Does anyone have any good stress relief techniques?

Question

I'm a mother of three young kids and quite often they drive me crazy. I need a way to quickly relax. And I need something better than counting to 10!

Answer 1

Here are some techniques:

Progressive Relaxation

This technique is often most useful when you tape the instructions beforehand. You can tape these instructions, reading them slowly and leaving a short pause after each one.

Lie on your back, close your eyes.
Feel your feet. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and sink into the bed. Start with your toes and progress to your ankles.
Feel your knees. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel you upper legs and thighs. Fell their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your abdomen and chest. Sense your breathing. Consciously will them to relax. Deepen your breathing slightly and feel your abdomen and chest sink into the bed.
Feel your buttocks. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your hands. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your upper arms. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your shoulders. Sense their weight. Consciously relax them and feel them sink into the bed.
Feel your neck. Sense its weight. Consciously relax it and feel it sink into the bed.
Feel your head and skull. Sense its weight. Consciously relax it and feel it sink into the bed.
Feel your mouth and jaw. Consciously relax them. Pay particular attention to your jaw muscles and unclench them if you need to. Feel your mouth and jaw relax and sink into the bed.
Feel your eyes. Sense if there is tension in your eyes. Sense if you are forcibly closing your eyelids. Consciously relax your eyelids and feel the tension slide off the eyes.
Feel your face and cheeks. Consciously relax them and feel the tension slide off into the bed.
Mentally scan your body. If you find any place that is still tense, then consciously relax that place and let it sink into the bed.

Toe Tensing

This one may seem like a bit of a contradiction to the previous one, but by alternately tensing and relaxing your toes, you actually draw tension from the rest of the body. Try it!

Lie on your back, close your eyes.
Sense your toes.
Now pull all 10 toes back toward your face. Count to 10 slowly.
Now relax your toes.
Count to 10 slowly.
Now repeat the above cycle 10 times.

Deep Breathing
By concentrating on our breathing, deep breathing allows the rest of our body to relax itself. Deep breathing is a great way to relax the body and get everything into synchrony. Relaxation breathing is an important part of yoga and martial arts for this reason.

Lie on your back.
Slowly relax your body. You can use the progressive relaxation technique we described above.
Begin to inhale slowly through your nose if possible. Fill the lower part of your chest first, then the middle and top part of your chest and lungs. Be sure to do this slowly, over 8–10 seconds.
Hold your breath for a second or two.
Then quietly and easily relax and let the air out.
Wait a few seconds and repeat this cycle.
If you find yourself getting dizzy, then you are overdoing it. Slow down.
You can also imagine yourself in a peaceful situation such as on a warm, gentle ocean. Imagine that you rise on the gentle swells of the water as you inhale and sink down into the waves as you exhale.
You can continue this breathing technique for as long as you like until you fall asleep.

Guided Imagery

In this technique, the goal is to visualize yourself in a peaceful setting.

Lie on your back with your eyes closed.
Imagine yourself in a favorite, peaceful place. The place may be on a sunny beach with the ocean breezes caressing you, swinging in a hammock in the mountains or in your own backyard. Any place that you find peaceful and relaxing is OK.
Imagine you are there. See and feel your surroundings, hear the peaceful sounds, smell the flowers or the barbecue, fell the warmth of the sun and any other sensations that you find. Relax and enjoy it.
You can return to this place any night you need to. As you use this place more and more you will find it easier to fall asleep as this imagery becomes a sleep conditioner.
Some patients find it useful to visualize something boring. This may be a particularly boring teacher or lecturer, co-worker or friend.

Quiet Ears

Lie on your back with your eyes closed.
Place your hands behind your head. Make sure they are relaxed.
Place your thumbs in your ears so that you close the ear canal.
You will hear a high-pitched rushing sound. This is normal.
Listen to this sound for 10–15 minutes.
Then put your arms at your sides, actively relax them and go to sleep.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

There are hundreds of technique's out there.But before I Get into them let me just say that there so little research done in this field that it is just shameful.( and it is only b/c of the "big boys" in the field that don't want the research done since they can lose potentially billions of dollars). OK sry let me continue what I was saying in beginning. You should definitely try reducing the stress thru the source of whats causing it but working on the assumption that you cant I would advise, since it is effecting your sleep patterns (which can be the source of your stress(don't think about it to much just listen)). What I know works and you should try is a simple breathing technique that I always use when I am having trouble sleeping Deep breathing and feeling all your muscles loosen. It takes practice. You must do a lot more research on the subject b/c it is huge, way too much to type up. To make it easier try researching "guided imagery" That is guarantied to help reduce stress also look into breathing techniques sry I cant elaborate, but you should definitely research the subject it will make a difference. Good Luck :)

Answer 3

Reduce Stress By Exercising
http://stress-reduction4.blogspot.com/2006/09/reduce-stress-by-exercising.html

Oil Massage To Relieves Stress
http://stress-reduction4.blogspot.com/2006/09/oil-massage-to-relieves-stress.html

Answer 4

Try these simple tips;

1. Smile
Even when you're angry, try to make a smile. Your anger can be decreased and you will fell better. Don't believe it?. Have a try!

2. Tidy Up Your Bedroom
Messy bedroom will make you more stress. Put your dirty clothes into a special basket, tidy up your bedstead and wash up your coffee cup. Don't let ants partying in your favorite cup!

3. Wear Blue T-shirt
A blue colour is well known for it's coolness. Wear this colour of cloth to make you feel cool. But don't wear an orange cloth because it can excite a hot spirit. Red and purple colour are well known to stimulate energy.

4. Hear Your Favourite Music
Hear your favourite music to excite good feeling. It will make you feel happy.

5. Refresh Your Appetite
Make a difference in your daily diet. Don't know how? It's simple like this; add a few slices of strawberry into your fruit salad or put a slice of peace into your peanut butter. Have a try!

6. Take a Smell on Lemon
Cut a lemon into a few slices and put them into your drink. The fresh smell from the lemon slices can stimulate your body to be more active.

7. Stroke Your Pet
It's good to have pet. Stroke your pet after coming back from work. It can make you feel good.

You can go here for more tips
http://stressdealing.blogspot.com

Have a try!

Answer 5

I ONLY HAD TWO, BUT I STILL CAN UNDERSTAND.WHAT WORKED THEN AND NOW FOR ME WAS A COMBO OF THESE THINGS ( WHEN THE KIDS ARE IN A SAFE PLACE) CLOSE YOUR EYES AND TAKE SOME DEEP BREATHS,LET THEM OUT SLOWLY( THIS CAN MAKE YOU A BIT LIGHT HEADED AT FIRST SO TAKE IT SLOW.PUT YOUR FEED IN A WARM SOAK RUBING THEM TOGETHER,( YOU CAN ADD A NICE SENT IF YOU LIKE) THEN INVISION A PLACE THAT IS THE MOST PEACFUL TO YOU AND GO THERE FOR A MOMENT.THIS TAKES A BIT OF PRACTICE, YOU MAY WANT TO ADD SOME NICE SOUNDS TO YOUR SELF TIME. TRY IT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.

Answer 6

bless your heart! i have one who is super hyper active, but thanks to animal planet and cartoon network, when i am busy around the house getting things done, if i put that on he is good for awhile and no problems. but he also understands that im the daddy, and i demand respect and i treat him with a lotta of love.
dont allow your kids to drive you that far, its o.k. to tell them TIME OUT! sitdown and read a book, watch t.v. or go outside, also during your down time by yourself, pamper yourself take a nice long hot bath, light some candles, play some soft music and let calgon take you away :) good luck

Answer 7

I have just one lovely little hellraiser. my wife and I always make time for each to have freedom from our monster. I give nightly baths every other evening and read books and tuck her in while my wife is able to read a book watch and tv show or go shopping.

Answer 8

Maybe masturbating? Make love? Go for a run. Watch a movie and go out. Go get a manicure/pedicure. Good luck!

Answer 9

you should need some kind of peaceful music or just do something fun with your children will always put a smile on your face and your kids

Answer 10

exercise, serious kick *** cardio at least 3 times a week will make you a calmer mom and better able to deal...and a bubble bath come to mind as well..remember..long days short years

Answer 11

Look for THE RELAXATION RESPONSE by Herbert Benson at your library or a bookstore. It's a classic, it's simple, it works.