The stress test
Take a deep breath and relax with these three relaxation methods
04:45 AM Mar 27, 2012
Judging by our long working hours and numerous incidents of flared tempers, it is an understatement to say that Singaporeans are a stressed bunch. Eight in 10 young Singaporeans suffer from mild to severe stress, according to the Philips Index for Health and Well-being Report 2010.
While some stress isn't always a bad thing, too much of it over a long period of time can affect your health, said Dr Mabel Yum, senior clinical psychologist at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital's (KTPH) department of psychological medicine.
"In a competitive environment like Singapore, stress is not unexpected. You can't run away from it, but what you can do is to learn to cope," she added.
So how can a stressed person get respite in fast-paced Singapore? We put three relaxation techniques to the test.
Stretch for peace of mind
Practising yoga while being suspended in mid-air for an entire hour certainly wasn't my idea of relaxation. But in the name of research, I decided to try out Floating Yoga, the newest form of yoga in town.
The latest newcomer in our local fitness scene, Celebrity Fitness is the only centre here offering Floating Yoga, which uses a custom-made hammock suspension that acts as a soft trapeze to support the body while you execute yoga poses.
To ensure I was sufficiently stressed, I attended the class after work hours last Monday. Guiding me through the session was lead instructor Xabier Fabrega Pujol, a dashing 35-year-old fitness instructor from Barcelona.
Despite its intimidating appearance, the hammock suspension is very safe and a piece of cake to manoeuvre once I get the hang of it, Xabier assured me.
The device also eases the stress on the neck and spine for more challenging yoga poses such as the headstand, which can be dangerous for newbies to execute.
I complained about the tensed muscles in my shoulders and neck, a common problem among office workers who spend the entire day hunched over in front of the computer.
"Ever noticed how some people are so hunched over all the time even when they are standing upright? Stress, coupled with other bad habits like over-using your phone and bad posture, can affect your body's natural alignment, causing you to look much older than you actually are," explained Xabier, who, by the way, had a ramrod straight posture.
To ease my tensed muscles, Xabier took me through several stretching poses using the hammock as leverage. We also did a few "chest-opening" stretches. Amazingly, I felt the positive effects immediately. My shoulders felt more relaxed, and I felt less "stuffy" around the chest.
For the first time since I picked up conventional yoga six months ago, I also managed a headstand with Xabier's help.
I yelped as blood rushed to my hand while hanging upside-down in mid-air supported by the hammock. Xabier said: "Just let yourself go and relax every muscle in your body."
I stopped worrying, enjoyed the new sensations and let all my worries about work melt away.
Xabier advised making exercise, not just yoga, a regular part of your life. Besides the physical health benefits, you will also be doing your mental health a whole load of good.
"Exercise frees your mind from the heavy bag of burdens you carry with you every day. Tell me, when you are so immersed in the stretching exercises just now, were you thinking about your work or problems?" he asked. Well, no.
While Floating Yoga is suitable even for beginners, the workout is certainly no walk in the park.
I ached for days after the session, but what Xabier said made sense. From now on, I'll be sure to fit in a workout session no matter how busy I am, just so I won't get smothered by my bag of burdens.
Visit www.celebrityfitness.com/sg for details.
Inhale, exhale, relax…
Think about the last time you were stressed. You get heart palpitations, your breathing quickens and your muscles tense.
All these physiological "fight or flight" symptoms kick in when you are confronted with extreme stress, said KTPH's Dr Mabel Yum.
To counteract the negative effects of chronic stress, KTPH's clinical psychologists regularly conduct hour-long relaxation therapy classes that teach stressed Singaporeans scientific-based methods to relax. They include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery/visualisation techniques.
Having experienced the three techniques first-hand from Dr Yum, I was surprised to learn that they are fairly simple to learn.
We started with deep breathing exercises, during which I was taught the correct way to breathe. Every inhalation and exhalation should last three seconds each.
According to Dr Yum, anxiety causes your breathing to be shallow and rapid. Focusing on your breathing helps slow down your heart rate, putting you in a more relaxed state.
Next, we proceeded to progressive muscle relaxation, a technique developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. "Clench your fist for five seconds, then relax it. Do this a few more times. How does it feel?" Dr Yum asked.
Apparently, being aware of this sensation and learning to relax muscle tension can reduce anxiety.
For the guided imagery/visualisation technique, I was asked to visualise images/ scenes comforting and pleasant to me. To make the imagery more vivid, I was told to use all my five senses.
"For instance, if you are picturing a day at the beach, think about what you will see, how your feet will feel in the sand, the calls of the seagulls, the salty smell and taste of the sea," explained Dr Yum.
These relaxing images will help your mind and body to relax.
Don't expect instant results though. Initially, you might be more focused on getting the techniques right than feeling relaxed. However, practice makes perfect, said Dr Yum.
She recommended setting aside time to practise the techniques for 20 to 30 minutes daily. Ideally, you should be in comfortable clothing, comfortably seated/lying down in a quiet room and not rushing for time.
For details on classes, visit www.ktph.com.sg or call 6555 8828.
Knead your cares away
Some people enjoy long body massages as a form of relaxation. There are also others who find lying still and being pummelled for hours a torture.
As a person who simply cannot sit still for long, I belong to the latter group.
For an unbiased experiment, I underwent an incognito full body 60-min massage session at Soul Spa at Aranda Country Club, paid for by my massage-loving husband.
I opted for a heartlands spa in the east, as I didn't want to stress myself further by travelling far from home in Pasir Ris.
My massage therapist for the day was Penny, an affable middle-aged lady whose skilled hands deftly kneaded and loosened every knot in my tensed muscles from head to toe.
I have no gripes about Penny's near-perfect massage skills. What I had problems with was that instead of relaxing, I started thinking about how I would write this article!
Then I began worrying about a host of other things, ranging from housework, my daughter's homework to work deadlines. Halfway through the session, I was itching to get home to finish my chores.
That was when I suddenly thought of putting Dr Yum's visualisation technique (see "Inhale, exhale, relax...") into good use since I would be stuck on a massage bed for another 30 minutes.
It worked tremendously well. Visualising a cosy, happy scene during a family vacation took my mind off my worries. Penny's soothing massage strokes, coupled with Dr Yum's relaxation technique, put me in such a relaxed state that I almost dozed off.
According to Rebecca Chan, a certified massage therapist and founder of Origins Jamu Massage, which offers post-natal and home-based massages, regular massages help reduce aches and pain , increase energy levels and relax the body, improving physical and mental performance.
"During a massage session, 'feel good hormones' such as oxytocin are released. When these are released, cortisol (also known as the stress hormone) will be reduced," explained Rebecca.?