Relaxation...one year later

by Celia
(Boston, MA)

I am going to write something short about this matter because I don't have much time. I have been using different relaxations techniques for about a year and people do say I am seem calmer and I managing stress better. For all my life I have suffered from anxiety.

I do find time management a very important issue and I have learned to take the attitude that doing some relaxation techniques is better then none. In the beginning I was looking for a correct breathing technique to reduce anxiety but I have found that this has given way to a times simply focussing on breath and yoga where breathing is combined with streching.

I have often felt put off by Yoga because I thought I was not limber enough but some poses are simpler and if you find the right instructor they can simplify the poses for you.

Listed below are the techniques I have found most helpful
1) breath focus
2) mindfullness(focusing on the present moment-making in depth observations of what is going on around you.
3) stretching
4) autogenics
5) Relizaing on some intellectual level extreme stress and anxiety is counterproductive.
I have found that I have liked Yoga where it combines breathing, mindfullness and stretching.

Least helpful techniques (note some of them are the common ones)
1) mantra meditation
2) progressive muscle relaxation