TIPS & TRICKS
Deep breathing: When you breathe deeply for a consistent length of time, it’ll stimulate relaxation in your body to return everything to equilibrium. It’s scientifically proven when you take in more oxygen, your heart rate will slow down, and in turn, so will your mind.
The simplest and most common way to practice deep breathing is by counting. As you inhale, slowly count for five seconds. Hold that breath for about five more seconds, then exhale for the same amount of time (five seconds). Repeat this five more times, or for however long you need to in order to feel a change. This can obviously be tailored to your needs depending on how long you want to hold your breath and what not.
Another technique you can try practicing is box breathing. Essentially, you draw out a square, and at each line you’re changing your action. For example, as you draw out your first line, you breathe in slowly. Then, as you turn the corner and draw down, hold that breath. Next, when you’re drawing the bottom horizontal line, then you exhale. Finally, turn the corner one last time and complete the square in your second vertical line and hold your breath. Repeat as needed. This is a good way of providing a visual aid for you to control your breathing and take your focus off of counting and transfer it to completely concentrating on just breathing. There are videos online that draw the box out for you, and I’ve included a diagram below to provide a visual explanation of this technique.
Muscle relaxation: When you’re stressed, oftentimes your muscles will tense up without you even realizing it, which exacerbates the issue. By purposefully relaxing and loosening your muscles, your mind will slowly get the message to relax itself as well.
You can achieve this in a few different ways. First, you can just try to methodically flex each group of muscles so that you can slowly unwind. This is probably the most straightforward technique, however you can also try things like stretching.
The most effective form of stretching when trying to relieve muscle tension would be various yoga positions. I’ve linked a few articles that can achieve this:
8 Relaxing Exercises That Will Release Tension From Your Entire Body | SELF
6 Simple Yoga Stretches That Melt Away Muscle Tension
8 yoga moves to loosen up tight muscles
Exercise: Exercise has been proven to relieve stress anxiety by releasing endorphins and reducing stress hormones. Aerobic exercise such as dance, running, swimming, biking, or even just walking can all help you lead a better lifestyle. Here are some videos that provide exercise routines that aim to release stress/anxiety:
7 Minute Dance Exercise to Release Stress and Anxiety 😤 Connect to Your Inner POWER 🔥
30 min Full Body STRESS RELIEVING CIRCUITS
Dance Workout for Anxiety and Stress
20 min Full Body Workout/Stretch for STRESS & ANXIETY Relief
Hobbies: Having hobbies is just a great way to distract yourself from any stress in your life. It generally gives you an outlet and a way to have time for yourself, doing whatever you want for a time. Here’s a list of some possible hobbies that can give you a way to wind down and relax, as well as links that can help you get started:
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Crocheting
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Gardening
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Scrapbooking
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Creative writing
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Cooking
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Reading
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Puzzles
Have a routine: Having a routine can be a great way to stay grounded if you feel like you’re spiraling, as it’s a familiar part of your day. Everybody’s routine is different, and what kind of routine it is will vary as well. However, I’d recommend creating some sort depending on when you feel stressed. For example, you can have a morning routine to keep yourself distracted when you wake up before a game, or you can have a night routine for the evenings before a big tournament. You can also have pregame routines that can keep you in the zone before you start playing.