Find balance: life between stress and relaxation

Constant stress can lead to external and internal tension and thus to illnesses in the long term. A few simple exercises should help relax muscles and improve breathing and oxygenation. Not only do we show you exercises that help reduce  stress  , but we also explain what stress is and what types of stress exist.

What is stress?

Stress is nothing more than tension – the body is in a certain way energized. Stress as a strain and strain on the whole organism is the cause of numerous diseases. In Germany, the annual costs for medical treatment, absenteeism at work and production losses caused by stress are estimated at 40 billion euros.

But stress is also important because it encourages top performance. It saved the life of prehistoric man in the wild, and it ensures that we are efficient for hours and cope with complicated mental tasks and physical exertion seemingly effortlessly.

What happens in the body when stressed?

Various mechanisms in the body are set in motion in stressful situations: Hormones such as  adrenaline  are released into the bloodstream. These hormones ensure that

• the heartbeat accelerates
• the pulse strengthened and
• the muscles are supplied with more blood

Plenty of energy is mobilized and blood coagulation is increased.

On the other hand, all processes in the body that are not essential for survival at the moment are switched to the back burner: the temperature drops, digestion is slower and drives such as hunger and sexual desire are inhibited.

Once the stress stimulus on the organism has subsided, the body begins to recover.

Breathe properly against stress

However, chronic stress, a problem for many people today, weakens the  immune system  and can lead to insomnia,  stomach ulcers  or  high blood pressure  , or even worse to  diabetes  or  heart attacks . In her book “Risk Heart” Barbara Spachtholz recommends, among other things, a simple exercise:

• Observe breathing:  Most people slump a little when exhaling, but this impedes the flow of energy. But exhaling should straighten up. The in-breath helps you focus, because when you breathe in, you receive something.
• You should always  breathe in through your nose. Exhalation is through the mouth; if possible, with a lip-sound. This method gives the lungs the optimal amount of air.
• Breath breathing:  This gives you a deep and calm breathing rhythm. You breathe slowly into your palm as if to wet it. Now breathe in through your nose again. Repeat this exercise until your hand is completely warm.

We even do some  breathing exercises  unconsciously in everyday life, because laughing, yawning and singing are effective breathing exercises.

Relax in between

These tips will help you actively reduce stress and relax mentally and physically:

1. You should change your working position as often as possible  :  sometimes sitting, sometimes standing, sometimes lying down – the good old standing desk is becoming more and more common in offices. You can make phone calls while standing, reading while lying down relieves the strain on the intervertebral discs.
2.  Everyone who drives a lot and sits at the computer for too long has a  tense neck . Raising your shoulders for four seconds and repeating this three times is very helpful.
3. Incidentally, quiet music  while driving slows down the pulse and promotes inner peace.

Exercise helps against stress

Some basic movements such as shaking, swinging, swinging, circling, turning, balancing are movements for well-being that can also be easily incorporated in the office in between. This is how you stimulate, relax and regenerate your body.

In addition, more oxygen is taken in. Because the brain makes up only 3 percent of body mass but uses 20 percent of oxygen, any form of exercise is so vitally important. Both the oxygen supply and the removal of carbon dioxide in the brain are significantly improved. The brain is better supplied with blood and more efficient.

Exercise: 90-second relaxation

In his book “The 90 Second Break” the author Rolf Herkert describes a short program for quick relaxation. The exercises can be performed lying down or sitting.

1. Clasp your hands behind your head and push your elbows back.
2. You stretch out your legs and tighten all your muscles at the same time. The toes point forward.
3. Tighten your abdominal muscles and feel the power. Now hold your breath and count to seven.
4. As you gently exhale, all muscles relax.
5. You feel this relaxation for a while.
6. Now you stretch and stretch like a cat, yawning extensively.
7. Now the cat turns into a “dynamic predator”. You think or say out loud: “I’m full of energy, focused and relaxed!”