Anti-stress programme: one stress-free week

A week without stress lies ahead of you. Try the anti-stress programme with numerous tips on nutrition, mindfulness and movement, including some delicious recipes for you to try at home.

10.04.2017 Lara Brunner 4 minutes

Many of us know the feeling of never having enough time. We are fully occupied at work and at home. Focus on yourself for a week. Our anti-stress programme will help you to do so.

The anti-stress week

The anti-stress week will bring more movement to your daily routine, ensure you have a balanced diet and give you a healthy work-life balance. Give it a try:

Monday

Morning

Start the week with a five-minute meditation session: set the alarm clock, sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes. Consciously breathe in and out deeply. Concentrate on your breathing.

 

Afternoon

Loosen your tense muscles. Stand up straight with your weight on both legs. Stretch as far as you can, right to your fingertips.

 

Evening

Enjoy a cup of melissa tea. Melissa can have a calming and relaxing effect and help you to fall sleep.

Tuesday

Morning

Listen to your favourite music on your commute to work – whether in your car or by using headphones on the train. In this way, you will arrive relaxed and start the day calmly.

 

Lunch

Treat yourself to a break in natural surroundings. Breathe in deeply. This will supply your body with the perfect amount of oxygen. Movement in the fresh air stimulates your circulation and gets your blood flowing.

 

Evening

Become a digital detoxer: treat yourself to an evening without TV, smartphone and co. In this way, you can prevent digital stress.

Wednesday

Morning

Power breakfast: make a muesli with bananas, carrots and apples. This will provide you with lots of valuable vitamins, minerals and dietary fibres.

 

Lunch

Have you got a strained neck? Let your head hang loose while massaging and kneading your neck for three minutes. With a fascia ball, you can further loosen the neck muscles.

 

Evening

Watch a comedy: when you are happy, your brain sends impulses to your risible muscles. It also works the other way round: when you laugh, your risible muscles send stimuli to your brain. This then releases the happy hormone serotonin, making you happy.

Thursday

Lunch

When we feel stressed, we tend to tense one side of the body more than the other. Consider your shoulders as scales: make sure to consciously keep them balanced.

 

Afternoon coffee break

Eat a handful of unsalted nuts, for example walnuts, almonds or cashew nuts. They contain valuable fatty acids.

 

Evening

Burn off some energy: do a jumping jack! To do so, stand up straight and hold your arms next to your body. Start to hop slightly until you reach a shoulder-width position. Rotate your knees and feet slightly outwards whilst simultaneously lifting your arms and legs upwards.

Friday

Morning

Get up an hour earlier today, and enjoy some fresh air while Nordic walking. Make sure you adopt the right Nordic walking technique.

 

Afternoon

Treat yourself to a power nap: 20 to 30 minutes of sleep – but no longer. In this way, you can recharge your batteries for the rest of the day.

 

Evening

Finish the week by relaxing in a warm bath. Use lavender as a bath additive. Lavender has a relaxing and calming effect and helps to ensure a restful sleep.

Saturday

Morning

Loosen up by tensing up for short periods: progressive muscle relaxation (PME). This method results in deep relaxation in case of stress, pain or sleeping disorders. 

 

Afternoon

Spend time in natural surroundings. Not sure where to go? We have some excursion destinations for you with tips on hiking and swimming. Be inspired.

 

Evening

Cook a balanced dish with lots of fresh and crunchy vegetables from the Helsana Coach App.

Sunday

Morning

Sleep in a bit today. After getting up, go for a short swim in a lake or swimming pool. Follow our tips on preventing the most common errors when doing breaststroke.

 

Lunch

Try a new lunch menu: falafel and salad with mint dressing. The recipe is tasty and a feast for the eyes.

 

Evening

Remembering good vacation times is relaxing and makes us happy: instead of watching TV, look at photos of your favourite holiday.

Read more

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