Did you know that it is impossible to be stressed if your body is relaxed?

When we are stressed, the muscles in our body constrict and tighten. Sometimes we are aware of it, but for the most of us, we are doing it without even noticing. If you can become aware of any tight muscles in your body AND release that constriction, your body will automatically relax. Try one of the techniques below to help you relax and release some of the stress you are carrying.

3 Ways To Relax Tighten Muscles

1) 5 Seconds

Close your eyes. Focus on tightening or tensing every muscle in your body. Count to 5. Now relax every single one of those muscles that you tighten. Repeat. A lot of the time when we are holding onto stress, we don’t even notice that our muscles are tensing. This helps you to notice and focus on releasing all the tight muscles in your body, even the ones you weren’t aware of.

2) Head-to-Toe

Starting with your toes and working upward to your head, tighten each one of your muscles for a second, then relax that muscle before moving on to the next one. Once you get to the top of your head, do it again working backwards starting with your head and going down to your toes. This is like doing a body scan muscle release.

3) Skeleton

Have you ever seen or played with a skeleton? I remember playing with one in Biology class in high school. Notice on a skeleton how floppy the bones are and you can lift the hand to make it wave? Most are “standing” on an iron rod to hold them up. For this one sit firmly on a chair. Relax your body allowing your skeletal system (and the chair) to support you while you completely relax. Relax enough where it is only your skeletal system holding you up.