All About You: 3 Quick Ways To Destress Your Head

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All About YOU: 3 Quick Ways to Destress Your Head

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Stress isn't all bad. Short-term, it can help you meet a deadline, turn a double play, or keep your bumper from getting crumpled.

But when stress lingers like week-old leftovers, it's time to pull the plug with a quick stress-busting technique like scrunching, breathing, or corking. Here's how to do 'em:

Quick Fix

Chronic stress can destroy your sleep patterns, boost the rate at which your arteries age, and turn your immune-system function down too low. But you can quickly rein in stress with these tricks:

* Scrunch your face tightly for 15 seconds, then release. Repeat several times. Repetitive contraction and relaxation helps release tension you’re holding above the neck. Here’s another muscle melter.

* Breathe in, lick your lips, and then blow out slowly. The cool air helps you refocus and slow down. Learn the right way to breathe for better oxygen saturation.

* Cork it. Hold a wine cork vertically between your teeth (some people may first need to slice a bit off the top before it will fit). A gentle bite on the cork will force your jaws -- a major tension-holder -- to relax. (Skip this exercise if you have this medical condition.)

Stress Management: Progressive Muscle Relaxation

What is progressive muscle relaxation?

Progressive muscle relaxation is an effective method for treating stress and anxiety. Concentrating on relaxing your muscles makes it harder to think about stressful problems and events. Progressive muscle relaxation is also a way to relax muscles that have become tense from chronic stress.

When you do these exercises you focus on specific muscle groups, one at a time, tensing and relaxing each group while breathing slowly and deeply. Audio tapes that teach this technique are available at many bookstores.

How do I do this exercise?

Sit in a chair with your back straight, head in line with your spine, both feet on the floor, and hands resting on your lap. Tighten each muscle group and keep it tightened for 15 to 20 seconds. Then relax slowly and notice the difference between tension and relaxation.

It is best to start at the head and work down the body or start at the feet and work up. The muscle groups to tighten and relax are:

* forehead and scalp

* eyes

* nose

* face

* tongue

* jaws

* lips

* neck

* upper arm

* lower arm and hands

* chest

* stomach

* back

* buttocks and thighs

* legs

* feet.

For example, you can tighten your neck muscles by pulling your chin in and shrugging your shoulders. Hold the tension for 15 to 20 seconds. Then relax slowly.

Exercise all muscle groups twice a day. Each exercise session should last 12 to 15 minutes.

Other relaxation methods you may want to try are mental imaging and deep breathing. If you have serious problems from muscle tension, see your healthcare provider, who may want to treat you or refer you to a physical therapist or physiologist.

Developed by Phyllis G. Cooper, RN, MN, and McKesson Corporation

Published by McKesson Corporation.

Last modified: 2004-10-01

Last reviewed: 2007-02-15

This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

Adult Health Advisor 2007.2 Index

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Copyright © 2007 McKesson Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.

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