Stress is the body’s physiological response to danger or pressure. When the brain perceives a threat, such as facing a work deadline, the body reacts by tensing muscles, breathing rapidly, and potentially causing fatigue or sweating.
To cope with stress, Emma recommends focusing on calming the nervous system through brief, easy-to-do activities, especially effective if practiced regularly throughout the day.
Emma McAdam, a well-known therapist with a YouTube channel called Therapy in a Nutshell with nearly 2 million subscribers, has shared a quick way to manage stress in just 3 minutes:
- Assess Your Stress Level: Before you begin, rate the tension or stress in your body on a scale from 0 to 10.
- Deep Breathing: Take a deep breath in and exhale slowly to begin relaxing your body.
- Gentle Movement:
- Shrug your shoulders up and down a few times.
- Gently tilt your head forward, backward, and from side to side.
- Start shaking your arms comfortably, relax, and feel the movement.
- Then, move on to shaking your legs, letting go of tension in your legs and loosening your muscles.
- Stand Tall and Feel: Stand upright, keep your head high, feel your feet firmly on the ground, and breathe evenly. Smile gently and experience the relaxation.
- Gentle Forward Bend: Finally, gently bend forward, letting your hands hang loose. Slowly stand back up.
- Reassess Your Stress Level: At the end, reassess your stress level from 0 to 10. You’ll notice a significant decrease in tension.
This is a simple yet effective exercise to manage stress quickly throughout the day.
This video content is from the popular YouTube channel Therapy in a Nutshell. Watch the full video HERE.