 minutes, the caffeine will kick in and you’ll be ready to go. (I found this in Money magazine. It’s from sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus.)
If you’re starting to feel stressed and nervous, try rocking. It seems that we are programmed to relax when we rock, like you rock a baby to get him to settle down. If you’re not near a rocking chair and it seems strange to start rocking your whole body, just rock your head. Nod your head down and back (slowly) about 17 degrees a few times until you feel less stressed. We’re talking about less than a minute here. (This one is from Dr. Nick Hall.)
You’ve probably tried deep breathing to relax. If it works for you, you’re probably doing it already when stressed (unless you’ve forgotten about it). If you don’t like to do conventional deep breathing, here’s another version that will probably work. Instead of filling your lungs, concentrate on breathing slowly and easily from your abdomen. Your belly should go out when you inhale, which may be the opposite of what you ordinarily do. Put your hand on your abdomen just below your waist and practice breathing so you feel it go out with the inhale. When we get tense, there is a tendency to breathe shallowly high in the chest, or to hold your breath altogether. So try low breathing if deep breathing doesn’t work for you.
Now stretch and think of something cheerful. You have some new tricks for relaxing.
HEALTHandFITNESS.com 
