Here is a quick way to relieve anxiety and worry in just one minute at your desk, at home or on the go.
"Anxiety and worry are so common in our high-stress society," says Dennis Buttimer, a facilitator at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont.
Take a few minutes each day to get rid of some of your stress and you'll reap major benefits, like:
Buttimer recommends the following two moves to decrease worry and anxiety.
Stress-relieving breathing exercise
- First, bring your attention to your breath.
- Place your hand on your stomach and feel it expand with air as you inhale.
- Exhale, squeezing out all of the air.
- Repeat a few times to ground your energy.
Anxiety-busting chair stretch
- Sitting in a chair with a yoga block or book placed in front of you, rest your elbows on your knees and drop your head toward the floor. "By letting your head go, you're taking your energy toward the ground and literally grounding it," says Buttimer.
- Bring your hands down to the yoga block or book, and continue to stretch and breathe.
- Stay there as long as you like, then slowly come up so your elbows are back on your knees.
"In just one minute, as you come up, you've done a couple of things that can really knock down that anxiety and help you feel better and have a better sense of well-being," he says.
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