The body's response to natural relaxation is a potent antidote to stress. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga can help activate this relaxation response.

1) Deep breathing to eliminate tension

Deep breathing is a simple but powerful relaxation technique. It is easy to learn, can be practiced anywhere and provides a quick way to keep stress levels under control. Deep breathing is the cornerstone of many other relaxation practices and can be combined with other relaxing elements such as aromatherapy and music.

How to practice deep breathing?

The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from your abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible for your lungs. When you breathe deeply from your abdomen, instead of short breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The next time you feel stressed, take a minute to slow down and take a deep breath:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
• Inhale through your nose. The hand on the stomach must be raised. The hand on the chest should move very little.
• Exhale through your mouth, expelling the air as much as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on the stomach should move when exhaling, but the other hand should move very little.
• Keep breathing through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Try to breathe in enough air to make the lower abdomen rise and contract. Count slowly as you exhale.

If you have difficulty breathing from your abdomen while sitting, try lying on the floor. Place a small book on your stomach and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.

2) Progressive muscle relaxation to relieve stress

Progressive muscle relaxation is another effective and widely used strategy for stress relief. It is a two-stage process in which the muscles of different groups in the body are systematically tightened and relaxed.

With regular practice, progressive muscle relaxation gives you an intimate familiarity with what tension represents to your muscles, as well as a total relaxation you feel in different parts of your body. This awareness helps to detect and counteract the first symptoms of muscle tension that accompany tension. And as your body relaxes, so does your mind. You can combine deep breathing with progressive muscle relaxation for an additional level of stress relief.

Progressive muscle relaxation sequence:

• Right foot
• Left foot
• Right thigh
• Left thigh
• The hips and buttocks
• Stomach
• Chest
• Back
• Right arm
• Left arm
• Neck and shoulders
• Face

Steps to follow:

• Loosen your clothes, take off your shoes and make yourself comfortable.
  Take a few minutes to relax, breathe and take slow, deep breaths.
  When you are relaxed and ready to start, focus your attention on your right foot. Take a moment to observe how you feel.
• Slowly tighten the muscles of your right foot, squeezing as hard as you can. Keep your position counting to 10.
• Relax your right foot. Concentrate on how the tension evaporates and feel your foot run out of strength and loose.
  Remain in this state of relaxation for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly.
• When you're ready, move your attention to your left foot. It follows the same sequence of muscle tension and release.
  Move slowly through his body: legs, abdomen, back, neck, face. Contract and relax muscle groups on the fly.

3) Full attention: meditation to relieve stress.

Meditation that cultivates full attention is particularly effective in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. Full attention is the quality of being fully engaged in the present moment, without analyzing or "overthinking" the experience. Instead of worrying about the future or reliving the past, conscious meditation changes the focus of what is happening right now.

To relieve stress, try the following meditation techniques for full attention:

• Body exploration: By exploring the body you cultivate attention, focusing on various parts of your body. Like progressive muscle relaxation, it starts with the feet. However, instead of tightening and relaxing your muscles, you just have to focus on how each part of your body feels, without labeling the sensations as "good" or "bad.

• Meditate while walking: you don't have to be seated to meditate. Meditating while walking involves being focused on the physical aspect of each step: the feeling of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breathing as you move and feeling the wind on your face.

• Eat consciously: try to eat with attention. Sit at the table and focus all your attention on the food (no TV or newspapers). Eat slowly, enjoy yourself fully and concentrate on each bite.

The meditation of full attention is not the same as walking on clouds. It is an effort to maintain your concentration and to return to the present moment when your mind is distracted. With regular practice, conscious meditation actually changes the brain, reinforcing the areas associated with joy and relaxation, and weakening those involved in negativity and stress.

Beginning of a meditation practice

All you need to start meditating is the following:

• A quiet atmosphere. Choose a secluded place in your home, office, garden, place of worship, or outdoors where you can relax without distractions or interruptions.

• A comfortable position. Make yourself comfortable but avoid going to bed as this can lead to falling asleep. Sit with your spine straight, either in a chair or on the floor. You can sit in lotus position.

• A point of focus. Choose a meaningful word or phrase and repeat it throughout your session. You can also choose to focus on an object in your environment to improve your concentration, or alternatively, you can close your eyes.

• Be an observer, not a critic. Don't worry about the distractions that go through your mind or how well you're doing. If intrusive thoughts occur during the relaxation session, do not fight them. Instead, gently turn your attention back to your point of focus.

4) Guided visualization to relieve stress

Visualization, or guided imagination, is a variant of traditional meditation that can help relieve stress. When used as a relaxation technique, guided visualization is about imagining a scene in which you feel at peace, free to let go of all the tension and anxiety. Set out what's most reassuring to you, whether it's a tropical beach, a childhood favorite, or a quiet, wooded valley. You can do this visualization exercise on your own, with the help of your therapist, or through an audio recording.

Close your eyes and let your worries go away. Imagine your resting place. Imagine it as vividly as possible: you can see, hear, smell and feel it. Guided imagination works best if you incorporate as many sensory details as possible. For example, if you're thinking of a beach:

• Watch the sunset over the water
• Listen to the sound of the waves
• The smell of the sea
• Feel the fresh water on your bare feet
• The taste of sea salt on your lips.

5) Yoga to relieve stress

Yoga is an excellent technique for relieving stress. It is a series of movements and pauses in combination with deep breathing. The physical and mental benefits of yoga provide a natural counterweight to stress and strengthen the relaxation response in your daily life.

What kind of yoga is best for stress?
Yoga classes that emphasize slow, steady movements and gentle stretching are best for stress relief. Look for labels as soft, to eliminate stress, or for beginners. Energy yoga, with its intense poses and focus on fitness, is not the best option. If you are unsure whether a yoga class is appropriate to relieve stress ask the teacher.

Because injuries can occur when yoga is practiced incorrectly, it is best to learn by attending group classes or hiring a private tutor. Once you have learned the basics, you can practice alone or with others, adapting your practice as you see fit.

Tips for starting a yoga practice:

• Consider your fitness level and any other medical problems before you sign up for a yoga class. There are many yoga classes for different needs, such as prenatal yoga, yoga for the elderly and adaptive yoga (modified by yoga for the disabled).
• Look for a low-pressure environment where you can learn at your own pace.
• Directory of centres where yoga is taught in Spain. You can also look for yoga classes at local gyms or specialized yoga centers. Sports societies often offer yoga classes at reduced prices.

6) Tai Chi to relieve stress

If you've ever seen a group of people in a park moving slowly in tune, you've probably witnessed tai chi. Tai chi has its own rhythm of body movements. These movements emphasize concentration, relaxation and the conscious circulation of vital energy throughout the body. Although tai chi has its roots in martial arts, today it is practiced primarily as a way to calm the mind, condition the body and reduce stress. As in meditation, professional tai chi focuses on breathing and maintaining attention in the present moment.

Tai chi is an affordable option for people of all ages and fitness levels, including older adults and those recovering from injuries. Once you have learned the moves, you can practice them anywhere, anytime, by yourself, or with others.

7) Autogenic Training.

With autogenic training, we learn to create physical sensations of warmth, heaviness and relaxation in different parts of our body.

Schultz Autogenous Relaxation is a practice that not only helps reduce stress, but also the stresses of daily life, anxiety, mild depression and sleep disorders.

Autogenous relaxation is a kind of self-hypnosis that consists of the different parts of the body (shoulders, arms, legs, feet...) becoming warmer and heavier. These physical sensations are a sign that the technique is working.

Schultz's method of relaxation or autogenic training is practiced through repeated phrases in silence, such as "my arm is heavy" or "I am completely relaxed". The following exercises are performed:

• Weight-bearing exercise.
• The heat exercise.
• Breathing exercises.
• Exercise of the heart.
• The exercise of the solar plexus (navel area).
• Exercise of the forehead (head).

How to relax with autogenic training.

During the practice of autogenic training exercises** we must repeat several statements / instructions.**

Every statement we make in our minds refers to a specific part of the body, followed by a state of peace and well-being. Each statement is mentally repeated five times before moving on to the next. Don't rush to finish every exercise.

Enjoy the feeling of relaxation, well-being and peace that comes over you before moving on to the next exercise.

After choosing the relaxation position (lying down or sitting down), close your eyes during practice training and begin your relaxation session. These are the phrases you can say mentally while keeping your attention on that part of your body:

• I am completely relaxed (repeat 1 time)
• My right arm is heavy (6 times)
• I am completely relaxed (repeat 1 time)
• My left arm is heavy (6 times)
• I am completely relaxed (1 time)
• My heart beats calmly and normally (6 times)
• I am completely relaxed (1 time)
• My breathing is calm and balanced (6 times)
• I am completely relaxed (1 time)
• My solar plexus (stomach) is hot and radiates heat (6 times)
• I am completely relaxed (1 time)
• My forehead is nice and fresh (6 times)
• I am completely relaxed (1 time)

Relaxing with autogenic training is a powerful technique that will have more effect if practiced frequently.

8) Massage therapy to relieve stress

Getting a massage provides deep relaxation. As the muscles of your body relax, so does your mind. You don't have to go to a spa to enjoy the benefits of massage. There are many simple self-massage techniques you can use to relax and relieve stress.