Chaos To Calm

Overcoming Stress and Creating a healthier life ~Céline Maier

Whether we are still at school, studying, in training, or already working, we are all familiar with stressful situations. However, stress is not as harmless as it seems, as it can lead to mental health problems and burnout. That's why stress reduction should be an important part of our lives, especially during stressful school or work days.

Breathing exercises:

Breathing exercises are one way to reduce stress. They are practical because you can do them anywhere and without any other equipment. Better breathing means better oxygenation and better performance in sports. Breathing exercises for stress and anxiety usually take a little longer to work, but the effects become stronger as you get used to them and can then be done spontaneously.

The 4-7-11 method:

The 4-7-11 method involves inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for seven seconds for 11 minutes. The duration does not need to be exact, but it is important that the exhalation is longer than the inhalation. The exercise should be done for as long as possible, with a minimum of eleven minutes recommended, because after a quarter of an hour, the exercise leads to relaxation for almost everyone. In fact, the 4-7-11 technique makes the body feel as if it is asleep, which helps with stress, anxiety, and problems falling asleep.

The 4-7-8 breathing technique:

In the 4-7-8 breathing technique, place the tip of the tongue on the gums just behind the upper front teeth. Then exhale until the lungs are completely empty. Next, inhale slowly through the nose for four seconds, hold the breath for seven seconds, and exhale through the mouth for eight seconds. At the beginning, repeat this four times, preferably twice a day. After two to three weeks, you can increase the number of repetitions. With this breathing technique, the time span is not as important as the relationship between the time spans. For example, you can also inhale for 2 seconds, hold your breath for 3.5 seconds, and exhale for 4 seconds. In addition to stress, this breathing technique also helps with anxiety, food cravings, anger, aggression, and problems falling asleep.

The 6-3-6-3 method:

The 6-3-6-3 method can help before stressful situations such as presentations, exams, or speeches because it promotes calmer breathing. After sitting or lying down relaxed with a straight back, begin the two-minute breathing exercise. The exercise involves breathing into the abdomen for six seconds, then holding the breath for three seconds, breathing out again for six seconds, and holding the breath again for three seconds.

Exercises to reduce stress

When relieving stress, light exercise is also important, as stress causes muscles to tense up, which can lead to back pain, for example.

Relaxing your head and neck

Stress often causes the muscles in the neck and shoulders to tense up. One exercise that helps with this is to gently tilt your head to the left and right towards your shoulders, as if you wanted to rest your head on your shoulder. Alternatively, you can turn your head as far to the left and right as possible.

Relaxing the shoulders

To relax the shoulder muscles, you can first circle them backward and then forward. You can either bend your arms or circle them in a wide arc.