A surprising fact about stress is how important it is for good health. Mentally challenging academic programs strengthen mind, and emotional conflicts can help people grow together in relationships. Physical stress, such as muscle fatigue following exercise, is also beneficial.
Chronic stress, however, accumulates in the body and is not released properly. Becoming frustrated leads to an elevated heart rate and production of inflammatory hormones. Desk jobs can prevent the body from countering this frustration with the circulation of anti-inflammatory hormones. A few exercises can be performed anywhere to prevent build-up of chronic stress.
## Breathing Out Stress
People rarely think about breathing, and this results in a reliance on the top portion of the lungs. Short sessions of breathing with different parts of the lungs will promote relaxation, increase oxygen in the blood, and increase circulation without making the heart work harder.
Focus on expanding the ribcage while breathing. Keep the stomach flate while holding a deep breath in the middle lungs. After several repetitions, change the focus to the abdomen. The chest should remain flat while the abdomen expands. with some practice, your body will naturally use these breathing methods at the appropriate times.
Always use the four second rule during breathing exercises. Breathe in for four seconds. Hold for four seconds. Breathe out for four seconds. Relax for four seconds. If stress is really high at the moment, it may also help to visualize clean, white air coming in and dark, stress-laden air going out.
## Stretching
It isn’t possible to go through an entire stretching routine at work, and it can be awkward to even do hamstring stretches. A simple solution is to make use of the fact that all your tendons are connected indirectly. Stretching the hands and feet promotes relaxation. Spread your fingers out flat on the desk as far as they will go, and do the same with your toes against the floor.
## Eyes Need a Break Too
Like tendons are all connected, the entire nervous system is one system. The eyes are a central spot in this system, and relaxing them helps tremendously with stress. Close the eyes and massage in light circles around the iris to begin. Afterwards, smile and imagine seeing something peaceful. Doing this every 20-30 minutes of staring at a screen will prevent the accumulation of nervous tension. Regularly using all these exercises will minimize the negative impacts of stress.
