Starting Sunday, April 16 @ 11:59 PM, until Sunday, April 23 11:59 PM  your challenge is to ...

Quiet Relaxation or Reflection For 15 Minutes Daily

This week we challenge you to relax and or reflect for 15 minutes everyday this week. Relaxation techniques are a great way to help with stress management. Relaxation isn't just about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby. Relaxation is a process that decreases the effects of stress on your mind and body. Relaxation techniques can help you cope with everyday stress and with stress related to various health problems, such as cancer and pain. Whether your stress is spiraling out of control or you've already got it tamed, you can benefit from learning a few relaxation techniques.

Here are some relaxation techniques to help you out this week:

Autogenic Relaxation: Autogenic mean something that comes from within you. In this relaxation technique, you use both visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. You repeat words or suggestions in your mind to relax and reduce muscle tension. For example, you may imagine a peaceful setting and then focus on controlled, relaxing breathing, slowing your heart rate.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: In this relaxation technique, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. This helps you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation. You become more aware of physical sensations. Start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and head. You can tense your muscles for at least 5 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, and repeat.

Visualization: In this relaxation technique, you form mental images to take a journey to a peaceful, calming place or situation. During visualization, try to use as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound, and touch. If you imagine relaxing at the ocean, for instance, think about the smell of salt water, the sound of crashing waves and the warmth of the sun on your body.

As you learn relaxation techniques, you'll become more aware of muscle tension and other physical sensations of stress. Once you know what the stress response feels like, you can make a conscious effort to practice a relaxation technique the moment you start to feel stress symptoms. This can prevent stress from spiraling out of control.

Other techniques you can use for relaxation/reflection are:

Music and Art Therapy

Deep Breathing

Meditation

Tai Chi

Yoga


Yoga

Suggested Reading:
Relaxation Techniques - Learn more here.
10 Relaxation Techniques That Zap Stress Fast - Learn more here.
6 Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress - Learn more here.
This challenge was closed on 4/23/2017

3  members have accepted this challenge.
1  members have completed this challenge.

Congratulations to these participants for completing the challenge.   Hemant v. V Gandhi

The Weekly Health Challenge is a self-audited program designed to motivate the JCSC Wellness participants in reducing BMI on a weekly basis.

How it works:

1. Each week there will be a new health challenge. You can accept the challenge by accepting the pledge for each challenge. You can only accept a challenge from midnight on Sunday to midnight on Tuesday.

2. At the end of the week, you can declare if you have completed the challenge. You can only mark a challenge as completed from midnight on Sunday to midnight on Tuesday.

3. Every week, the participants that complete the challenge will be recognized on this page.