How to relieve stress: sports exercises against bad mood and depression. How to quickly relieve nervous tension

“When they tell me that I’m happy, they don’t even know how much I work for this!” How you feel is up to you. This story proves that a person is responsible for what happens to him. The girl, who suffered from chronic depression, at one moment realized that this was no longer possible. She made a suicide attempt - unsuccessful, fortunately for her.

After hospitalization and treatment in the hospital, Claire decided to cool change the life and take control of your depression. This mental disorder was described by Hippocrates, focusing on the fact that depression is treated with the help of water procedures, physical activity and regulation of sleep cycles. Much has changed since ancient times, but the basics have remained the same - a healthy, orderly lifestyle leads to getting rid of depression.

Sports and stress

Claire was able to cope with the oppression with the help of sports. Continuing to study, she appreciates herself and her life more and more, learns to positively perceive any events and no longer suffers from prolonged depression. This is a great solution for anyone who feels that the nerves are clearly out of order. Sports return harmony to the work of the nervous system, this is true.

Train your body and you will become a hardy and strong person with a huge resource of happiness and vitality. Sounds tempting, doesn't it? Tell your friends the story of this girl - depression is treated with sports!

All doctors advise to constantly do physical and specialized breathing exercises and pay special attention to healthy sleep to help our body cope with stress. However, such recommendations are not able to 100% protect against nervous tension and relieve stress. Therefore, you need to remember effective methods that help reduce sharp emotional outbursts due to stressful situations. Here are some of these methods.

It has been proven that the emotional state can be affected. To restore peace of mind, it is enough to perform simple breathing exercises. First of all, it is worth taking a slow and deep breath, while breathing in the abdominal way. This means that the air must be inhaled through the movements of the abdomen. In order for the breath to be slow, you need to count to three in your mind. Then, counting to five, exhale. First, the stomach is deflated, and then the chest. After inhaling and exhaling, hold your breath for two to four counts. It turns out the following sequence: three counts last for inhalation, then five counts for exhalation, after which three counts are for holding the breath.

When performing this exercise, not only breathing itself improves a person’s condition, but also concentration on this process helps to relieve stress. In addition, you can not only consciously follow your breathing, but also walking. This not only sobers the mind from emotional upheavals, but also normalizes blood pressure and relaxes muscles.

World-famous psychologists agree that facial expressions can affect a person's mood. Therefore, the first cure should be a simple smile. If you smile with all 32 teeth, looking at yourself in the mirror, then in this way you can definitely relieve stress instantly. The main thing is to take this matter seriously. It is worth holding a smile for 2 minutes, and then relax as much as if you had previously performed a difficult physical exercise. You can even bend forward and hang your relaxed arms.

If you want to relieve the heaviness that has accumulated during a difficult day from the muscles, you need to do several forward bends, as well as swing your arms and run in place.

The main problem in the occurrence of stressful situations in a person's life is his excessive concentration on the problem itself. To successfully find a way out of a difficult situation, sometimes it is enough just to rearrange the train of thought. The main thing is not to panic and not to fuss. This will help to observe yourself as if from the outside. When you managed to concentrate on your internal processes, you should pay attention to the situation around. Having done this, a person restores mental balance, thoughts are streamlined, and breathing slows down somewhat.

In addition to this exercise, the following will help to look at the situation more soberly. Replay in your head the unpleasant events that caused stress, as in slow motion, and pay attention to the most negative moment, take a picture of it. Then, to improve the emotional state, it is worth imagining that many years have already passed since the unpleasant incident. Looking at this photo is just like a memory. Such imaginative exercises will change the way you deal with a stressful situation.

It is this kind of work on oneself that can remove stress and put your nerves in order.

How to quickly relieve nervous tension in order to avoid conflict situations, preserve health and well-being. The article contains affordable and safe methods, many are applicable on the go and invisible to the environment.

Why stress is dangerous

The dangers of prolonged negative experiences have been known for a long time. This fact was convincingly and originally confirmed by Avicenna (XI century).

He placed two lambs of the same litter in equal conditions, but tied a wolf not far from one.

The lamb, constantly watching the predator, hardly ate, weakened and soon died. The second lamb was eating well, gaining weight, was energetic and cheerful.

How emotions affect health, why diseases occur after prolonged stress, who is at risk.

Our brain and psyche are more plastic than those of animals, they can adapt to a changing external and internal environment. However, the potential of our nervous system is not unlimited.

Prolonged stress causes enormous damage to the body and can cause:

• addictions to alcohol and drugs;
• many severe ailments;
• premature old age and death.

Along with health, the situation in society is deteriorating, because with our negative feelings, we form our tomorrow, which is different from what we want.

We all definitely need to get rid of resentment, disappointment, aggression, self-criticism, fear, hostility, etc. in a timely manner.

Any strong feeling should be short-lived so that the body and psyche can recover from emotional upheavals.

Tension Release Techniques

Physical activity

Even a very moderate one is a universal recipe for calming for all ages and levels of health, it is good for the heart and brain, and prevents its atrophy.

When we move, favorable processes occur:

• the activity of the endocrine system and the balance of hormones return to normal.

• The areas of the brain that control emotions are stimulated - the synthesis of our own opiates (endorphins) is enhanced, which act in the same way as morphine, reducing depressive moods, making us happy.

• Biochemical reactions provoked by stressful excitation switch to providing motor functions.

Walk in the fresh air gives a charge of positive and cheerfulness, eliminates anxiety.

Especially if:

• when walking, change its pace (accelerate and slow down), alternate short steps with wide ones;

• to shift attention from problematic circumstances to something extraneous - people, the sky, trees, your dreams, bright memories;

• say affirmations like: I am calm. I am relaxed. I am in one rhythm with the Universe. I am full of energy and strength. I let go of anxiety (anger, anger, annoyance, etc.). I'm doing well and have a great future ahead of me.

Very soon, irritation and discontent will be replaced by calmness and the ability to analyze the situation sensibly.

By the way, long-term stress and depression - common causes parasomnia, in which people, while half asleep, eat at night, prepare complex dishes, and may not remember anything in the morning.

Why a person eats at night in a dream, symptoms and causes of pathology, what is the danger, diagnosis, treatment.

Implicit gymnastics in the case when it is not possible to leave the office, or the person is weakened. All exercises restore mental balance and improve body image.

We repeat at least 10 times.

• Stretch the neck up as much as possible, then retract it.

• Head turns, as if we want to see someone behind us.

• Tilt the head to the shoulders, slowly and carefully, the shoulders are motionless.

• Hands in the castle, we wind up behind cervical region and press on the spine, resisting the pressure.

• We clench our hands tightly into fists thumb inside), exhale. We loosen the clamp and inhale. Exercise restores peace of mind. The action will multiply with closed eyes.

There is a wonderful finger gymnastics, it can be done imperceptibly. The benefits are enormous for the brain, psyche, cognitive processes.

It is necessary for everyone who wants to live to old age in their right mind. Helps with disorders in the hands (paresthesia, tunnel syndrome, pain), serves as a treatment and prevention of multiple sclerosis.

• Sitting on a chair, hold on to the seat and pull it up with all our strength, count to seven, let go.

• We strain both buttocks, then each one in turn.

• We raise the heels above the floor and lower them to the floor with force. We do the same movements with socks.

• We squeeze and unclench our toes.

• We raise our legs alternately above the floor and hold for a while.

• We retract the stomach, count to 10, release.

Light yoga complex. If the condition of the body and the situation allows, do a warm-up and exercises that not only relax, but also improve health and tighten the figure.

Thoughts that your body is becoming stronger, slimmer, more beautiful replace problematic experiences.

"Mask of relaxation"

Pretty simple and very fast technique relaxation in a matter of seconds, eliminates tension, restores efficiency. It is applicable for any situation, in transport, office, traffic jam.

Head upright, mouth open. We pronounce "YYY". We feel how the lower jaw sags, the tension from the masticatory muscles and the whole body goes away, the eyelids become heavier, the gaze becomes motionless, the objects around are blurred.

We stay in this position for a couple of minutes at least, and preferably five to ten. Then we take vigorous breaths and exhales and stretch.

We lower the intensity of emotions by letting off steam:

scream - into the pillow or silent when there are witnesses. We retire in the bathroom, turn on the water and shout to our heart's content, splashing out our irritation, anger, resentment without a trace.

We beat, we throw, we beat pillow and other items according to the situation. You can do it mentally.

There are excellent techniques to get rid of anger and other defensive reactions from a famous psychologist. Choose any and go!

11 simple techniques for controlling nervous tension, anger, anger, indignation from a leading psychologist.

By the way, German researchers found:

spouses, in moments of family quarrels, yelling and breaking dishes, greatly reduce the risk of dying from heart attacks and strokes.

Breathing exercise from Nikolai Lukinsky.

It helped the actor get rid of the excruciating headaches that arose due to the inability to relax.

I put my hands on my waist. Take a deep breath through your nose, inflate your stomach and count to eight. We exhale through the mouth, pressing the tongue to the sky, as if pronouncing the sound “ssss” (the exhalation turns out to be even), at the same time we count to 16.

It is good to allocate a quarter of an hour to such breathing. Muscle spasms are relieved, blood flow is accelerated, along with tension, fatigue also disappears.

We occupy our hands with business, preferably painstaking:

we finger small objects (buttons, nuts, balls, toys), print, embroider, sew, knit.

On the hands there are a huge number of nerve receptors and biologically active zones associated with the brain, central nervous system and internal organs. Therefore, manipulations with fingers and hands calms quickly.

periodic actions.

We are so used to living in constant stress that sometimes we do not notice how tense we are.

You can understand this by its characteristic features:

• tapping with fingers or toes,
• wiggling or twitching of the legs,
• walking back and forth (does not sit still).

So the body tries to get rid of unnecessary emotions, transforming their energy into movement. Let's take these repetitive tricks into service.

Why we are nervous: external and internal reasons for what happens in the body. How anxiety manifests itself simple ways calm down.

You can also get a quick effect from chewing chewing gum.. Muscles are activated that activate brain processes and its blood supply, which reduces stress.

By the way, you don't have to chew gum. The same result is achieved:

• if you mentally imagine how you chew gum, and move your jaws accordingly;

• carefully (without fanaticism) move lower jaw horizontally, clockwise and counterclockwise.

Food.

Sweet foods deliver glucose into the blood - a source of serotonin, a neurotransmitter of well-being and quiet joy. Therefore, after eating a cake, we feel happier. But, unfortunately, there is an addiction, a threat excess weight, diabetes, obesity.

Spicy food stimulates the synthesis of endorphins, which provide confidence and hope for better circumstances. Eating a little red chili pepper is enough to boost your mood.

You should know that negative emotions are one of the causes of the night eating syndrome, in which people wake up at night from hunger and are not able to fall asleep without a snack.

Tea is a wonderful natural tranquilizer. Thanks to catechins, flavonoids, carotene, vitamins E, C, it eliminates anxiety, fears, irritability.

Green tea has the most beneficial properties. You can mix it with black in equal proportions and use it by adding honey.

Hug and kiss

if you are in a bad mood, and life is painted in gray tones.

Benevolent contacts remove stress, depression, fears, charge with positive energy, strengthen the will, nerves, vitality.

By the way, people who are affectionate and sociable live three times longer than people who are closed on themselves.

Kissing reduces the level of the stress hormone cortisol and increases the level of oxytocin - the hormone of affection, tenderness and love..

Life smiles at persons who kiss often and passionately, they have successful career growth and business on the personal front. They are cheerful and optimistic.

make a face

The funniest yet most effective way to relax. Make faces for a while, introducing your offender or ill-wisher.

By the way, children often make faces and mimic others, intuitively neutralize their negative impressions.

Yawn

Protective reaction of the body during fatigue, excessive stress, oxygen starvation. When we yawn, speed up metabolic processes, the blood moves more actively, the work of the brain and nerves returns to normal.

If emotions go off scale, energy is closer to zero, yawn, even if you don’t feel like it. Our body readily responds with a real yawn to a fake one.

Baths

quickly relieve anxiety, improve the quality of falling asleep and sleep.

The therapeutic effect accumulates, and therefore it is better to take them in courses of 10-15 procedures, daily or every other day or two.

Water should not exceed 38 degrees, so as not to create an unnecessary burden on the heart. Duration - 20 minutes maximum.

Baths with essential oils are good (7-8 drops mixed with salt, milk, whey or wine - 200 ml) of coniferous group, lavender, jasmine, chamomile, patchouli, valerian, etc.

Herbal infusions:

• sage with mint and birch (leaves) - 2 table each. spoons;
• yarrow with chamomile and sage - 2 table each. spoons.

Pour raw materials with 2 liters of boiling water, insist 6 hours.

• Yarrow - 5 table. spoons for 2 liters of boiling water, cook in the same way.

After the bath, blood vessels expand, spasms are relieved, the relaxing effect is strong.

It is advisable to lie down for half an hour after the procedure and take a nap, or do it before going to bed.

Important! It is necessary to study contraindications, it will not hurt to consult a doctor.

Smile and laugh

People who know how to smile and laugh in spite of a bad mood, maintain an even frame of mind, depression does not threaten.

And all because when we laugh and smile:

• deep abdominal breathing occurs, the abdominal organs are massaged;

• blood flow and the supply of oxygen and nutrition to the brain increase, its work is stimulated;

• the psyche returns to normal - the synthesis of stress hormones slows down, and neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine) and endorphins are produced intensively.

The life-giving power of laughter is unique and comparable:

• with meditation
• with antidepressants,
• with harmless drugs (the higher the dose, the better the result),
• with fitness - a minute of laughter replaces 25 minutes of sports activity.

Laughter is also a reliable prevention of incurable diseases.

Benefits of laughter. Laugh to live.

So, if you are experiencing tension, anxiety, try to find a reason to laugh, watch a comedy or funny videos, read jokes, etc.

You can also laugh at yourself. Imagine a crown on your head, you are a very important person who cannot be criticized by anyone.

Summary

Negative emotions tend to accumulate, which leads to stress, depression, neuroses and serious discord in the body.

How to quickly relieve nervous tension in order to prevent a conflict situation, avoid problems at work or in the family, maintain health and social status.

The article presents affordable and safe methods, many of which can be applied on the go, in transport, in the office, unnoticed by others.

Take care of yourself!

Elena Valve for the Sleepy Cantata project

Stress is a physiological reaction of the body to external influences, violating its own self-regulation (homeostasis). Stress reactions help us survive in dangerous situations, cope with external dangers, make the brain and body work faster, in some cases, motivate us, allow us to feel the fullness of life.

But if a person long time is tense, worried and nervous, such an anxious state is already becoming a threat to health. Stress is getting in the way Everyday life, various anxiety disorders appear - and these are already chronic diseases.

Therefore, it is so important to find a way to get rid of stress. It is worth noting that this phenomenon has been studied quite well by scientists, and there are many such ways to get rid of overvoltage.

One of the simplest is physical activity: experts confirm that some simple ones can relieve stress, relieving many problems.

Simple and effective ways to relieve stress

How well a person copes with adverse effects depends on the state of his health, temperament, personal qualities and other factors.

All people perceive stressful situations differently. But it is easiest for each of us to normalize our emotional state with the help of our favorite sport. Or even just exercise. The main thing is to choose a type of activity that brings pleasure.

The effectiveness of such a simple remedy is easily explained.

• help to relax;
• relax;
• improve health;
• improve appearance;
• help reduce the production of stress hormones;
• during sports activities, hormones of happiness are produced, which quickly leads to a noticeable improvement in mood.

Some types of exercises help to relieve stress manifestations faster and easier. It is good to get rid of unnecessary unreasonable anxieties - playing volleyball, basketball, football, as well as swimming.

But not everyone and not always have the opportunity to choose this type of activity. But anyone can afford to go to the fitness room for yoga - fortunately, the work schedule of such institutions usually allows you to choose the most convenient time.

So, the top three convenient stress relievers.

Breathing is the most important physiological process, on which the well-being and emotional state of a person largely depends.

Our intermittent shallow breaths are common companions of stress. It is breathing exercises that best help to calm down, relieve tension, relax, normalize heartbeat and pressure.

The special charm of an effective breathing technique is that it is available to absolutely everyone.

In a state of strong emotional stress, yoga helps to calm down. Performing relaxing asanas makes it possible to relieve muscle tension, tune in a positive way, and cheer up.

It does not cause severe pain in the muscles - on the contrary, bending, stretching and all other exercises are aimed at learning how to relax the muscles.

Yoga practitioners try not only to reduce tension in the body, but also purify the mind, thoughts - this also helps to relieve stress manifestations, anxiety, pacifies, gives a feeling of inner strength and calmness.

Regular practice greatly increases stress resistance, relieves everyday irritability, anxiety.

Even a short run gives a powerful release of endorphins. All negative thoughts leave the head, the person is liberated. During the run, there is time to restore the psyche, relieve nervous stress.

The body of a running person is saturated with oxygen, his muscles are trained, endurance increases.

They allow you to be in shape, trained people tend to look at small daily problems easier, they switch from one activity to another faster, they love and appreciate themselves more.

Useful advice from experts: if there is an opportunity to run barefoot, it must be used. The fact is that when running barefoot, the shock load is redistributed in a special way: the landing is not on the heel, but on the forefoot, respectively, the muscles of the foot are loaded, and the bones and joints are less at risk of injury.

If you need to urgently put yourself in order, one of the simple exercises will help. You can choose what is easiest to do in specific conditions and what corresponds to physical capabilities.

Exercise #1

• It is necessary to lie on your back on a flat surface, while your hands should be located along the body;
• raise your legs and try to reach the floor behind your head with your toes;
• stay in this position for two to three minutes.

• You need to stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, relax with your eyes closed - for about 30 seconds;
• then take a few deep breaths and exhalations, so that in the respiratory cycle;
• then make at least 20 jumps in place, during the jump you need to raise your hands up.

Exercise #3

• You should stand straight, raise your hands up, keep your head straight;
• tighten all the muscles, starting with the fingers and moving down to the legs;
• relax the muscles, moving in the reverse order: first the legs, then the stomach, back, shoulders, arms. Repeat several times.

• Lie on your stomach, tear your head off the floor, bend your legs at the knees;
• grab your legs with your hands, feel;
• you need to be in this position for a couple of minutes, without losing your even deep breathing.

Exercise #5

• Become straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands behind your head;
• raise the left leg, bent at the knee, and with an inclination reach the left knee with the right elbow;

Under stress understand the reaction of the body to a strong, unusual, unfamiliar impact from the external environment. The physiological response to stress in the body is the same, regardless of the emotional coloring of the event, positive or negative. Thus, stress can cause even a pleasant, but strong emotional upheaval. And vice versa - an unpleasant, but habitual event ceases to provoke stress.

The stress reaction in a person unfolds at the physiological, psychological and behavioral levels. Studies examining the effect of stress on the body have proven that exercise has a positive effect on all these levels and helps a person cope with stress.

Why sports help relieve stress

In the process of evolutionary development, a person has developed certain behavioral patterns of response to stress. The physiological reaction, in the first place - the release of adrenaline into the blood, prepares a person for flight or fight.

However, in modern, civilized conditions of life, the body cannot properly use the energy released as a result of physiological changes, intended for flight or attack. This increases the degree of his fatigue and wear. Sports allow you to constructively and purposefully use this energy, protecting the body from exhaustion. That is why, from a physiological point of view, sport plays an important role in overcoming stress, helping to direct energy in a useful direction and use it safely.

In addition, at the physiological level, there is:

• The production of endorphins; During the experience of stress, a person's level of cortisol, the stress hormone, rises, and there is a lack of endorphins, hormones of joy that are formed during sports.
• Saturation of organs and tissues with oxygen.
• Regulation of sugar (glucose) levels in the blood.

At the same time, at the psychological level, during stress, a person can feel disappointment, irritation, guilt, shame, apathy, hopelessness, loneliness. In behavior, a failure occurs due to the occurrence of unforeseen and unusual circumstances, and a person intuitively tries to return to his usual ways of behavior.

Most often, these methods are harmful and self-destructive habits - smoking, drinking alcohol, the manifestation of impulsiveness and aggressiveness. A person can begin to overeat, not feeling hungry, but simply to calm down, or to perform habitual for himself, but inappropriate and useless actions under the circumstances. Therefore, at the psychological and behavioral levels, sports are useful and can contribute to:

• Organization and ordering of activity, bringing actions and thoughts in order.
• Getting a sense of control over the situation, the lack of which a person experiences during stress.
• Increasing self-esteem and self-confidence. Playing sports can bring joy and satisfaction from achieving even small results.
• The emergence of a goal and motivation, getting rid of hopelessness, passivity, refusing to act.
• Distraction from negative thoughts. The physiological changes that occur during stress take time to stabilize. During this period, any moderate physical activity is beneficial for the psychological state of a person, as it allows you to experience negative emotions without focusing on disturbing and debilitating thoughts.

What sports are good for stress

Almost any sport can be used as a way to deal with stress. It is important to take into account the physical capabilities of a person, his preferences and interests.

It is necessary to properly regulate the load so as not to overload the body. After training, a person must have strength left, he must feel a surge of vigor, and not exhaustion.

The resumption of former interests or hobbies - running, walking, playing tennis, swimming - can positively affect self-esteem. A person may choose a familiar sport or physical activity, or try something new, such as yoga, cycling, morning exercises.

Water procedures and outdoor activities have a positive effect on both the body and mood. Group lessons sports or sports team play allow you to feel the spirit of solidarity, belonging, support and confidence.

Important rules for exercising under stress

Thus, in order to cope with stress through sports, there are several points to consider:

• moderation of the load, so as not to overload the body to exhaustion;
• start the lesson with a general physical warm-up of the joints to prevent damage;
• correctly assess their physical capabilities and set achievable goals, which will increase self-esteem, obtain satisfaction from the result;
• focus on the process, for example, monitor your breathing, tension and muscle work, which allows you to distract from negative thoughts and experiences;
• engage both individually and in a group in order to be able to feel support, belonging;
• exclude gambling and aggressive sports containing a competitive aspect.