So what are these “magical,” secret actions you can take? 

Well, they aren’t so magical or so secret.  They’ve been around for thousands of years as evidenced by ancient medical practices, philosophies and cultures.  The simplest interventions are also some of the most effective:

• Deep/Controlled Breathing – this can be as simple as paying attention to your breathing to trying to deepen and lengthen the breath to more structured breathing patterns involving timing your inhalations, holds and exhalations.
• Stretching & Progressive Muscle Relaxation – simple stretches like those used by athletes and runners to prepare for activity are also beneficial in releasing muscle tension.  Stretching not only helps you feel more comfortable and “loose” physically but it also drops adrenalin and corticosteroid levels that are released in the FFR.    
• Meditation or Prayer – meditation is nothing more than increased concentration and focus on emotionally neutral and de-stimulating thoughts.  Advanced meditation directs the participant to empty their minds of thoughts, but beginners are often encouraged to visualize themselves doing relaxing things: lying on a beach and imagining the many sensory stimulations one would have if they were actually on the beach at that moment (feeling of the soft, warm sand, the scent of the sea water, the sounds of the water lapping at the shore).  Prayer has also been noted to result in the same effects. 
• Exercise & Yoga – exercise helps to burn nervous energy, relaxes muscles though tensing and releasing, improves sleep* and improves overall energy level.  It has added psychological effects of increased esteem and efficacy through meeting goals/challenges and improved body image when also associated with weight loss or improved tone and structure.  Advanced yoga is the ultimate stress relieving activity as it involves

1) controlled breathing,

2) stretching and

3) an effective workout. 

But don’t worry, there are varying levels of yoga and even beginners can feel an appreciable change in stress without having to master twisting themselves into a pretzel and climbing into a 12” square box!

The resistance many people feel towards initiating new behaviors is in finding the time to practice them until they work.  This is where a battle of wills can ensue.  The will to overcome stress and anxiety Vs the will to maintain a high level of performance. 

Let me suggest these are not diametrically opposed.  Sometimes in making time to care for ourselves, we actually save time in our schedules by improving our overall functioning and increasing our productivity.

Just as your stress or anxiety did not develop overnight, it’s going to take time to perfect your new, healthier habits.  Start out by exploring some of these techniques and put at least one into practice. 

If you find you aren't getting the results you want, contact me or another professional who’s knowledgeable and experienced in Cognitive-Behavioral interventions. 

Of course, changing behavior is only paying attention to one-third of the equation in the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection.  It’s often necessary to explore a person’s experiences, beliefs, expectations and values to completely understand what is creating their distress and create an action plan resulting in effective management or eradication of their distress.

Self-Help Recommendation:  My first controlled breathing techniques CD was “Breathing: the Master Key to Self Healing” by Andrew Weil, M.D. and I still use it today!