4. Here's How: * Sit or stand in a relaxed position. * Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to five in your head. * Let the air out from your mouth, counting to eight in your head as it leaves your lungs. Repeat several times. That’s it! Tips: * As you breathe, let your abdomen expand outward, rather than raising your shoulders. This is a more relaxed and natural way to breathe, and helps your lungs fill themselves more fully with fresh air, releasing more “old” air. * You can do this just a few times to release tension, or for several minutes as a form of meditation. * If you like, you can make your throat a little tighter as you exhale so the air comes out like a whisper. This type of breathing is used in some forms of yoga and can add additional tension relief.

5. * Get into a comfortable position. Many people like to sit in a comfortable chair, or cross- legged on the ground. You want to be able to completely relax while still staying awake. * Close your eyes. * Clear your head. (This is the part that takes practice.) The idea is to stay unattached to thoughts of any kind. That means that, if that inner narrative voice in your mind speaks up, gently “shush” it and opt for internal silence. * That’s it. Keep letting go of any thoughts that may pop into your mind, and the quiet spaces between thoughts will become longer and more frequent. You’re on the road of meditation! * Tips: * Give it time. Meditation often takes practice. If you’re expecting to do it ‘perfectly’, you may actually create more stress for yourself than you relieve, and you won’t want to stick with it. * Start with shorter sessions—like five minutes—and work your way up to longer sessions— like 30. With practice, this type of meditation becomes easier and more effective. * If the experience is frustrating for you and you don’t really want to continue, you may find more success with other types of meditation like the Karate Breathing Meditation.

6. Here's How: * Close Your Eyes And Relax. * Let your breathing get become slower and deeper. * Practice Stress Relief Breathing. * Breathe from your diaphragm or belly instead of from your shoulders or chest. Don't force it, but let your breathing become natural and relaxed. Visualize... * As you breathe in, imagine that 'relaxation' is coming into your body and flowing through your limbs, reaching every part of you. As you exhale, imagine that all the stress from your body is being exhaled. After a few minutes, you should feel more 'full' of peace, and the stress in your body should be reduced. Or... * As you breathe, imagine that your hands and feet are getting warmer. With practice, this can further reverse your stress response and actually warm your extremities, relaxing your body in the process. Another Idea... * Imagine that, with each breath, your body is becoming more and more loose. With each exhale, your limbs are a little more like spaghetti, your face a little more expressionless, your body a still pool of water. * Keep Breathing. * For five minutes or twemty, continuing this exercise can relieve stress and help you return to your activities (and stressors) with a renewed sense of strength and serenity. Tips: * If you're really tired and fear that this will put you to sleep, keep your practice to about 5 minutes, or set an alarm. * Conversely, if you're having trouble sleeping, this exercise may prove very helpful.

7. What You Need * Some quiet time. * Some privacy. * An alarm clock, perhaps. Here's How: * Get into a comfortable position, like one you would use for meditation or self-hypnosis. If a lying-down position would likely put you to sleep, opt for a cross-legged position, or recline in a comfy chair. * Use deep breathing and close your eyes, focusing on breathing in peace and breathing out stress. * Once you get to a relaxed state, begin to envision yourself in the midst of the most relaxing environment you can imagine. For some, this would be floating in the cool, clear waters off of a remote tropical island, where attractive people bring drinks and smooth music plays in the background. For others, this might be sitting by a fire in a secluded snow cabin, deep in the woods, sipping hot cocoa and reading the latest bestseller while wrapped in a plush blanket and fuzzy slippers. * As you imagine your scene, try to involve all of your senses. What does it look like? How does it feel? What special scents are involved? Do you hear the roar of a fire, the splash of a waterfall, or the sounds of chipper birds? Make your vision so real you can even taste it! * Stay here for as long as you like. Enjoy your ‘surroundings’, and let yourself be far from what stresses you. When you’re ready to come back to reality, count back from ten or twenty, and tell yourself that when you get to ‘one’, you’ll feel serene and alert, and enjoy the rest of your day. When you return, you’ll feel more calm and refreshed, like returning from a mini-vacation, but you won’t have left the room! Tips: * You may want to use ambient sounds that compliment your imagery. This way, you feel more immersed in your ‘environment’, plus the sounds of real life will be obscured. * You may also want to set an alarm, just in case you lose track of time or fall asleep. This way, you’ll be more able to relax and let go, knowing that your schedule won’t be in jeopardy. * As you get more practiced, you’ll be able to go more deeply and quickly. You may also want to communicate with your subconscious mind, with the help of a tape you record for yourself or purchase, or a therapist.

8. What You Need * A comfortable place. * Some privacy. * A few minutes. * After finding a quiet place and several free minutes to practice progressive muscle relaxation, sit or lie down and make yourself comfortable. * Begin by tensing all the muscles in your face. Make a tight grimace, close your eyes as tightly as possible, clench your teeth, even move your ears up if you can. Hold this for the count of eight as you inhale. * Now exhale and relax completely. Let your face go completely lax, as though you were sleeping. Feel the tension seep from your facial muscles, and enjoy the feeling. * Next, completely tense your neck and shoulders, again inhaling and counting to eight. Then exhale and relax. * Continue down your body, repeating the procedure with the following muscle groups: chest, abdomen, entire right arm, right forearm and hand (making a fist), right hand, entire left arm. left forearm and hand (again, making a fist) left hand, buttocks, entire right leg, lower right leg and foot, right foot, entire left leg, lower left leg and foot, left foot, * Quickly focusing on each group one after the other, with practice you can relax your body like ‘liquid relaxation’ poured on your head and it flowed down and completely covered you. You can use progressive muscle relaxation to quickly de-stress any time.

9. * It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity helps to bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner's high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling. * It breaks down and filters out the hormone which is created by stress- cortisol. * It's meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you'll often find that you've forgotten the day's irritations and concentrated only on your body's movements. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything that you do. * It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence and lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise also can improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All this can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

11. Research has shown a drop in cortisol levels (the hormone released when you are stressed) when a person smells the following scents: * Rosemary: Rosemary is associated with feelings of contentment. It’s been shown to have positive affects on performance and mood * Lavender: Lavender is associated with feelings contentment, improved cognitive performance (some measures) and mood as well, and has also shown other mild sedative and calming effects * Lemon: Some research has shown that lemon oil may possess anti- depressant-type effects * Ylang ylang: While ylang-ylang has actually been found to decrease alertness, slightly lengthen processing speed and impair memory, it’s also been found to promote calmness, and reduce stress, making it a good option for unwinding and de-stressing at the end of a long day * Peppermint: Peppermint aromatherapy has been found to increase memory and alertness, which can provide a great pick-me-up for too- tired, too-busy people, stressed students, and the overworked