Coping with Holiday Stress & Self-Care: Day 1

Muscle Tensing and Relaxing

When we become stressed, our muscles tense, our heart rate quickens, our blood pressure rises, and our breathing can become faster and shallower.

But when we relax our muscles, our brains and emotions calm down. Relaxing tells our central nervous systems that the threat has passed, and we are safe. Practicing muscle relaxation exercises daily can help lower stress hormones and actually rewire the brain!

This is a simple exercise that can greatly calm your body, mind, and emotions. Ideally, you can steal away to a private room to complete this exercise. But if you are unable to leave where you are, just practice it where you’re standing. Depending on how much time you have, we’ve provided a 2-minute and a 5-minute version.

2-Minute Exercise

1. Take a deep cleansing breath.
2. Then, beginning at the top of your head, move down through your different muscle groups.
3. Tense each area of your body as tightly as you can for 5 seconds
4. Then quickly relax your muscles.
5. Head: Imagine a warm light lifting your head.
6. Face: Make a big smile. Hold it for 5 seconds, then drop your cheeks.
7. Shoulders: Tense your shoulders up to your chin. Hold for 5 seconds, then drop.
8. Our favorite—“The Lemon Squeeze” Pretend you’re holding a lemon in your hand. Even better—get a lemon out of the fridge! Squeeze, squeeze hard for 5 seconds. Suddenly drop the lemon. Repeat in your other hand.
9. Tense and release your arms, abs, upper and lower legs, and squeeze your toes like you’re squishing mud.
10. Take a slow, deep breath and exhale like you’re blowing bubbles. Smile. Then go back to your day.

5-Minute Exercise

1. Steal away to a quiet room.
2. Lie down on the floor or on your bed.
3. Slowly practice the exercise above.
4. Then go back up from your feet all the back up to the top of your head.

Dr. Todd and Kristin Evans are celebrating 22 years of marriage. They are award-winning authors, speakers, and parents of two children with complex needs. Their new book, How to Build a Thriving Marriage as You Care for Children with Disabilities will release in May 2024 by Baker Books. They both earned their MA in Christian Educational Ministries at Wheaton College in Illinois and have served together in full-time ministry in church, camping, and retreat settings. Todd received his PhD from Vanderbilt University’s School of Engineering and currently manages his own business, and Kristin earned her MSW from the University of Tennessee and is a Licensed Master Social Worker experienced in couples, child and family, substance abuse, and crisis counseling.