We all face stressful situations throughout our lives, ranging from minor annoyances to more serious worries. With exams soon approaching, this newsletter article includes relaxation techniques to help you evoke the relaxation response and reduce stress. It is recommended that you sample several of the below strategies to see which one works best for you.

Belly Breathing: When we breathe deeply, it sends a message to our brain to calm down and relax, reduce tension and relieve stress. One breathing exercise is ‘Belly Breathing’. This can be done by placing one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest. Take deep breaths in through your nose and let your belly push your hand out. Then, slowly breathe out through pursed lips, feeling the hand on your belly go in. The hand on your belly should move more than the one on your chest.

Body Scan: This technique blends belly breathing with grounding. After a few minutes of belly breathing, focus on one part of the body or group of muscles at a time, and mentally release any physical tension you feel there. It can be helpful to start with your feet and work your way up to your neck and jaw. A body scan can help boost your awareness of the mind-body connection. 

Grounding: Look around the room and name five things you can see, then five things you can hear, then five things you can feel. Repeat the exercise by finding four new things, then three, two and one thing.

Three Items: Look around the room and choose three items. Describe them to yourself in detail, including the colour, texture, shape, uses of the item and where you think it might have originated.

Helpful Self-Talk: Your inner voice can help you relax and cope with difficult situations. Encouraging yourself can be just as important (and often even more important) as having others encourage you.  Practice saying helpful things to yourself like, ‘It might be tough but I can have a go’, and ‘If I take this calmly I can do it one step at a time’.  Always challenge unhelpful self-talk.

Alyssa Carter

College Counsellor