Stress Hygiene

All of us have been worried about the global economic situation, money, the weather as well as out own more personal issues. So revisiting stress seems appropriate.


on Waking coffee, some carbohydrate, a little conversation,
10:00am-11:00am Buy a bagel, some liquid and a pack of muffins -
Put your hands behind your head and stretch backwards clenching up the whole of your body breathing in to the count of five. Hold for one second and then slowly release while breathing out to the count of five. The re-orientate and go on with your day.

1:00pm: Do the seated exercise above Sit on seat with your hands on the seat of the chair. Pump your feet one at a time. Breathe in and tense up your body and push with your hands up and away from the seat. This can be done at any seat - including taking a break from driving

4:00pm: Eat a bran muffin breathe as at 10:00am

6:00pm thru 9:00pm: with dinner, conversation, mull over some weekend plans Watch TV go for a walk. Do the seated exercise while you watch TV as well as massage the back of your neck:


Bedtime: Take a shower, look at email/ read a book/ watch TV, then get into bed.
With light on or off put your body at a 45 degree angle. Put your hands behind your head and breathe in to count of five, hold for one and then breathe out to count of five. Repeat five times. Sleep

Think of a picture or event in your life that you can describe to someone you care about - try to do this before you ask any questions .... the idea is to get to talk with you about what has been experienced - to share.
Every other weekend plan a small outing that you could do.

NB Do not ask any question or seek any information that you can't handle. Concentrate on YOU becoming at home with yourself and establishing your own sense of home within.

Pick up on an activity that is just yours. And make a list of three things that you wished you had done before the age of 14yrs. Can be something as simple as back packing ..... don't be too thoughtful. This is about fun.

1. Remember, do some simple stretches several times a day. If you have time, say when watching TV, breathe in to the count of five while tensing muscles from fingers and toes up to shoulders - hold your breath for one second - then exhale, release breath, and let muscles relax for count of five. Let your shoulders slump forward. Slowly uncurl and notice how your body feels.

2. An easy quick exercise program - under twenty minutes a session at home with no equipment, 5BX. Adapt the more elaborate stretches to do under the massaging water of a shower. Start with hot water - stretch - and then gradually cool the temperature to a refreshing level.