(HealthDay News) -- Relaxation techniques can help you reduce stress and improve sleep.

The University of Maryland Medical Center offers this list of relaxation techniques:

• Progressive relaxation, which is consciously relaxing the muscles from your toes to your head and everything between.
• Toe tensing involves lying down, pointing the toes toward the face, and holding for 10 seconds before relaxing the toes and repeating.
• Breathing in deeply for eight to 10 seconds, holding the breath for one to two seconds, and slowly releasing.
• Guided imagery, which involves closing your eyes and visualizing a happy, peaceful place.
• Quiet ears, in which you lie down with hands beneath the head, then block the ear canals with the thumbs. Hold this position for 10 seconds to 15 seconds.