First things first, let’s not believe everything we read online. If you want to stay healthy and relaxed, enjoy an active lifestyle, eat well and spend time with people that care for you. Having said that, this case is mind boggling. An authentic expert and scientist suggest a single hand gesture can reduce your anxiety levels almost instantly.
Here’s all you need to know about this exciting technique. Does it work? Perhaps it does, maybe it doesn’t. The cool thing about using this hand gesture is that trying it out is harmless. And remember, the mind is a powerful thing — if you really believe in something, it might just become true. Can a hand gesture make you feel more relaxed? Well, it might just be true! Come on, read on and try it for yourself!
Pew Pew Pew!
The famous hand gesture everyone’s talking about is the pistol sign bending the pinky and the ring fingers, while extending the rest of the fingers. Doing this might relax you and reduce your anxiety levels.
You can do it with one or two hands, but it seems you must maintain the gesture for a few minutes while focusing on the task with deep breaths. Deep breathing alone will relax you, of course, and distracting yourself from what’s causing your anxiety helps too.
In other words, the ‘pistol’ hand gesture might just work because you focus on an effortless task that distracts you from what’s troubling you. Well, here’s where the experts chip in, there’s a chance there are other factors at play, and they involve your physiology and breathing patterns. Here’s what the experts say.
It’s All in Breathing Correctly
According to Shigemitsu Hayashi, a graduate from Tokyo University and an expert in relaxation techniques, hand gestures are more powerful than we thought. It turns out making the ‘pistol’ gesture causes you to shift from chest breathing to abdominal breathing.
Abdominal breathing is used by singers and people who talk publicly to bring forward a louder voice. The stress and tension in this type of breathing are incredibly relaxing and allow your body to take more oxygen in.
Apparently, using the hand gesture will also reduce the beta brain waves in your body, responsible for stress and anxiety. In other words, it makes you pay attention to what you’re doing instead of going by on autopilot. That’s relaxing, you know? So, this hand gesture does just that, it relaxes you, and we should all try it!
Other Ways to Relax
Now, if hand gestures are not for you, there are many other ways to find peace and reduce your stress and anxiety levels. A cup of tea is an excellent start; for example, the ancestral drink has been known as an all-natural remedy for stress for centuries.
You can also do some exercise. Studies have shown working out and even walking around the block every morning can reduce your anxiety massively. Keep on moving and let all that stress go.
Doing yoga, getting a massage, going for a drink with friends are all viable ways of feeling a bit less pressure. And if all else fails, you can always try the hand movement everyone’s talking about; it might just be what you’re looking for. Breath, people, and take it easy! There’s no problem large enough to put your health at risk.
Stay Calm, People!
Now you know it, the ‘pistol’ hand gesture can relax you, which comes from a reputable source, so you better try it! And although we’re all different and not all treatments work for all of us, just knowing that simple things like a hand gesture can get you in a better mood is encouraging, don’t you think?
