Can stress hormones be broken down?

Just as the body produces stress hormones in a stressful situation, the body breaks them down again at the end of this phase. The prerequisite for this, however, is that the perceived stress level decreases, otherwise the body thinks that it must still be prepared for a fight or an escape. So, what sounds easier than it actually is for many people, you just have to reduce the existing stress and the body will follow with a reduction of the stress hormones. For this purpose, for example, certain relaxation techniques can be used in addition to doing sports. Here each humans must find the correct methods for itself, how he/she can diminish stress best so that the body follows and diminishes stress hormones.

Which relaxation techniques can help?

Nowadays there is a wide variety of different relaxation techniques that work differently for each person. Each person has to find out for himself/herself by trying out which of the techniques works best for him/her. One of the best known relaxation techniques is the so-called progressive muscle relaxation.

With this technique, usually accompanied by relaxing music, individual muscle groups are strongly tensed and then slowly relaxed again. The attention is focused on the sensations you feel during the relaxation phase.This process is carried out slowly with all muscle groups of the body and, in addition to releasing muscle tension, leads to a better body perception and a reduction in stress levels. Another well-known relaxation technique is yoga.

Here, however, one has to distinguish between the many different forms of yoga, each with a different emphasis. For example, some forms focus mainly on physical exertion, as is the case with so-called Hatha Yoga. However, there are also forms of yoga that involve less physical activity and are more relaxing. Other well-known relaxation techniques that are used as part of stress reduction are meditation, Qigong, Tai-Chi and autogenic training.