If stress has been getting the better of you and your friends are starting to tell you to relax and breathe, you came to the right place. You can learn how to manage stress better and you can learn how to relax. Having a massage or some form of bodywork will help you relax. As you become more relaxed, you may actually become more aware of the tension in your body. It wakes you up so to speak. That's the bad news. The good news is that as you become more aware, you will have a greater sense of control over how much stress will affect your body. If you have a habit of holding your shoulders, for example, you will start to notice how you respond to certain stressful situations and be able to change it. The more you practice, the easier it gets, but it does take time and patience. You have to practice relaxation to achieve relaxation. The next time someone tells you to relax and breathe, you will know exactly what to do!