Relaxation techniques are a great way to manage stress and anxiety. They involve refocusing your attention on something calming. At the same time, you increase awareness of your body and your breathing.

Practicing relaxation techniques can enable you to become aware of what muscle tension and other physical sensations of stress feel like. Then you can recognize the cues and stop anxiety from spiraling out of control by engaging in one of them.

Like exercise, relaxation techniques for anxiety are skills that need to be practiced regularly in order to see significant results. Be patient with yourself. If one technique does not seem to work, try another one until you find the one that is most effective for you.

Corri Jones at Lighthouse Counseling can teach you how some simple relaxation techniques provided by for anxiety that you can start with to help reduce muscle tension and soothe your mind.

Visualization relaxation techniques

1. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a calm, peaceful place like a beautiful garden, a wooded area, a boat out on the lake, a tropical beach, or any other favorite spot where you feel safe and relaxed. Give this place a name such as “ocean” “garden” “lake.”
2. Take deep, slow breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth, while visualizing the location in your mind’s eye in as much detail as possible.
3. Feel your anxiety slowly drifting away as you engage your senses during this visit to your happy place.
4. See the sun setting, for example, hear the birds chirping; smell the flowers; feel the gentle breeze blowing through your hair, or the sand under your feet; and taste the salty sea air.
5. Remain in this scene for five to ten minutes, breathing slowly and deeply, and feeling your muscles relax.
6. Do this 5-10 minutes a day for 30 days and then when you are feeling anxious call up the scene you envisioned. 

Five senses mindfulness technique.

Engage your five senses to ground you by bringing your attention back to the present. Look around the room and name.

1. Five things around you that you can see.
2. Four things around you that you can feel.
3. Three things around you that you can hear.
4. Two things around you that you can smell.
5. One thing that you can taste.

Repetitive prayer

When feeling anxious, sliently repeat a short prayer or Scripture verse while slowly breathing in and out.