Dear stress: I think it’s time to break up!

Are you the type of person who cannot relax and for whom the very idea of relaxation or joining a yoga class generates unwanted stress? If so, this article is for you!

Relaxation is a tool that can accompany you in each step of your care, during your illness, but also after treatment. Here are a few tips to help you manage stress, and perhaps your anxiety as well, to better improve your overall level of well-being.

Medically reviewed by Urologic Oncologist Dr. Robert J. Hamilton on 11/22/2022

Fight stress through relaxation

The fundamental element of relaxation is breathing. Learn to breathe correctly and you will more easily control your mental state as well as your emotions. Here are a few suggestions for breathing techniques that you can use with ease on a daily basis. By practicing them regularly, you will quickly appreciate the benefits they bring.

First of all, focus on your breathing. To better understand how you breathe, ask yourself:

Is your breathing rapid or calm?
Are you breathing in deep or not?
Do you breathe through your belly or through your chest?

This last question is crucial, because generally speaking, it is better to breathe through your belly, which means breathing deeply. Abdominal breathing helps to control the nervous system and encourages the body to relax, bringing about a range of health benefits.

There are different breathing techniques to bring about relaxation. In essence, the general aim is to shift from upper chest breathing to abdominal breathing or belly breathing.

How to breathe through the belly?

While sitting, close your eyes and put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Take notice of how your upper chest and abdomen are moving while you breathe. Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four, making sure your abdomen is expanding and not your chest. Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of four.

Do this exercise quietly five or six times without forcing yourself. If you feel the need to take a big breath, do so, and then resume the slow rhythmic breathing until you feel calm.

Enjoy the pleasant feeling of being calm. Breathe in deeply and then begin to move your hands and feet, stretching… Open your eyes when you want.

An exercise you can do anywhere

The good news is that you can do this exercise anywhere at any time and in any posture, while sitting or standing, with eyes open or shut. The important thing here is to focus on your breathing in order to breathe with your belly. In the context of testicular cancer treatment, this is crucial to lowering stress levels and helping you feel better about yourself.

Take the necessary time to visit each of our pages on this website to familiarize yourself with the disease. Do you have questions or concerns? Above all, do not hesitate. Contact us via Messenger on our Facebook page. It’s simple, free and confidential.

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ADMINNovember 30, 2022Comment