Using Hand Massage to Relieve Stress

We are always face with stress in our lives, whether you like it or not. Stress at home and work, although there are some activities which we can do to lessen stress, some of it cannot be done in our workplace. But there is one solution, you can perform hand exercise routines that you can do while sitting in your office cube. Here are some hand exercise to help you relieve stress.

• Take a dab of lotion or massage oil and slowly work it through your hands. Give special attention to the folds between the fingers, the ball like muscles beneath the thumb, the wrists, and the tip of the fingers. Once you have lavished the lotion or oil on your skin, run your right thumb repeatedly at the muscles comprising the base of the fingers of your other hand. Do this for 10 to 20 counts before doing the same with your other palm.

• Link your fingers together, like you were praying (elbows bent). Push inwards, keeping you palms several inches from your chest. Elevate your elbows to shoulder level. Hold this position for 10 counts and then release.

• Push your right arm forward with palm flexed upward. Take your left palm and gently pull back your right palm toward your body. Do this gently for 5 counts. Make sure that you are doing this exercise without causing pain, and only until you feel your muscles stretched but not strained. Release for 5 counts, and do this again for 5 to 10 repetitions. Do the same on the left arm.

• Press palms together in front of your chest. Fingers should be extended and space apart. Elbows must be either at shoulder level or parallel to the floor. Push hard on both palms until you feel your forearms straining. Hold this position for 10 counts and release for 5 counts. Twenty reps should help ease the symptoms of stress on your shoulder.

• Stretched your fingers by opening them widely and slowly making a fist, one finger at a time. It does not matter if you want to start with the thumb or the little finger as long as you let the fingers stretch while making a fist. You can do this one palm at a time or both palms at the same time. In between the stretching, you can shake your hands in the air to release the tension.

• Clapping loudly relieves stress. So go and clap your hands a few times, but try to add more pressure at the point of impact, particularly on the heels of the palm.

These exercise work better if you incorporate stress relieving breathing exercise as well. And as you do these exercise routines, freeing your mind of negative thoughts.