FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 45
health
5 easy relaxation techniques to reduce stress at home
Moms have to-do lists that are never
done. From getting the kids to school,
prepping family meals and everything in
between, it’s a 24/7 job and can be hard to
fi nd a moment to stop and take a breath
of fresh air. While the home should be
a sanctuary to relax and de-stress, the
reality is that a lot of life’s biggest activities
happen there. Th e good news is that
it only takes a few minutes to ground
yourself through meditation. In fact,
recent studies by the National Institutes
of Health indicate that meditation can
improve relaxation, lower blood pressure
and reduce anxiety. Learning a few easy
meditation techniques will give you the
ability to power through even the toughest
days.
To give back to busy moms, Air Wick
has provided fi ve easy ways you can take a
moment to de-stress before tackling your
to-do list.
Unplug for just 5 minutes
One of the biggest culprits of stress
today is technology. When you’re at
home, set your phone on airplane mode,
turn off the radio or TV, close the laptop
- and just shut your eyes. Breathe deeply,
in through the nose and out through
the mouth, at least fi ve times. Repeat a
word or phrase in your mind like “Relax,”
“Calm” or “Breathe in, breathe out.” When
you’re ready, slowly re-acclimate to your
surroundings and gently get back to your
busy day.
The one-minute breath
For just a minute, commit to practicing
this breathing technique to quiet your
mind and restore energy.
• Breathe in for 5 seconds.
• Hold your breath for 5 seconds.
• Release the breath for 5 seconds.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
Repeat just long enough to feel yourself
become calmer.
Peace begins with you
When you’re standing in a long line,
stuck in a meeting or even during a
stressful argument, try this Kundalini
meditation technique to help you stay
centered even when you’re feeling frazzled.
• Gently press the thumb of one hand
against that hand’s index fi nger, middle
fi nger, ring fi nger, then pinkie fi nger.
• When you touch your index fi nger to
your thumb, say to yourself, “Peace.”
• When you touch your middle fi nger,
say to yourself, “Begins.”
• When you touch your ring fi nger, say
to yourself, “With.”
• When you touch your pinkie fi nger to
your thumb, says to yourself, “Me.”
• Breathe deeply as you think each word,
and go as slowly or as quickly as you
like.
Peace is in your pulse
For meditation beginners, this practice
can help improve concentration and
bring calm.
• Sit comfortably cross-legged on the
fl oor.
• Close your eyes and focus on the space
between your eyebrows.
• Place the four fi ngers of your right
hand on your left wrist and feel your
pulse.
• Th e fi ngers are in a straight line, lightly
pressed on the wrist so you can feel
your pulse in each fi ngertip.
• On each beat of your pulse, mentally
hear the sound “Sat Nam,” which
means “truth identifi ed.”
Walk it out
When you’re feeling stressed, you feel
disconnected from your body as well as
the outside world. You can add meditation
to your walking, even if you’re just
going through the grocery store or from
your car to your offi ce. If you can get outside,
just being outdoors can improve
your mood. Between the vitamin D from
the sun and the tendency to breathe more
deeply when you’re around fresh air, trees
or fl owers, just getting outside for a little
while can both relax and energize you.
• Take a deep breath with every step or
two.
• Feel your feet and focus on being more
grounded with every step.
• Repeat a phrase or mantra while you
walk, like “I am calm now.”
Moms have a lot on their plate, so worrying
about lingering odors in the home
(whether they’re from the kids’ sweaty
sports equipment, a wet dog or last night’s
dinner) shouldn’t add to their stress. Air
Wick Pure Automatic Spray provides continuous
odor neutralization from common
household odors found in living
rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms,
hallways and offi ces, so she can check that
stress right off her to-do list and make
more time for herself. Mom can enjoy the
scents of Pure Ocean Breeze, Lavender
& Chamomile, Summer Delights and
Sparkling Citrus fi lling every corner of the
home with freshness while she breathes
deeply and relaxes.
Courtesy BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
