Deep breathing is the cornerstone of many other relaxation practices, too, and can be combined with other relaxing elements such as aromatherapy and music. While apps and audio downloads can guide you through the process, all you really need is a few minutes and a place to sit quietly or stretch out.

If you find it difficult breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying down. Put a small book on your stomach, and breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale. Listen to HelpGuide's deep breathing meditation. Progressive muscle relaxation is a two-step process in which you systematically tense and relax different muscle groups in the body.

With regular practice, it gives you an intimate familiarity with what tension—as well as complete relaxation—feels like in different parts of your body. This can help you react to the first signs of the muscular tension that accompanies stress.

And as your body relaxes, so will your mind. Consult with your doctor first if you have a history of muscle spasms, back problems, or other serious injuries that may be aggravated by tensing muscles. Start at your feet and work your way up to your face, trying to only tense those muscles intended.

Listen to HelpGuide's progressive muscle relaxation meditation. This is a type of meditation that that focuses your attention on various parts of your body.

Like progressive muscle relaxation, you start with your feet and work your way up. Listen to HelpGuide's body scan meditation. Visualization, or guided imagery, is a variation on traditional meditation that involves imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all tension and anxiety.

Choose whatever setting is most calming to you, whether it's a tropical beach, a favorite childhood spot, or a quiet wooded glen. You can practice visualization on your own or with an app or audio download to guide you through the imagery. Close your eyes and imagine your restful place.

Picture it as vividly as you can: everything you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. Visualization works best if you incorporate as many sensory details as possible. For example, if you are thinking about a dock on a quiet lake:.

Enjoy the feeling of your worries drifting away as you slowly explore your restful place. When you are ready, gently open your eyes and come back to the present. Don't worry if you sometimes zone out or lose track of where you are during a visualization session.

This is normal. You may also experience feelings of heaviness in your limbs, muscle twitches, or yawning. Again, these are normal responses. Listen to HelpGuide's guided imagery meditation. What you may not be aware of is that you can experience some of the same benefits at home or work by practicing self-massage, trading massages with a loved one, or using an adjustable bed with a built-in massage feature.

Try taking a few minutes to massage yourself at your desk between tasks, on the couch at the end of a hectic day, or in bed to help you unwind before sleep. To enhance relaxation, you can use aromatic oil, scented lotion, or combine self-message with mindfulness or deep breathing techniques.

A combination of strokes works well to relieve muscle tension. Try gentle chops with the edge of your hands or tapping with fingers or cupped palms. Put fingertip pressure on muscle knots.

Knead across muscles, and try long, light, gliding strokes. You can apply these strokes to any part of the body that falls easily within your reach. For a short session like this, try focusing on your neck and head:. Mindfulness has become extremely popular in recent years, garnering headlines and endorsements from celebrities, business leaders, and psychologists alike.

So, what is mindfulness? Meditations that cultivate mindfulness have long been used to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions.

Some of these practices bring you into the present by focusing your attention on a single repetitive action, such as your breathing or a few repeated words. Other forms of mindfulness meditation encourage you to follow and then release internal thoughts or sensations. Mindfulness can also be applied to activities such as walking, exercising, or eating.

Using mindfulness to stay focused on the present might seem straightforward, but it takes practice to reap all the benefits. But don't get disheartened. Using an app or audio download can also help focus your attention, especially when you're starting out.

Listen to HelpGuide's mindful breathing meditation. The idea of exercising may not sound particularly soothing, but rhythmic exercise that gets you into a flow of repetitive movement can produce the relaxation response. Examples include:. While simply engaging in rhythmic exercise will help you relieve stress , adding a mindfulness component can benefit you even more.

As with meditation, mindful exercise requires being fully engaged in the present moment, paying attention to how your body feels right now, rather than your daily worries or concerns. Instead of zoning out or staring at a TV as you exercise, focus on the sensations in your limbs and how your breathing complements your movement.

And when your mind wanders to other thoughts, gently return your focus to your breathing and movement. Yoga involves a series of both moving and stationary poses, combined with deep breathing.

As well as reducing anxiety and stress, yoga can also improve flexibility, strength, balance, and stamina. Since injuries can happen when yoga is practiced incorrectly, it's best to learn by attending group classes, hiring a private teacher, or at least following video instructions.

Once you've learned the basics, you can practice alone or with others, tailoring your practice as you see fit. Although almost all yoga classes end in a relaxation pose, classes that emphasize slow, steady movement, deep breathing, and gentle stretching are best for stress relief.

Satyananda is a traditional form of yoga. It features gentle poses, deep relaxation, and meditation, making it suitable for beginners as well as anyone aiming primarily for stress reduction. Hatha yoga is also a reasonably gentle way to relieve stress and is suitable for beginners.

Alternately, look for labels like gentle , for stress relief , or for beginners when selecting a yoga class. Power yoga , with its intense poses and focus on fitness, is better suited to those looking for stimulation as well as relaxation.

If you're unsure whether a specific yoga class is appropriate for stress relief, call the studio or ask the teacher. Tai chi is a self-paced series of slow, flowing body movements. By focusing your mind on the movements and your breathing, you keep your attention on the present, which clears the mind and leads to a relaxed state.

Tai chi is a safe, low-impact option for people of all ages and fitness levels, including older adults and those recovering from injuries. Try setting aside at least 10 to 20 minutes a day for your relaxation practice. Set aside time in your daily schedule.

If possible, schedule a set time once or twice a day for your practice. If your schedule is already packed, try meditating while commuting on the bus or train, taking a yoga or tai chi break at lunchtime, or practicing mindful walking while exercising your dog.

Make use of smartphone apps and other aids. So, even if you can't leave home, take a personal day to rest and unwind. Plus, build mini-breaks into your work day whenever you can, in case taking a full day off isn't possible.

For example, instead of working past 6 p. from your living room couch, cut out early and do something that brings you joy when you can like reading a book or doing a mask.

Go ahead and buy them already cut. Or do something similarly time-saving, like ordering takeout from a local restaurant. If you don't feel like doing your normal blow dry-then-straighten routine, throw it up in a ponytail and call it a day. You'll likely feel less stressed if you embrace the imperfections.

If you find that watching the news is stressing you out, go ahead and take a break from it. Use that time to catch up on your fave guilty-pleasure shows, watch fun YouTube videos, or listen to a podcast. Or, you know, re-watch Parks and Rec for the thousandth time.

Exercise is an amazing stress-reliever. It can lower your blood pressure, improve your sleep, and give you more energy, according to the American Heart Association AHA. So, hit the gym for 30 minutes to work off your stress, or try a new fitness class. WH has a day workout challenge , if you need some inspo.

Think back to the last time you laughed—and I mean laughed not just said "LOL" in a text. You probably felt way less stressed in that moment, right? That's why Chapman says scheduling time to interact with family on FaceTime or playing with friends on the Nintendo Switch or other gaming devices should be a regular activity.

Talking to and laughing with family and friends will get rid of those not-so-positive thoughts that can come with feeling isolated and stressed.

Or sew, or paint—literally any craft that interests you. The process of creating something can be therapeutic—especially repetitive tasks like knitting, crochet, or cross-stitching. Researchers found that creating art for 45 minutes noticeably lowered cortisol levels in the saliva of 39 people in a study in the journal Art Therapy.

Many people use music as a means of dealing with emotions—they listen when they're sad, when they're angry, or when they want to get energized—so it makes sense to use music as a way to chill the eff out.

Do it with intention. Thanks to its combination of physical exercise, stretching, meditation, and deep breathing, yoga is incredible for relieving stress, says the APA. Try to make room for a yoga class or two in your week there are tons of free options on apps and online too and take the time to really let go of obligations and negative thoughts.

This is easier said than done, but it really can help with your stress levels, according to the AHA. Try looking for an action-based way to move forward from this line of thinking. On the flip side, there's actually a healthy purpose to the awareness you experience via rumination, Carmichael says.

Either on your own or while talking with a friend, consider what you can do about this negative emotion, or if you can exercise any control over the situation, Carmichael says.

Set aside 15 to 20 minutes of me-time every day, the AHA suggests, and do whatever you want. You can simply sit in your car and breathe deeply or listen to music before you go inside for the night or spend that time on your porch with a cup of coffee in the morning—anything that helps you relax.

We all know it's good to give. But it can seriously help reframe the way you think about what's stressing you out. Helping people who are in a situation worse than yours can help you put your problems into perspective.

Some people thrive in social situations like happy hours or Zoom trivia night. not so much. And hanging out at a party is not worth stressing yourself out all night. Self-care advocates constantly talk up the relaxation benefits of a hot bubble bath, but science tells us that just floating in a pool of water can be great for stress relief, as well.

Floatation-REST reduced environmental stimulation therapy is a specific type of water therapy that involves floating on your back in a pool of water saturated with Epsom salt. Floating in an Epsom salt pool for one hour reduced anxiety in people with anxiety and stress disorders in one study in the journal PLos One.

Feel free to look for a spa near you that has an Epsom salt pools, or go ahead and relax in a tub filled DIY-style with water and Epsom salts.

Pro tip: Try making it a part of your day using helpful apps like Calm , which can send you reminders to meditate in case you forget. ICYMI, having an orgasm is a super helpful way to relieve stress, Carmichael says. This kind of positive experience—alone or with a partner—can make you feel a sense of security and decreased isolation, Carmichael says, which can instantly make stress better.

For your mental health! Need some inspo? Try winding down at the end of the night with some traditionally calming flavors like lavender, mint, or chamomile tea. Add honey for sweetness. Alexis Jones is an assistant editor at Women's Health where she writes across several verticals on WomensHealthmag.

com , including life, health, sex and love, relationships and fitness, while also contributing to the print magazine. What Is Anticipatory Grief? What Is Body Neutrality, Exactly? Experts Weigh In.