Lesson 1.Reducing stress in everyday life

Different ways to relax

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Lesson 1.Reducing stress in everyday life

Different ways to relax

Different ways to relax

There are different ways you can relax. Try and see which one(s) suit you best.

Before you try an exercise ask yourself: “How tense am I feeling”? After the exercise, ask yourself again. This might help you understand whether this type of relaxation helps you feel less tense.

In this lesson you will find seven relaxation exercises. The first three exercises will take only a few minutes (i.e. 5 minutes Abdullah.). The other exercises will take a little longer (i.e. 10-15 minutes Abdullah.).

Use the scale below of 1-10 and tick what number describes how tense you are feeling now, 1 is very small amount of tension and 10 is very high amount of tension.

1. Relaxation activity - Basic breathing

Focusing on your breathing is relaxing. By doing a breathing exercise you could reduce tension.
exercise will take: less than 5 minutes.
Caution: if you experience difficulty breathing, this
exercise might not be the best option for you.

This is how you do it:

When sitting down, sit up straight in your chair with your back against the back of your chair.
When standing, stand up straight.
Put both of your feet flat on the surface.
Focus on your breathing.
Keep breathing like you are used to.
Try to feel how you breathe. Put your hand on your stomach to feel how you inhale and exhale.
Exhale from your mouth and pull in your stomach as much as possible.
Follow your breathing in this manner a couple of breaths and then stop the exercise.

2. Relaxation activity - Mindful breathing

This exercise will help you feel calm and reduces stress.
You will breathe with your stomach according to a rhythm.

This exercise will take: 5 minutes.

This is how you do it:

Sit straight in a chair and make sure your face and shoulders are relaxed.
Bring your hands to your stomach and breathe into it
Breathe in for 4 counts and out for 8 counts, at a comfortable pace.
Your stomach should expand with each inhale and contract with each exhale.
Return to your normal breathing and spend one minute just observing yourself breathing and noticing how you feel.
Practice listening to your own thoughts without negative judgement.
If your mind wanders, refocus on breathing and meditation.

3. Relaxation activity - Neck movements

With this exercise you will feel less tension in your neck.
It will also increase the blood flow to your brain.
This exercise will take: 5 minutes.

This is how you do it:

Make sure to move slowly and with attention.
Make sure to move slowly and with attention.
Inhale while you lift your head up and back. Exhale while you drop your chin to your chest.
Rotate your chin from side to side.
Inhale when your chin is in the centre. Exhale when you look to the side.
Drop your ear towards your shoulder.
Inhale when you are in the centre. Exhale when you drop your ear to your shoulder.
Repeat 5 times.

4. Relaxation activity - Number counting

You can relax by focusing on your breathing and counting back from 20 to 1.
This exercise will take: 5 minutes.

This is how you do it:

Sit or lie down comfortably in a quiet place.
Breath slowly.
With each breath, take at least 3 seconds to breathe in and 6 seconds to breath out.
Focus on your breathing and your lower stomach when you breathe until you feel calm and peaceful
inside your heart and mind.
Say the word ‘relax’ whenever you breathe out.
Tell yourself that you will start counting down from 20 to 1.
Tell yourself that you will double your level of relaxation for each and every count and will be
totally relaxed when you reach 1.
Start counting down from 20 to 1 slowly. Say the word ‘relax’ whenever you count (that is, take a
deep breath, say ‘20’, breathe out slowly and say ‘relax’, take a
deep breath, count ‘19’, breathe out slowly and say ‘relax’, and so on).
Now repeat this exercise but with your eyes closed.

5. Relaxation activity - Imagery

You can relax by imagining you are in a place or surrounded by people and things you like.
This exercise will take: 5 minutes.

Before completing this exercise, take a look at the helpful guidelines below.

Only imagine places, people and things you like.
Imagine what you can hear, feel, smell, and/or taste if you were in that place.
Try to think of very specific details of the place, thing or person. For example, how does the surface of the thing feel and how does it smell?

Now try to relax while imagining that you are in a place or with the people or things that you like.

This is how you do it:

Sit or lie down comfortably in a quiet place.

Breathe slowly.

With every breath, take at least three seconds to breathe in and at least six seconds to breathe out.

Focus on your breathing and your lower stomach when you breathe until you feel peaceful inside.

Imagine you are in a place or surrounded by things or people you like.

Now do this exercise again but close your eyes.

6. Relaxation activity - Muscle relaxation

This exercise is particularly helpful when your muscles feel tense. It will help you relax by tensing and relaxing your muscles.
This exercise will take: 10-15 minutes
Caution: if you have any injuries or any other physical limitations, this may not be the best exercise for you. Try one of the other exercises
Below are some general instructions for you to keep in mind. z When you are ready to begin, tighten the muscle group described. Make sure that you can feel the tension, but no pain. Keep the muscle tensed for approximately 5 seconds. z Relax the muscles and keep it relaxed for approximately 10 seconds. It may be helpful to say ‘relax’ as you relax the muscle. z When you have finished the muscle relaxation, remain seated for a few moments allowing yourself to become alert.

This is how you do it:

Right hand and forearm: make a fist with your right hand. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds. Don’t forget to breathe. It might be helpful to inhale while tensing your muscles and exhale while relaxing your muscles. Do the same for your left hand and forearm.
Right upper arm: bring your right forearm up to your shoulder to ‘make a muscle’. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds. Do the same for your left upper arm.
Forehead: raise your eyebrows as high as they will go, as though you were surprised by something. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds.
Eyes and cheeks: squeeze your eyes closed. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds.
Mouth and jaw: open your mouth as wide as you can, as if you are yawning. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds.
Neck: be careful as you tense these muscles. Face forward and then pull your head back slowly, as though you are looking up to the ceiling. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds.
Shoulders: tense the muscles in your shoulders as you bring them up towards your ears. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds
Shoulder blades/Back: push your shoulder blades back, trying to almost touch them together, so that your chest is pushed forward. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds.
Chest and stomach: breathe in deeply, filling up your lungs and chest with air. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds.
Hips and buttocks: squeeze the muscles in your buttocks. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds.
Right upper leg: tighten your right thigh. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds. Repeat for your left upper leg.
Right lower leg: do this slowly and carefully to avoid cramps. Pull your toes towards you to stretch the calf muscle. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds. Repeat for your left lower leg.
Right foot: curl your toes downwards. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax for 10 seconds. Repeat for your left foot.

7. Relaxation activity - Total stretching

Stretching your muscles can help to decrease tension. Stretching exercises are very convenient since you can do
This exercise will take: 10 minutes

This is how you do it:

Stand up or do this exercise in your chair.
Take a deep breath, all the way down to the bottom of your stomach, and slowly let it out.
As you exhale, feel the tension drain from your body.
Take one more breath and hold it for a moment… and let it out slowly.
With each breath you are becoming more and more relaxed.
Now, gently reach your arms out to the sides as though you were trying to touch the walls.
Relax your shoulders and stretch yourself a little.
Gently reach your arms out in front of you.
Feel the muscles in your back and shoulders loosen up.
Stretch out in front a little further.
And now reach up as high as you can.
Push up your arms towards the sky, as if you were trying to reach the sun.
Again, reach your arms out to the sides as though you were trying to touch the walls, as though you were trying to push them outwards.
Reach out in front of you.
Feel your muscles in your back and shoulders become looser and less tense.
Reach towards the sky one more time.
Reach as high as you can.
Try to touch the sun.
Lower your arms to your sides.

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Lesson 1.Reducing stress in everyday life

Different ways to relax

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