Health Tools

Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

	Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition.
	Stress Management: Breathing Exercises for Relaxation
	Stress Management: Doing Guided Imagery to Relax
	Stress Management: Doing Progressive Muscle Relaxation
	Stress Management: Practicing Yoga to Relax
	Stress Management: Relaxing Your Mind and Body

Healing Body and Mind

Ideas for mind-body wellness

• Relaxing your mind and body can help ease stress. It can also relieve anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. Try one or more of the following techniques to help you relax:
  • Yoga includes breathing, meditation, and exercises, called postures or poses, that stretch the body.
  • Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing each muscle group to reduce anxiety and muscle tension. If you have trouble falling asleep, this method may also help with sleep problems.
  • Mindfulness-based stress reduction focuses your attention on things that are happening in the present moment. The idea is just to note what is happening without trying to change it.
  • Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress. When you breathe deeply, it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body.
  • Guided imagery is a technique in which you imagine yourself in a setting that helps you feel calm and relaxed.
• Laughter and humor make life richer and healthier. Laughter increases creativity, reduces pain, and speeds healing.
• Building resilience can help you cope. Being resilient means you're able to bounce back from difficult situations or problems.