You are here: Home / Stress / Stress Relief

How to Get Rid of Stress in Your Life

May 1, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Some stress is actually desirable – you probably don’t want to get rid of the reflexive stress that causes you to jump out of the way of a moving bus, or that stress that gives you the energy to meet challenges in the workplace or home. But the kind of stress you may want to get rid of is the chronic, wearing type of stress that may be having a negative effect on your health.

Here are some tips on getting rid of the bad stress in your life.

1. Don’t sweat the small stuff

You may have heard this saying before, but there’s a reason why it gets repeated. Keeping a healthy perspective about how important or unimportant certain things are can go a long way toward relieving stress. Stop and think about whether or not something is going to matter in ten years, five years, or next week!

For example, if you find the enormous load of laundry that never goes away stressful, think about whether it will make a difference in ten years whether that laundry is washed today or on some other day.

2. Adjust your lifestyle

It’s one thing to deal with stress that’s already in your life; it’s another to prevent it. Try making some changes to reduce stress before it happens. Some people find it helpful to make a schedule – instead of looking around and seeing more than you can do, make a realistic plan to get it done.

Things that need to be done seem less overwhelming when you know you are working on them. And on the days when you are not tackling that particular thing, you may feel more like you deserve or have “earned” a break, since you worked on it yesterday and will be working on it again another day.

3. Practice deep breathing

This can go into actual meditation if you like – meditation is said to relieve stress, too. But if you just want to practice deep, slow breathing, it can help relieve stress.

Breathe slowly through your nose and imagine filling up your whole middle with air; then release it slowly through your mouth. Repeat a helpful phrase or imagine a restful image while you do this, if possible. Some sources say this helps release toxins, too – they say that stale air left in the lungs may make you more prone to disease or infection.

4. Turn it off

Take some time to turn off the news, your cell phone, the radio, your land line telephone, and the computer. Sometimes, our sources of stress come from hearing about the suffering and difficulties of others. Hearing the news during the day or, perhaps worse, right before bed may add to your stress. Try turning off these sources of information for a little while each day.

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With:

Managing Life Changes with Minimal Stress

April 17, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

While few things are more certain in life than change, that does not necessarily make dealing with change any easier. When change comes your way, you might need some stress management techniques to help get you through it. And maybe next time you’re coping with a life change it will be a bit easier to handle.

1. Let yourself feel the sense of loss, grief, hurt, anger, pain, or other emotions that the life change brings on. It may be a costly mistake in terms of your emotional and even physical health if you stifle your feelings, or tell yourself you “shouldn’t” be feeling the things you do. Go ahead and let yourself experience the emotions, and don’t judge yourself.

2. Don’t wallow in those negative emotions, either. While honestly experiencing those feelings is healthy, dwelling on them for a long time (years, perhaps) and allowing them to make you bitter and angry is not optimal. If you need to, seek professional help in letting those feelings go after experiencing them.

You might consider keeping a journal or doing artwork to get through the emotional difficulties. These creative activities can be helpful, because you have to “feel” the emotion to write, draw, paint, or sculpt; but then the feelings are worked out and transformed into something tangible.

3. Try to see the life change in a positive light. Go ahead and embrace the change rather than trying to hide or run from it. Accept it, and you may find a sense of freedom.

4. It’s okay to say “no” to some activities so that you can get some extra rest. Excessive sleeping can be a sign of serious depression, but getting some extra rest during a time of upheaval and change may actually be healthy and help you cope better.

5. Remember who you are. Your identity, interests, life goals, and so forth are important to remember during times of change. They are like your anchors. A life change may actually bring on a reassessment of these things, and that can be healthy, too. Maybe you need to face some fears and anxieties you have about change in general. Now is the time to do it.

Things to Avoid

It’s also worth noting some not-so-healthy ways of coping with life changes and the stress that may bring. Some destructive coping strategies to avoid include:

* Drinking alcohol
* Smoking
* Spending money on things you don’t really need
* Gambling
* Overeating
* Starving yourself
* Procrastination

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With: ,

Tips on Managing Stress Naturally

April 10, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Have you identified stressors in your life? Are you having trouble coping? You might need help in managing your stress, but want to avoid medications. Here are some natural things you can do to help manage your stress.

1. Meditate

Meditation may help reduce stress, and it does not involve any medication. One of the nice things about meditation is the “me time” you get while practicing it. The meditation itself helps focus the mind and relax the body. There are various types of meditation.

Qigong is a form of Chinese meditation that emphasizes the “qi” – your life force or life energy. With calm, focused breathing you are said to achieve a peaceful mental state. Another technique is to repeat a mantra, a key phrase that you can say over and over to bring a sense of calm and peace.

One helpful form of meditation for chronic stress sufferers is “mindful meditation.” In this sort of meditation, you learn how to live in the present and focus on the now. This may help with chronic stressors that are long term, and that may seem overwhelming.

2. Stretching

Stretching is said to ease the tension out of the body. Combining stretching with meditation, as in Qigong and Yoga, can be especially beneficial, as both mind and body are targeted. Stretching helps relax tight muscles and realign the joints. You might consider Yoga or a martial arts class – being with other people and getting out may help relieve your stress, too.

3. Exercise

Stress is said to result in toxin build-up in your body, perhaps because of how it affects circulation and digestion. Exercise gets you blood moving, which aids toxin elimination. Exercise also strengthens muscles and moves the joints. All of this can help “work out” your stress, and minimize stress-related weight gain.

4. Herbal teas

Herbal teas are generally inexpensive and widely available. You can sip them throughout the day, at key points during the day, and before going to bed. Chamomile tea can be helpful, as can lemon balm or catnip tea. If you like, look for a tea made from a blend of relaxing herbs in your local grocery or health food store.

5. Eat well

Good nutrition is essential for dealing with stress. Vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D are especially important in helping the body handle stress. Studies show that Vitamin C helps boost the immune system, and magnesium is important in muscle relaxation and nerve function. Calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D are vital for bone health and muscle function.

Consider taking a good-quality vitamin supplement, but also eat as many vitamin-rich foods as possible. Emphasize fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With: ,

Stress Relievers – Tips for Dealing with Everyday Stress

March 27, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

It’s the everyday stress that can really get you down. Everyday stress can become chronic, and dealing with stress in a healthy way is important. Here are some tips of relieving everyday stress.

1. Take an art class – Art therapy has been shown to help with stress relief. Being able to channel the internal emotions into an art medium can be very therapeutic.

2. Prayer, guided meditation and imagery – Experts say that 10 to 20 minutes of prayer or meditation each day can help reduce stress. Guided imagery also may be helpful, and can be included with prayer or meditation. You can find websites with stress-relieving images to click on, and there are other sources for guided imagery online and at your library. You may also choose to see a professional who can guide you through the imagery or meditation.

3. Go easy on yourself - Don’t engage in self-criticism. Repeat your mantra; say your prayers, meditation, or whatever you need to do to silence the “you’re not good enough” voice.

4. Learn to take a time out – When you are stressed, you may be more prone to angry outbursts. Learn to take a moment for a time out before responding to something that angered you.

5. Be unavailable – Sometimes it can be very stressful to feel like you always have to be there for others. At some point, it’s important to turn off your telephone(s) and close your email, and just be there for yourself. You can even choose a regular time to do this and inform your friends and family so they won’t be offended when you don’t answer your phone or email.

6. Breathe deeply – Often a component of meditation, learning to take slow, deep breaths may help relieve stress in and of itself. Deep breathing may help remove toxins and relax muscles. It also is said to calm the mind.

7. Don’t set the stage – Without meaning to, you might be setting the stage for everyday stresses. For example, if you don’t maintain your car, it may break down all of a sudden, making for a very stressful time. The same can be true of not taking care of your nutritional needs or otherwise neglecting your health. Getting sick can really add to stress, especially trying to make up for the time lost after you get better.

8. Keep a healthy perspective – Sometimes, you can get overwhelmed with stress when everything seems vitally important and must be done right now. Try to keep a healthy perspective on things, reminding yourself that a situation, decision, or “moment” may not really matter ten years from now.

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With: ,

How to Stop Stress & Anxiety Before They Happen

November 7, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

If you suffer from stress and anxiety, you probably want to avoid future run-ins with these problems. Of course, stress is inevitable, but you can learn to cope with it in a functional, healthy way. Here are some tips for staving off stress and anxiety before they catch up with you.

1. Good Nutrition
This is listed as number 1 for a reason. It is one of the most important and effective means by which you can cope with stress and anxiety and prevent them from taking over your life. Some nutrients and foods that are good for proper brain and body fuction are:

-Essential Fatty Acids, such as those found in olive oil, salmon, flax seeds, and other unrefined vegetable oils should be sought out and deliberately included in the diet.

-Vitamin D
This vitamin plays a signifcant role in mood regulation. In fact, has been used to treat people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

2. Regular Exercise
This is also very important for avoiding the negative effects of stress and anxiety. Don’t wait until you feel stressed or anxious; like good nutrition, make exercise a part of your regular routine. Exercise increases circulation, and also induces the body to produce endorphins. These brain chemicals profoundly affect your mood and response to stress.

Exercising with realistic goals is also important. You don’t want to bring on anxious feelings by “failing” at an enormous exercise goal like running a marathon right away when you’ve never run before. Keeping your goals realistic – say running a around a quarter-mile track once and walking another 3 laps – can boost your confidence and give you a sense of accomplishment. These are great weapons against stress and anxiety.

3. Positive Self-Talk
You may need help in learning how to break negative self-talk patterns. Many of us have developed patterns of thought that automatically involve self-abasement. For example, if you make a mistake on a piece of paperwork, your mind may automatically begin “beating you up,” and you’ll have thoughts that you can’t do anything right, you are terrible at paperwork, and so forth. Learning to recognize this pattern and redirect your thoughts to more positive ones can help prevent further stress and anxiety.

4. Deep Breathing
It may seem silly to focus on breathing as part of preventing stress and anxiety. Everyone knows how to breathe, right? Yes, everyone knows how to breathe, but few people know how to breathe properly. Deep breathing is the deliberate taking in of breath that helps focus your thoughts and energy. It also promotes the circulation of oxygen throughout the body. Exhaling deeply and fully is also important, as this more thoroughly eliminates toxins from the body.

5. Rest
Getting adequate sleep is essential for helping your body cope with stress. Everything seems bigger, scarier, and more worrisome when you are exhausted.

6. Know the Symptoms
Learn to recognize your body’s cues that it’s experiencing too much stress and its resulting anxiety. Pay attention to things like feelings of restlessness, fatigue, anxious thoughts, and muscle tension. Once you learn to recognize the stressful trend, you can stop it before it takes hold.

Filed Under: Anxiety Relief, Stress Relief Tagged With: , , ,

4 Keys to Stress Relief

September 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Do you feel more stressed out than ever? Is your work life so hectic that you’re starting to burn out? Do your friends always expect you to pull them out of their jams?

If you’re desperately seeking peace and relief from the hustle and bustle of your demanding life, the good news is that there are some simple strategies you can use to combat this stress.

You’ll never eliminate stress entirely. In fact, a life without stress would be pretty boring. The challenges of life often make it worth living. However, employing a few simple strategies to reduce stress will increase your peace and happiness, even in the midst of life’s storms.

Exercise

Working out can be a great way to relieve stress. Whether you go jogging, pump some iron, or hit the punching bag for several minutes, physical activity allows you to channel all the frustration you’re holding inside and release it in a constructive manner.

Music

Music has an incredible power to influence your mood. Sometimes, all it takes to gain peace and focus is a few minutes listening to music that soothes you inside. Different types of music affect your mood in different ways, and picking a style that suits your emotional need of the moment can dramatically lower the level of stress you feel inside.

When you’re feeling stressed, try upbeat music. When you’re down in the dumps, you want something that’ll perk you up and lift your spirits. Few things can lift your mood faster than music.

Nutrition

If your body isn’t getting the proper nutrition it needs, you’re more likely to feel tired and stressed out. Meals and snacks are fuel for your body. Are you eating the types of foods that contribute positively to your health?

Keep track of what you eat in a daily log. This simple step will make you more aware of what you’re eating, which often leads to automatically making healthier choices, like these:

• Drink as much water as possible.
• Add as many fruits and vegetables as you can to your diet.
• Look for tasty, healthier alternatives to junk food.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Small changes in your diet can make a big difference in how you feel and how effectively you handle stress.

Breathing

If you learn to control your breathing, you can control the level of stress you feel. Slow, deep breathing takes practice, but a little effort goes a long way. Once you learn to take slow, deep breaths from your belly, you’ll have an unstoppable weapon against stress.

Breathing plays a big part in our lives. Even beyond the obvious biological necessity, it comes into play when exercising, giving birth, easing fears, and even releasing stress.

Deep breathing slows your heart rate down and relaxes your muscles. It also helps you to calm down mentally. Shallow breaths create a feeling of anxiety within you. Deep breaths fuel your body’s cells with much-needed oxygen and your mind with much-needed confidence in the midst of the challenges you face.

With these simple strategies, you can learn to practice peace wherever you are. Instead of being tossed about in the midst of your storms, you’ll stand strong and handle challenges more effectively. Experience the confidence and inner peace you deserve by applying these simple stress management strategies today.

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With:

Why Running Is a Natural Stress Buster

September 12, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Ask a runner why they run and you might get a variety of reasons. Maybe they needed to lose weight for their health’s sake. Perhaps it was a requirement from being in the military and they decided to continue it. Others began running in school and continue because they enjoy the “runner’s high”. Whatever reason people choose to run, helping to understand why running is a natural stress buster may encourage them to keep running.

Everyone feels stress at one point or another in their lives. Demanding work schedules, problems with relationships, and not taking good care of yourself are just a few of the things which cause stress. While it’s not possible to totally remove stress from your life, running is a natural stress buster you may want to add if you’re faced with too much stress.

The scientific and medical communities have long told of the benefits of exercise for our physical health. Being physically active can also be a boon to our mental health. Even though being active is a form of stress, it can greatly improve our lives in so many ways.

Stress of any kind causes a huge release of biochemicals into your body which causes your heartbeat to increase, preparing your body for fight or flight. If the body doesn’t react in either fashion, the stress hormone cortisol is released into the body and can cause physical damage to the body. Exercising will approximate the flight response and bring the biochemicals into balance.

Running releases endorphins, which are the neurotransmitters producing the runner’s high. They also reduce the sensation of pain which could explain why some runners can run even while injured. Running, because of the release of endorphins, can be seen as a valid treatment for those suffering from depression and may produce better results than drugs or psychotherapy.

If you’re feeling stressed, angry or frustrated, running is a great outlet for releasing pent-up emotions. Running can help take your mind off problems, partially due to its rhythmic nature. Being outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air can also do wonders for helping you overcome your frustrations.

One of the most important benefits of running, however, is the improved health you experience. Not only are you providing your body with exercise, you’re also removing damaging stress. And since you’re being active on a regular basis, you’re less likely to feel the effects of stress when it tries to worm its way into your life. You may not be entirely free of stress but you’ll notice it much less.

Running is a great activity to help you stay healthy. Once you know why running is a natural stress buster you may be more willing to give it a try. So, who’s ready to tie on their running shoes and bust some stress?

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With: ,

Healing Breath

September 5, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

People don’t often think about their body’s automatic actions such as their heartbeat, blinking or breathing. The heartbeat is required to pump blood throughout the body. Blinking moistens and cleans the eyes. Breathing is necessary for life. Have you heard of Healing Breath? You may be surprised to know how using this type of breathing can be beneficial.

The Healing Breath is much more than the breathing you do every day. It is basically learning to control your breath by using both your mind and your body.

Many people don’t realize how their breathing is shallow and possibly doesn’t provide the oxygen the body needs. In fact, how you breathe while you’re sleeping is entirely different from how you breathe while you’re awake. That may explain why you feel more rejuvenated after waking up than during the remainder of the day.

Scientists have begun to realize the importance of breathing technique in helping the body run properly. Depending upon which breathing technique you learn, you may find the following and other conditions improve:

* Asthma
* Bronchitis
* Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
* Panic attacks
* Rhinitis (Runny nose)
* Sinusitis
* Snoring/Sleep Apnea
* Hay fever or other allergies
* Depression
* Handling pain

Ayurvedic Pranayama breathing is very similar to some other breathing techniques. This one, however, is very simple to practice, doesn’t require you to use visualization, and can be practiced nearly anywhere.

The Healing Breath in this format is completed in three different parts, all regulated to a pattern of ‘1:4:2’. Begin by inhaling for the count of one, hold your breath for 4 counts, and exhale for the remaining two counts. Those beginning the Healing Breath begin using higher rates, but the ratio remains the same. For instance, inhale to the count of 4, hold for the count of 16, and exhale for the count of 8. The ratio remains stable.

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With:

Bounce for Joy with a Stress Relief Ball

August 22, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

The stress relief ball is an apparatus that is very effective for stress relief. It is a simple ball that measures 3 inches in diameter and it works wonders to help you reduce stress. All you have to do to benefit from a stress relief ball is hold it in the palm and squeeze it repeatedly with your fingers.

You will find that the repeated squeezing of the stress relief ball gives you a feeling of relief from all the emotional and physical stress that you may be going through. In addition to stress relief, this ball is also used for exercising hand and forearm muscles.

The stress relief ball may not always be shaped like a ball as it can sometimes be found in other interesting shapes. It is usually filled with foam rubber, but the ones that are meant for therapeutic use contains gel of different densities. Another type of stress relief ball contains fine powder that has a rubber coating like a balloon.

Now, you may wonder how the stress relief ball actually helps in relieving stress. You generally experience muscle tension when your hand is turned into a fist, even if there is nothing in the palm. Once you release the grip, muscle tension is also released. It is this gripping and releasing that exercises your muscles and helps you reduce stress.

The reason you use a ball is that it is provides something for you to grip. This gives a better meaning and effect to the stress relieving exercises. In fact, stress relief balls are mostly used by computer professionals who often spend long hours working in a fixed position.

Other than spherical stress relief balls, there are also creative balls that look like a pack of cigarettes, the shape of a body part or a person disliked by the society. The pack of cigarettes is a great option for those who are trying to quit smoking. There are also imprinted stress balls that have smiley faces printed on them.

The foam filled stress balls are found in simple shapes like sphere, starfish, vegetables, pills, etc. The stress relief ball that is more dynamic in shape like the human face balls or Santa Claus balls are usually filled with gel. Imprinted stress balls usually carry corporate logos and are distributed among employees or clients.

There are also high-tech stress relief balls like vibrating stress balls and viral stress balls. The viral stress relief ball is soft and it has an embedded transmitter and receiving chip in it that communicates the level of stress the user is going through.

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With:

Eight Simple Things You Can Do to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

July 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Nearly everyone will have trouble sleeping from time to time. You may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Either way, these challenges can affect your life in many negative ways. The good news is that there are simple strategies you can use to get a better night’s sleep.

Try these strategies to chase away your insomnia and wake up refreshed:

1. Keep the lights off. Even small lights can affect your body’s natural ability to determine night from day. Turn off all the lights when it’s time for bed, including nightlights, bathroom lights, and computers. Sometimes even the neon numbers from your alarm clock can be bothersome.

2. Wind down at night. Avoid trying to transition straight from an activity to sleep time. This can cause your mind to race continuously. Approximately 30 minutes before you go to bed, do something calming in order to ease your mind. Many people find activities such as praying, meditating, reading, or listening to relaxing music to be the perfect sleep inducer.

3. Keep yourself on a schedule. It’s always a good idea to have your life on a general schedule. It works well for babies, toddlers, and for you too! Schedules allow you to set up natural rhythms in your body and mind.

• Sleeping for different lengths of time can confuse your body. If you have trouble sleeping one night, get up at the normal time and remain on your normal schedule the next day.

4. Keep an eye on your diet. Eating a balanced diet gives you a better chance for a good night’s sleep. It’s especially important to pay attention to the things you eat and drink in the few hours before your bedtime.

• It’s best to avoid anything containing sugar, caffeine, alcohol, high fructose corn syrup, or red dyes shortly before you sleep.

• Try drinking chamomile tea before bed. Chamomile is a calming herb.

5. Exercise during the day. Keeping yourself on a regular exercise routine will actually help you get a quality night’s rest. Even 30 minutes of light exercise can benefit you in many ways.

• Avoid exercising right before you go to bed, because exercise energizes you.

6. Avoid naps. Naps can be tempting, especially during a lull in the afternoon. However, some people tend to have trouble with their nighttime sleep if they nap during the day. If you feel that you must take a nap, try to make it only 15 to 30 minutes. That should be enough time to give you a little rest before continuing with your day.

7. Ensure you’re comfortable. Your bed might even be interfering with your sleep. Are you having issues with the quality of your mattress or the type of blankets and pillows you use? If they feel uncomfortable in any way, try changing to a different style.

• What about the positions that you use for sleep? Do you have plenty of room to stretch out and get comfortable?

8. Check the temperature. Determine the temperature you enjoy sleeping at during the night. It’s usually a few degrees cooler than you’ll keep the house during the day. You may want to experiment with adjusting the temperature.

• Also pay attention to the humidity to keep you from feeling stuffy. During the winter, the heater can dry out the air and a humidifier in your bedroom can help you breathe easier.

A good night’s sleep is critical to your health and enables you to live an active, fulfilling life. Just keep searching for a strategy that works for you. If you continue to have trouble sleeping after trying these tips, keep in mind that you can always talk with a physician about your insomnia.

Filed Under: Stress Relief Tagged With:
« Older Posts