Music therapy can relax your body, improve your mood, and change the pace of your day.
Humour may reduce stress and boost your immune system.
Ways to relax your body
Massage, such as a shoulder and neck massage, uses touch to relieve tension. You can see a massage therapist or have a friend or family member give you a massage. You can even give yourself a massage.
Yoga uses breathing, meditation, and exercises, called postures or poses, that stretch the body. You can do yoga to help you relax.
Biofeedback teaches you how to use your mind to control skin temperature, muscle tension, heart rate, or blood pressure. All of these things can be affected by stress.
Natural health products
Some people use natural health products such as valerian, gingko, St. John's Wort, and chamomile to relieve stress symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia. But natural health products like these can be sold with limited or no research on how well they work. Talk with your doctor if you are taking natural health products, especially if you have another health condition.
Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review: Patrice Burgess MD - Family Medicine Donald Sproule MDCM, CCFP - Family Medicine Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine Steven Locke MD - Psychiatry Christine R. Maldonado PhD - Behavioral Health
Medical Review:Patrice Burgess MD - Family Medicine & Donald Sproule MDCM, CCFP - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Steven Locke MD - Psychiatry & Christine R. Maldonado PhD - Behavioral Health