By Penelope A. Domogo, MD“And while we can reach any place just with our fingers, we have confined our bodies to the chair. So our minds are so busy while our bodies are stationary. Very unnatural and very unhealthy. ”
One of the most common causes of ill health nowadays is stress. Life before was simple. You wake up, cook, eat, work, eat, work again, eat then sleep. If you were a student or office worker or teacher, you may have paperwork or reading to do in the evening. Sometimes, we would go neighboring or go see a movie. Ad kasin, we were confined to dealing with a relatively small number of people in a relatively manageable space. We had time to just sit down, to look around silently and to breathe. No stress. If there was, it was few so we could manage it.
Nowadays, we have widened our world to include actually the whole world and our circle of friends have encircled the globe. So aside from eating and working and sleeping, we talk a lot, whether silently (texting), over the phone or face to face. And we talk with a lot of people from all over. We could be reached anywhere, anytime. We are bothered with a lot of concerns from a lot of people, including ourselves. No time to relax. And while we can reach any place just with our fingers, we have confined our bodies to the chair. So our minds are so busy while our bodies are stationary. Very unnatural and very unhealthy.
But God is good. He designed our bodies to be resilient and has an immense capacity to heal and be recharged. So take a quick break every hour from sitting down. Aside from walking, here are four quick and effective relaxation techniques to relieve stress and balance your emotions. But for you to get maximum benefits, you need to do these consistently and constantly. You can set an alarm every one to two hours for you to do any of these quick exercises. And you can do any of these anywhere- in your office, in the jeep or in church or while waiting for a meeting to start.
1. BOX BREATHING
inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds, imagine the oxygen go inside your lungs and feel your stomach expand. Exhale slowly through your nose pa rin for 4 seconds, and imagine the carbon dioxide go out of your body. (Exhaling through your nose is best as it is natural.). Repeat 4 times.
This reduces heart rate and blood pressure as it activates the relaxation mode of your body, the parasympathetic nervous system.
2. SHOULDER & NECK ROLLS
Roll your shoulders forward in slow circles 5 times.
Roll them backward 5 times.
Gently tilt your head side to side, holding each stretch for 5 seconds.
Drop your chin to your chest and slowly roll your head in a circle to the left 5 times, then to the right 5 times. Remember to breathe consciously as you do these.
This relieves tension in the neck and shoulders from long hours in the computer and increases blood flow to the brain for better focus.
3. TAPPING
Use your fingertips (of your two hands) to gently tap on your forehead, cheekbones and collarbones.
Tap each spot 5-7 times while taking slow breaths.
Tapping stimulates these acupressure points to reduce cortisol and ease anxiety and emotional stress.
4. HAND MASSAGE
Put your thumb into the center of your opposite palm and massage in circles, moving outward, then press in between the fingers then massage each finger to the tip. Then massage your wrist. If you feel any sore spot in the your palm, go back and massage or press it some more until it feels better.
Then do it also on the other hand while breathing slowly and deeply.
This stimulates nerve endings to ease tension and also stimulates the different parts of the body. You see, all body parts are represented in the palm.
Take a break, relax and enjoy!
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3 John 1:2 “ Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”**
