Three things to naturally relieve stress

March 15, 2011 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

How would you like to be able to lead a stress-free life? Although it is something that all of us would desire, it is also something that is rather impractical for the majority of us. The reason why this is the case is because we live in stressful surroundings and the average person tends to deal with so much stress during the day, it can be difficult to come down from that, let alone getting rid of it altogether. That doesn’t mean, however, that there is nothing that you can do about it in the meantime and here are 3 ways that you can reduce your stress naturally.

Eat Properly – One of the first things that you can try if you are a stressed out on a regular basis is to clean up your diet a little bit. Eating the wrong types of foods that are either sugary or processed is typically at the very core of much of the stress that we are dealing with. There may be outside indicators and triggers which caused the stress but unless we are eating properly, we may not be able to deal with it successfully. Eat more natural foods and you will notice a difference in your stress levels.

Exercise Regularly – How often have we heard that we need to exercise? Not only is it good for the physical body, it is also excellent for the mental body as well. Whenever you exercise, you give yourself the opportunity to work through many of the problems that you may be dealing with inside of your mind. Not only that, you also help to balance the body so that the stress you have to deal with is more easily assimilated. Finally, endorphins are released during exercise which make you naturally feel good on the inside.

Supplement – Believe it or not, many of us are dealing with a lot of stress that is unnecessary because we are deficient in some kind of vitamin or mineral. One of the biggest culprits of this is vitamin B, something that everybody needs to replenish on a daily basis. Try taking vitamin B capsules, or eating brewers yeast several times throughout the day. It can make a difference that you will begin to feel almost instantly and can help to reduce the amount of stress that we are feeling, which is something that all of us would enjoy.

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How To Reduce Stress And Ease Worry In Minutes

January 31, 2011 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

Stress is everywhere, we realize it’s unhealthy, and we all know the problems it can lead to. Many of us feel we actually should do some thing about this, although the trouble with stress is when we are in it’s grip it’s hard to do a whole lot about anything at all.

Meditation, relaxation and visualisation are the standard tips for reducing stress, and they are all effective and useful to us in many ways, however, they aren’t so easy to set into use when stress attacks with it’s disruptive travel companions frustration, confusion, and anxiety in full attendance.

Here’s something simple you can try to diffuse stress quickly and easily, anytime and anywhere.

1. rub your forehead with both hands in vertical lines from your eyebrows to your hairline for a few moments

2. about an inch above each eyebrow you will find a bump – rest your fingertips there lightly and hold

3. take a deep breathe in and lighten the pressure of your fingertips until they are touching those points very softly

4. breathe deeply again and allow yourself to sink into how you are really feeling right now – focus clearly and specifically on the one thing that is mainly causing you stress, or anxiety

5. allow yourself to think the truth of the matter, hold the points and breathe and remain that way for a couple of minutes

6. concentrate on the area you are holding and feel for pulsations under your fingertips as the blood flow, previously diverted by stress, is restored to your forebrain. Now you can begin to think clearly again as you feel stress drain away and find yourself in control and able to choose how you wish to respond to what’s at hand.

What many of us don’t realise about stress is that although it is often triggered by our mental states and emotional responses it is in fact a physiological occurrence. The body responds directly to every impression we feed it be it real or imagined; it makes no difference to the body. If you tell it you are stressed it will respond immediately by sending the majority of the blood from your forebrain to your chest for faster breathing and the more efficient pumping of blood through your heart and to the muscles of your legs for whatever action they may need to take.

When you consider this automatic physical response it’s easy to see why we don’t always think well under stress. This simple technique tells your body to stand down and encourages the blood flow to return to the brain for clear thinking and decision-making.

Try this for:

- diffusing stress on the spot and stopping it from accumulating

- easing worries

- regaining control of your resources and having access to your full capacity for dealing with any given situation.

- preventing the digestive disorders associated with stress developing. (Use this before eating to make sure that your digestive system is ready and willing to receive the goodness from your food in a calm and efficient manner.)

- relaxing and clearing your mind before sleep

- inducing a feeling of calm from which you can then step deeper into a meditative or relaxed state

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Effective Herbs for Stress

January 1, 2011 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

Stress is a part of life. There is no way of avoiding it. While a little amount of stress can keep you alert and focused, too much can harm the body.

If too much stress is left untreated, it can result to serious health hazards. Also, too much stress can drain the body of its nutrients, impairs the cardiovascular system, and lowers the capability of the immune system to ward off diseases.

Stress management techniques have been developed to combat stress. Aside from these techniques, availing of herbs can also help in stress control.

Herbs can actually reduce or even get rid of the harmful effects that are caused by stress. Certain herbs for stress can treat physical ailments while others can work effectively for psychological problems.

Hawthorne berries are good herbs for stress. They are especially good if you are under pressure. When you feel that your heart is beating too fast and your breathing becomes more rapid, Hawthorne berries can ease these symptoms down. If the berries are not available, you can use Linden flowers as a substitute. These herbs for stress are either sold as capsules or ready to brew tea.

Sometimes, stress can cause stomach problems. In cases like this, stress affects the digestive tract. For digestive system trouble, try to brew tea made of chamomile or peppermint. This can be done by snipping the chamomile or peppermint leaves into small pieces and boil them in water. These herbs for stress can soothe down an irritated stomach.

If you are experiencing shoulder pain, you can use the herb Valerian. Valerian can soothe tired muscles. It can also help induce sleep for people who suffer insomnia.

If you are suffering from headaches and migranes that are stress related, drink tea made from feverfew or willow bark. These make amazing, safe and soothing painkillers.

Oats is also am amazing herb for stress. This is especially good for a nervous system that is at its limits. This can be eaten as food. If you want, you can drink it in the form of oatstraw tea. Oats can nourish the nervous system.

To strengthen your body to handle stress, you would need herbs that have adaptogenic properties. Such properties can be availed of herbs such as ginseng. With ginseng, your body can handle stress better in a future time. This is unlike synthetic stimulants which can only be effective in a very short amount of time.
These herbs are just as effective today as they are in the past. In fact, they are safer and gentler than modern drugs. However, medicines and herbs are not going to make stress disappear. It also takes good stress management to reduce or control stress effectively.

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Stress Meditation Techniques

September 21, 2010 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

If you are suffering from stress meditation can be a great way to relieve the symptoms. Buddhist monks and nuns, who meditate often, are well known for being some of the calmest people on earth. Of course, meditation is practiced by Christians and people of many other religions too. Fortunately you can get a lot of the same benefits without booking in for life at the nearest monastery.

In order to relieve stress meditation is usually practiced regularly. It is possible, of course, to sit down and meditate whenever you feel especially stressed, but often times this is not convenient. Anyway, you will get better results if you practice it often.

Try to meditate every day at the same time. For most people the best time is either first thing in the morning, last thing at night or after an exercise session.

Anti stress meditation does not have to be practiced for very long. It is much more effective to sit for 10 minutes, six days a week, than to meditate for a whole hour once a week.

So here is how to do it. First make sure that you will not be interrupted during your stress meditation time. You might want to put a ‘Do not disturb’ notice on the door. Switch off your phone. Use some kind of timer or alarm so that you do not have to keep looking at a clock.

Then find a comfortable position either sitting or lying down. Lie flat on your back on the floor or on a mat, with no pillow. If you are sitting, you can be crosslegged on a cushion on the floor in the traditional meditation posture or use a chair. Be sure to keep your back straight. In a chair, have both feet flat on the ground.

Be aware of your breath flowing in and out through your nostrils. You can either close your eyes or have them slightly open, looking down. You may find it helpful to work through the body, relaxing each part. Do not forget the muscles of the face, which carry a lot of tension.

You will find that thoughts and emotions arise while you are doing this. Try to let them go. They will pass by themselves if you do not get caught up in them.

Some people find it helpful to listen to some relaxing music or sounds or water, birdsong etc while they meditate. There are many relaxation CDs that you can find in a music store or online. It is better to get something that is specially designed for relaxation and does not include any lyrics. Songs can be very emotive and can arouse strong feelings, making you more stressed instead of less.

Alternatively, you might want to investigate binaural beats which play a special rhythm designed to set the brain’s waves to a frequency that is associated with deep relaxation. You can play these on an MP3 player with stereo headphones. Just one warning: you may want to do this in the evening rather than earlier in the day, because binaural beats played during anti stress meditation can be so relaxing you will want to go to sleep right after you finish!

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Relaxation Techniques For Stress

April 20, 2010 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

Believe it or not, using relaxation techniques for stress can help get you even if you feel like you have it all together. There are so many factors that contribute to everyday stress in our lives. You have the busy workday, taking care of children, caring for the pets, cleaning, cooking and so many things to worry about. When problems with money start to surface, then that will seem like the major breaking point. You are not the only one dealing with stress. There are millions of individuals throughout the world that are dealing with stress. If you feel as if you cannot deal with it anymore (There is no reason you should have to deal with it), then turn to some relaxation techniques for stress.

All it takes is a couple of minutes out of your busy day. We have some simple exercises that will help you out. Continue reading below for some quick relaxation techniques.

The first thing you need to do when you practice these relaxation techniques for stress is to put some comfortable clothes on. If you are at work and cannot get comfortable clothes, then loosen what you are wearing. Start by tightening the muscles in your toes. Hold them as you count to ten. Relax and take note of the sensation when you release from tension. Flex the muscles that are in your feet and hold them while you count to ten, then relax.

Slowly, do this routine through your body. Start from the feet, then move to the legs and up the rest of the body. Contract, then relax those muscles as you are moving up. This is a technique that many individuals use in order to relieve the anxiety they are experiencing. It can be done either at home or at work.

During this time, make sure you take deep, slow breaths. Breathing techniques are also known for relieving anxiety. Put your hand right under your navel so that you feel the rise and fall of the belly as you breathe. Take a slow breath in. Pause as you count to three, then breathe out. Pause and count to three, then breathe in. Continue doing this for a minute.

So, the next time you feel stressed out, try these relaxation techniques for stress and see if they help!

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Yoga For Stress Relief

April 20, 2010 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

Fifty years ago, most westerners either knew nothing about yoga or thought it was an arcane mystical practice from India. Many people shied away from it because they mistakenly thought it involved adopting a foreign religion. Little by little, though, the word got out. Yoga is a form of physical exercise and mental control that can be used by anyone. Today, millions are discovering yoga for stress relief as the most effective form of self therapy there is.

There are several types of practices that all come under the heading of “yoga.” Perhaps the most well known is “hatha yoga.” Hatha yoga refers to the physical exercises associated with yoga.

When you look at pictures of yogis getting into the yoga asanas (poses), you might think that hatha yoga was only for the young and very fit. This is not true, though. Yoga is for everyone and even the elderly can benefit greatly from adaptations of yoga postures.

Another aspect of yoga for stress relief that is widely practiced today is meditation. There are many schools of meditation, but basically they all teach similar techniques. At the simplest level, they just require you to close your eyes and clear your mind of distracting thoughts. The specific techniques all lead to this goal. As a way to relieve stress, meditation is easily the safest and most reliable there is and it can be done by anybody.

“Pranayama” is a lesser known yoga technique, but it is vital to an understanding of yoga and the effective practice of yoga. A good definition of pranayama is “breath control.” Our breathing cycle is directly connected to our mental activity. Pranayama teaches you breathing techniques that will quickly eliminate stress, sharpen your mind and enjoy even deeper levels of relaxation when you meditate.

Look into yoga for stress relief. Like millions of others, you just may find your life transformed by simple and highly effective regular yoga practice.

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Stress Management Skills That Will Work

April 20, 2010 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

Stress Management is a necessary component of every life. Stress is something that everyone faces everyday and how they deal with it will decide whether they are successful in life.

There are many ways to reduce stress. One of the best ways is to take some time out of your day for yourself and only you. You could take a walk around the block, do some yoga, go to the club, whatever you like to do, do it! Stress is common, but if you do something you love for one hour, it’s one hour you aren’t thinking about your stress!

Another thing you can do for stress management is to think positive. Most people bring on their stress by thinking too much. If there is a deadline that you might not make you think you might get fired, and then lose your house and you just keep on going.

How realistic is that? Is your entire job tied to one deadline? Can’t you meet the deadline if you take a second to just breathe? Thinking logically can dissolve the negativity and reduce your overall stress level. This will also help you function better everyday.

As an adult or teen, there is a lot of things people have to deal with. Being stressed is not healthy. It can take years off your life, and can lead to depression and increased anxiety, all of which lower the quality of your life. The best thing you can try to do towards stress management is eliminate the things in your that give you too much stress. Although this may seem impractical, it can be realistic! If you work in a high stress environment, pay attention to where you feel stressed and change the way you look at it. Maybe you have a very early deadline? Think about it as a chance for you to prove your skills and hopefully do what you love!

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Finding Ways To Manage Teenage Stress

April 20, 2010 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

Being a teenager is extremely difficult and most people have a hard time figuring that out. Teens have to deal with the pressure to succeed in an increasingly competitive world. Managing teenage stress is an important way of living a better life later on!

They have to deal with self image anxiety perpetuated by media outlets life models and magazines. They live in a more open world where one’s life story can be delivered with the click of a mouse. This is why managing stress for teens is extremely important.

One of the unique things at that age is the fact that you have the ability to explore new possibilities. Trying new things and exploring new possibilities, doing what teens do best, is the most effective way of reducing teenage stress. Go out on adventures and learn something new. I know learning is not something you would want to do outside of school, but I do not mean that kind of learning. Go to the beach and learn things about your friends, learn to swim, learn to camp. Do what you want to do as often as you can and this will reduce your stress.

Stress often happens when teens over think their situation and feel like they have to do something or worried about the consequences of doing something. Stress can be constraining, and can force you into a wall. This is exactly what you have to avoid. Try to do things that are freeing. Try eating some new type of food, take a walk in the nature. Do something liberating. If even for a second, it will make you less stressed.

Another way to manage teenage stress is to surround yourself with positive energy. Do not hang around people who constantly act nervous or say negative things about other people and bring out a negative side of you. This is unhealthy for you because it will bring you down. You are meant to achieve great things and stress only inhibits it.

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Popular Stress Reduction Techniques

April 20, 2010 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

There is no denying that stress is a major problem in our society. It’s no wonder. We are under constant pressure. When we’re in school, we are always stressing over exams. When we enter the workforce, we stress about getting a job. Then we stress about keeping the job or getting a better paying job. As parents, we stress about paying the bills. If there is one thing we all need, it is stress reduction techniques.

All too often, stress gets the better of us. If we don’t crack under the strain of it and turn to prescription medications, we suffer in other ways. Stress decreases job performance, can lead to depression or levels of constant irritability that can destroy relationships. If you take a look at the effects of stress in your life, you will be taking the first step towards a much brighter future.

Even if you feel you are “on top of it, ” practicing stress reduction techniques will help you in every facet of your life. Some of the best techniques available are so simple, natural and effective, there’s no reason why everyone, no matter how busy, can’t use them in their daily lives.

Take yoga, for example. It doesn’t really require an inordinate amount of time to go through a quick daily routine. The benefits of yoga far outweigh the time it takes to go through a quick session. Once you have learned the techniques, you can tailor your session to suit your lifestyle. Even 5 minutes spent doing a routine called “surya namaskar” or sun salutation can invigorate you for the rest of the day.

Then there is meditation. When you get home at the end of a stressful day, as little as 15 minutes of meditation can help you unwind faster and far more effectively than hours spent in front of the TV.

These are just a couple of examples of stress reduction techniques that you can start employing in your daily life, no matter how busy you are. Once you have tried them, you will be amazed by how they can change your life!

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Different Ways To Deal With Stress

April 20, 2010 by  
Filed under Stress Management Techniques

We all know that stress is bad for us. We read about it every day. “Stress causes heart disease” and other stress-related topics are covered regularly in major health publications and websites. It’s not that we don’t know about stress. The problem is that we don’t know what to do about it. Sometimes, we confuse chronic real stress symptoms with the temporary stress caused by circumstances and fail to do anything about it.

There are many ways to deal with stress that are safer and more effective than prescription medications. If you do your research, you will discover that prescription drugs can in fact do more harm than good. Not only do they have physical side effects in many people, they can also lower your ability to perform and can even be addictive.

The reason people turn to drugs is because they get instant gratification from them. What they don’t know, however, is that you can get immediate results from a number of safer, natural techniques as well. Twenty minutes of meditation, for instance, can make a huge difference in your stress levels. This has been proven by science. EEG monitors used on experienced and novice meditators show a marked increase in peaceful “alpha” brainwaves and an equally marked decrease in the “beta” brainwaves associated with stress.

Many people have adopted regular yoga practice into their lives as a way to help deal with stress. Yoga is not only good for your overall health, but is a great way to melt away stress naturally.

Instead of taking potentially harmful prescription medications, many people have discovered that there are a number of stress-reducing herbal remedies available. These safe alternatives to drugs help relieve stress without side effects and are not addictive.

Some common stress symptoms include anxiety, depression, worry, hypertension and irritability. If these have become a part of your daily life, then you are probably suffering from chronic stress. Instead of stressing about stress, you can do something about it when you practice some of these ways to deal with stress!

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