Stress relief - anytime, anyplace

When people talk about why they smoke, they often say it relaxes them. But wait - is it only the smoking that's relaxing them? Think about what a smoker does when taking a cigarette break. They stop what they're doing. They sit. And they inhale deeply. But cigarettes are actually stimulants. So where does the relaxed feeling come from? Maybe it's because they were breathing deeply and allowing themselves time to relax.

The great news is, you can learn to relax without cigarettes. Anytime, anywhere. Even just sitting in a chair. Below, we'll show you a few simple breathing and stretching exercises that may help reduce your stress.

Consider this

Many people use deep breathing as a way to help them relax. And when you smoked, you would breathe deeply, too. You'd also inhale all the carcinogens in cigarettes. But now, with your habit behind you, you can finally get all the stress-reducing benefits of breathing deeply.

Catch your breath, reduce your stress

Breathing. One of the things you do all day may be a simple yet effective way to reduce stress. Try following the technique below. Deep breathing exercises are easy to do whenever you like, and you don't need any special equipment. Just your lungs.

Find a comfortable position; you can be standing, sitting, or lying down

Close your eyes and try to think only about your own breathing

Inhale slowly through your nose as you count to 6. Allow your abdomen to expand as you breathe in

Exhale through your mouth as you count to 6

As you breathe, let your muscles relax. Concentrate on your neck, then your shoulders, then your arms. Imagine the tension flowing out of your body

If possible, take 10 of these deep breaths

Stressed out? Stretch out.

Stretching is another easy-to-do, feel-good way to relax. It can help ease the tension in muscles that can be caused from feeling stressed. If you feel tension while stretching, that's normal. But if it hurts, you've gone too far. Get yourself to the point where you're stretching but don't feel any pain, then hold it there. Give yourself a few minutes to gently stretch and relax. Most people find stretching feels good, helps get the blood circulating and it may help reduce fatigue.

Try a few of these:

Shoulder Blade Stretch
Lock your fingers behind your head, keeping your elbows pointed out to either side. While keeping your back straight, pull your shoulder blades together. Hold this stretch for about 10 seconds, and then relax your shoulder blades. Repeat 2-3 times.

Neck Stretch
Stand up. Lift your head and keep it up. Slowly lean your head to one side; hold this position for 10-20 seconds. Then, tilt your head to the opposite side and repeat the stretch. This should be comfortable; if you feel any pain, ease off.

Forward Arm Stretch
Interlace your fingers and straighten your arms out in front of you with your palms facing away from your body. Feel the pull through your entire arm and hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

Shoulder Shrug Stretch
Lift your shoulders until you feel tightness in your neck or shoulders. Hold your shoulders in that position for 3-5 seconds. Repeat.

Finger Stretch
Separate and stretch your fingers as wide as you can; hold the stretch for 10 seconds. Then, relax your fingers; bend them at the knuckles and hold for 10 seconds. Relax your hand and repeat.

Easy does it
No matter what you choose to do to relieve your stress, go easy on yourself — and your body. There's no rush. Breathe slowly and deeply. Stretch carefully and moderately. Everyday hassles and stress are a fact of life. But, if you take the time to treat yourself right, you can help keep stress from getting the better of you. Relaxing is a skill. Like most things you learn, it gets easier with practice.