Did you know: 85-90% of working people in the world are stressed right now! Are you one of them? When stress builds up, it is present in our bodies. This is why when you’re stressed, you may feel tension or discomfort in your neck and shoulders. Hence, stress relief exercises are a great way to release tension and reduce stress.
Here are 5 stress relief exercises you can do anytime, anywhere!
Stretching. Since tension is stored in your body when stressed, a simple stress relief method is light stretching. Stretch your arms, legs and shoulders and use it as a chance to take a quick break from whatever you are doing. You can do this post a work call, before food or whenever you want!
Release your tension. Another stress relief exercise which can be done in 3 simple steps. Take a deep inhale and then tighten your entire body and fist for just 10-15 seconds. Lastly, exhale through your mouth and relax your body. Let out a sigh while you do this as well! It’s a quick fix to release any tension stored in your body to balance yourself. Try this guided audio on our app!
Letting go. A visualisation based stress relief activity involves picturing and then letting go of your stress. For this exercise, you need to imagine your stress entering a closed object until everything that’s bothering you has entered. Then, imagine it floats out of your sight and into the distance. As it goes out of sight, take a deep breath and exhale it as well! Try this guided audio on our app!
Breathing. Breathing techniques are the simplest ways of stress relief. Focus on your breath and complete a few cycles of a breathing technique of your choice. This involves 4-7-8 or box breathing, or belly breathing. These can help you reduce stress, normalise your breathing rate and help you balance.
Body scan. A body scan is a simple meditation technique and exercise which brings stress relief. It involves slowly paying attention to each part of your body starting from toes and legs all the way to your head. At every point, you focus on a particular body part, notice if there’s tension and slowly release it. It’s quick, effective and you can do it anytime!
These are just some of the stress relief exercises you may try. Walking, yoga or exercise may also help. What matters is you try something you’re comfortable doing. Stress relief is important for your body and mind as prolonged stress can lead to multiple health issues including burnout! Finding simple ways to overcome stress is a great benefit and meditation for stress relief is also worth trying! Learn to recognize the symptoms early, practice stress management, unwind after work and eat food that helps you feel good.
Evolve helps you proactively manage stress with a varied range of guided exercises that are light and refreshing! The Evolve app is now live globally on Android & Apple, click here to try for free!