Stress Reduction
Tips: Stress can go up in a second and often stays there long after the stress source is gone.
1. Head Tapping: starting at your temples, tap lightly and move up along your hairline, closing your eyes if this feels more comfortable. Then move to your forehead, concentrate on that part of your head with a light tap. This part of the brain is usually over-stressed. This can also improve vision.
2. Make sure you keep hydrated- try to drink 6-8 8oz glasses of water a day.
3. Set aside a little extra time for sleep.
Stretching
Tips: Do difficult stretches in the morning. Go into stretch point slowly-pull out and repeat.
1. Shoulder exercise for rotator cuff, or ‘scarecrow’. This is important not only as immediate tension relief, but long term alignment. Try this after showering when muscles are loose- use the wall as a point of reference. Repeat 10 times.
3. Box spring series. You can do a modified ‘pretzel stretch’ on the edge of the mattress. For a right hip stretch, sit facing the foot of the bed. Bend your knee so the sole faces the opposing knee, and slowly draw your trunk forward. Gently lean forward straightening your leg and this leads nicely into a hamstring stretch. To stretch your inner thigh, turn away from the bed and lean towards the floor.
4. Balance. Position yourself near a support, close your eyes and lift your leg. Hold this for 30 seconds.
5. Konichiwa. Bend at waist, keeping arms by your ears. Repeat ten times.
