Stress is a common part of our daily lives, and our bodies respond to it through a complex physiological reaction.

It produces a physical response in our bodies, bracing us for action. However, there’s a big difference between the stressors we encounter and the stress we carry within us. We often manage the stressor but not the stress, and that built-up tension needs an outlet. Since we experience stress daily, it’s essential to have practices that help us close the stress cycle and deal with it effectively.

7 Quick Practices to Release Stress

1. Release Tension Around Your Eyes

We store a ton of stress in our eye muscles, especially from staring at screens all day or squinting against the sun traffic.

• Massage: Take your thumb and pointer finger and gently pinch your eyebrows, giving them a gentle squeeze. Massage around your eyebrows, temples, and hairline.
• Relax: Rub your hands together until they’re warm, then place your palms over your closed eyes. Lean back and relax for a minute, letting those muscles unwind.

2. Loosen a Clenched Jaw

Many of us hold stress in our jaws, leading to clenching or grinding our teeth.

• Stretch: Let your tongue rest away from the roof of your mouth, let your jaw fall open, then open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue. Make some silly faces, stretch your lips, and move your jaw side to side and forward and back.
• Massage: Take your hands to your jaw joint and massage while opening and closing your mouth. Do this in the morning and throughout the day as needed.

3. Release Neck Tension

Stress often leads to tension in the neck and shoulders.

• Massage: Gently massage the tense areas of your neck.
• Stretch: Do big neck circles, five in one direction and five in the other, to release and open up that space.

4. Lower Tensed Shoulders

Neck and shoulder muscles are closely connected, and they often tense up together.

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Close your eyes if you can. On the count of three, squeeze and clench every muscle in your face, neck, and shoulders. Hold tight for a few seconds, then release. Stretch and do neck circles. Repeat 3-4 times to release tension.

5. Release Chest Tension

Anxiety affects our breathing and chest muscles.

• Box Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold again for 4 seconds. This helps regulate your breathing and reduces chest tension.

6. Relieve Stomach Tension

Stress affects our abdominal muscles and digestion.

• Swaying: Stand with your arms loose. Turn your torso right and left, letting your arms sway. Do this for 30 seconds to a minute to release stomach tension and bring regulation to your nervous system.

7. Release Hip Tension

We hold a lot of stress in our hips, especially from sitting for long periods.

• Supine Psoas Stretch:
  • Lie on your back and bring your knees to your chest.
  • Hold one knee while extending the opposite leg along the floor.
  • Gently lower the extended leg to stretch the hip and thigh.
  • Hold for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, breathing deeply. Switch legs and repeat.

These simple, quick practices can help you release stress and tension from your body. Regularly incorporating them into your routine can make a big difference in how you manage stress. Notice where in your body you tend to hold stress—is it your jaw, neck, shoulders, chest, gut, or hips? These small somatic practices, done consistently, can lead to significant improvements.

If you find that you hold a lot of stress and anxiety in your body and need more personalized help, I have a few 1:1 coaching spots opening for the summer. Feel free to book a discovery call through the link in the show notes. Let’s get a handle on this together!

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