In the short term, stress takes an immediate effect on the body, however, chronic stress puts your health at risk. On stressed, the body releases hormones and boosts the heart and breathing rates. This is OK if we can control stress within a definable time frame.

If stress is left untreated, then it can cause depression, anxiety, stroke, heart attack, irritability, vomiting, and nausea. Moreover, it can affect our sex organs and damage our immune system, making us more susceptible to diseases. Yoga, massage, and regular exercises can help us cope with this issue. However, there is a Japanese self-relaxation technique which can be done anywhere in just 5 minutes.

Each of our fingers represent a different kind of feeling and emotion, like:

• Thumb – worry and anxiety;
• Index finger – fear;
• Middle finger – rage and bitterness;
• Ring finger – depression and melancholy;
• Pinky finger – self- esteem.

The aim of this method is to balance the opposing energy forces in the body, thus you have to start by taking one finger at a time, grasping it with the other hand and wrapping every finger around it. Each finger should be held for one to two fingers, waiting until you feel the pulse. At that point you will know that it works. In order to aid in the process of relaxation, you should apply slight pressure on the center of the palm with the opposite thumb, holding for 1 minute. Practicing this technique daily will help your spirit become balanced and will enable you deal with stress in a much efficient manner.