Easy & Effective
Stress-Reduction
For more you can check out the book:
Simple Stress-Reduction: Easy and Effective Practices for Kids, Teens, and Adults
By Dr. Matthew Goodman
Breathing Techniques
Rapidly activate your parasympathetic, or “rest, digest, and heal” nervous system.
1. Place one hand on your belly, and the other hand on your chest. Notice your natural breathing.
2. Try to breathe so that the hand on your belly goes up and down, instead of the hand on your chest. The belly inflates on the inhale (like a balloon) and deflates on the exhale.
3. Slow the breath down. Count 4-5 seconds on the inhale, and 5-6 seconds on the exhale. Continue breathing like this for 10-20 minutes.
Practice every day!
1. Take your left thumb and cover your left nostril. Breathe deeply through your right nostril. Hold your breath at the top of the inhale.
2. Take your left ring finger and close your right nostril, while releasing your left thumb from your left nostril (alternating nostrils). Breathe out. Exhale completely.
3. Now breathe in through that same left nostril. Hold at the top.
4. Switch back to covering your left nostril and open your right nostril. Exhale completely through your right nostril.
5. Repeat this sequence for a total of 5-10 rounds. Note: you will complete one exhale and one inhale before switching nostrils.
1. Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
2. Hold for a count of 7.
3. Exhale for a count of 8 (flubbing out your lips).
Tip: Keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth, right behind your teeth. You can choose to make the counts longer or slower, but try to maintain the same ratio.
1. Place one or two hands on over your heart.
2. Take some deep breaths in and out of your heart space, as if you were breathing through your heart.
3. Think of something you are grateful for, or something that makes you feel comforted, at ease, or loved (such as a person or pet).
Self-Compassion
“Mmmm.” That’s the feeling of self-compassion. Try out these practices and rest in the soothing, loving goodness they evoke.
1. Place a hand (or two) over your heart area. Take a couple deep breaths.
2. Bring to mind something that has been challenging for you.
3. Acknowledge that this experience has been difficult. You may offer some soothing words to yourself. For example:
• “I know this has been difficult for you.”
• “I can see that you’re really suffering right now.”
• “I know you’re doing the best you can.”
4. Recognize the common humanity of suffering. Remember that everyone suffers. Just like me, others suffer and simply wish to be happy.
5. Ask yourself a very important question: what do I need right now? This might a word or phrase you need to hear (e.g., “It’s okay…”, “I know I will get through this…”). Or maybe it's an action: you need some rest; you need to talk with a friend or loved one; you need to go for a walk. Listen deeply to what you need most, and treat yourself with the care that you would naturally extend towards someone else in need.
*This practice has been adapted from Kristen Neff and Chris Germer: Germer, C., & Neff, K. (2019). Teaching the mindful self-compassion program: A guide for professionals. Guilford Publications. Center for Mindful Self-Compassion: https://centerformsc.org/
1. Begin by drawing to mind someone whom you feel positively towards (e.g., a friend, family member, or even a pet). Feel them in your presence. Then offer them words of loving-kindness. For example (feel free to use your own):
• May you be happy.
• May you feel safe.
• May you live with joy and ease.
• May you be free from suffering.
2. Then, most importantly, offer these same wishes towards yourself with the same attitude of goodwill.
3. If you'd like, expand your circle of loving-kindness to:
• A neutral person (i.e., someone you sort of know).
• A difficult person (i.e., someone whom you have had difficulty with).
• A community of people (e.g., your school, neighborhood, city, etc.).
• All beings everywhere in the world.
Sleep Strategies
Try these meditation practices if you have trouble falling or staying asleep.
1. Close your eyes.
2. In your mind, draw a big circle. You might imagine drawing this in the sand, or with a paintbrush.
3. Draw and say the number "1" inside the circle.
4. Draw and say "calm" inside the circle.
5. Wipe away your drawing.
6. Repeat for 2-10.
1. Take your left thumb and cover your left nostril. Breathe deeply through your right nostril. Hold your breath at the top of the inhale.
2. Take your left ring finger and close your right nostril, while releasing your left thumb from your left nostril (alternating nostrils). Breathe out. Exhale completely.
3. Now breathe in through that same left nostril. Hold at the top.
4. Switch back to covering your left nostril and open your right nostril. Exhale completely through your right nostril.
5. Repeat this sequence for a total of 5-10 rounds. Note: you will complete one exhale and one inhale before switching nostrils.
Other Stress-Reduction Techniques
Relax your body and come back into the “here and now.”
1. Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Take a couple of deep belly breaths to settle in.
2. Start out by noticing how your entire body feels. Maybe send some deep diaphragmatic breaths throughout the body or in places of tension.
3. Starting with the face, scrunch up those muscles for ~3-5 seconds (hold tight!)… then let go for ~5 -10 seconds. Notice how your muscles in the face feel. Can you notice the difference between a relaxed and tense state?
4. Repeat this same procedure all the way through your body, covering the neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, belly, hips, groin, upper and lower legs, and feet. Notice how your body feels.
5. With practice, you can learn to simply notice and release tension (without squeezing) during your normal day.
-Name 5 things you can see; 4 things you can hear; 3 things you can touch; 2 things you can smell; 1 thing you can taste.
OR
-Name objects in your environment, e.g., “chair,” “desk,” “pillow.” Name what color they are. Pay attention to other qualities, such as shape and texture.
OR
-Feel your feet on the floor. Feel the energy of your body move down towards your feet. You might imagine that your feet have roots going deep into the ground.