Stress Management

Is Anxiety Causing You Stress?

2010-03-23T12:28:00.000+02:00

What is stress?

Stress; difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension; (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense; force or outside influence that produces or causes strain;

There are many definitions of stress. Some of them deal with the syllable of a word that is accented; some of them deal with the amount of force applied to a physical structure. It doesn't matter which definition of stress we refer to stress either tests the physical or mental capacity of the subject. Today I want to deal with the stress that we feel in our everyday lives. The fast pace that American's live with causes undue pressure and stress. Stress comes from issues in our lives like; schedules that are too busy, overdue bills, work related issues, bad relationships. Stress can even come from other family members who have some out of control issues going on in their life. Anything that causes worry creates stress. Stress can cause fatigue, behavioral changes, relationship issues and even bouts of depression. Some Stress is Inevitable Even Healthy

There is no such thing as a stress free life. Sometimes we look at someone else's life and see it as stress free. You should know that, that is simply is not true. Everyone has some stress in their life. Just because someone you know doesn't have the same stresses as yours does NOT mean that they do not have stress in their life that is equal to yours. Trying to remove stress from your life completely is impossible. A certain amount of stress actually helps in maximizing performance in specific situations. During times of stress, the human body reacts by releasing hormones and enzymes to reduce digestive secretions, increase heart beat and contract blood vessels. This state is called by various names like hyper-arousal, or the fight or flight response. It is necessary that these changes in physiology are temporary in nature. They are designed to help you to handle the stressful situation that you are in. After the situation is calmed down your body then needs to calm down to a relaxed state as well. It is the constant stress caused by certain life circumstances that will eventually wear you down and be damaging to your health and well being. The human body is not designed to be in a constant physiologically stressed state. Being overly stressed for long periods of time can have a significant negative impact on your overall health. Symptoms of Stress

Most of us don't realize there is a problem until relationships begin to suffer or performance at work slips. At this point, many turn to either alcohol or prescription drugs as a way to escape from the stress. Alternatives to dealing with this stress and anxiety in a productive way are often difficult to consider in the midst of such crisis. Unfortunately, self-medicating often makes the problem worse and may become addictive.

Modern life brings in its wake a fair number of situations that create stress and anxiety. The pace of life is more demanding and the requirements of modern day are far higher than they used to be. Sometimes the physiological and psychological stress can get too difficult to manage. Therefore, the need to be aware of the various ways in which stress can be managed and controlled is imperative.

Like I mentioned before in small doses stress is a good thing. It gives you the push that you need and keeps you alert. It is stress that drives you to stop being a couch potato and prepare for the upcoming events like tests or competitions and keeps you fully focused. The emphasis, however, is on stress in "small doses". Constant stress has a negative effect on your overall health.

To be able to manage stress efficiently and adequately, you need to first be aware of the various manners in which stress can be manifested. This is essentially to avoid a situation where you are suffering from stress related symptoms while being unaware of the real cause of the condition. Stress can affect your mind, your body and your behavior. The manifestation of these symptoms differs among individuals.

Generally, stress symptoms can be classified as under:
Cognitive symptoms
Emotional symptoms
Physical Symptoms
Behavioral Symptoms

While the manifestations of stress may vary, the root cause of all symptoms are the physiological changes triggered by the fight or flight response. When you face threat to your physical safety or emotional equilibrium, the body triggers various automatic processes that are part of the body's natural defense mechanism.

Normally, when you are serene, in a relaxed and un-stimulated state, the nerve impulses from neurons are minimal. Any perception of danger or even an environmental stressor like elevated sound levels or excessive illumination relays a new stimulus from the sensory cortex of the brain through the hypothalamus to the brain stem. This leads to a flurry of nerve impulses that are meant to prepare the body to meet the new perceived or real situation. There is a sudden increase in heart beat, the muscles tense up and all the senses are on high alert. In fact, all body systems except those that are necessary to sustain life are kept on hold for as long as the threat is perceived.

If the body does not return to its normal relaxed state in due course of time, it can seriously damage your overall health. This is mainly because various other systems like the digestive system are kept functioning at a basic minimum level. This interferes with the normal metabolic process and disrupts processing of nutrients. With a relatively higher heart rate, the heart is prone to get exhausted and the possibilities of a heart failure increase.

The bottom line, however, is that the symptoms of stress are triggered off only due to the manner in which you perceive situations, events and circumstances. Stress is a personal experience and stress symptoms depend largely on your vulnerability. Life situations cannot be expected to be always favorable. What you can do is to manage and avoid stress as much as you can by becoming more aware.

Additional Information on Symptoms of Stress

* Physical Symptoms of Stress
Besides psychological symptoms, chronic stress can lead to a number of physical symptoms, some of which have a long lasting effect.

* Emotional Stress Symptoms
Stress, both chronic and severe, can result in emotional symptoms that may sometimes be misunderstood as behavioral changes.

* Symptoms of Chronic Stress
It is important to be aware of the symptoms of chronic stress since chronic stress needs medical attention immediately. While short term stress is unavoidable and not something to worry about chronic stress can take an excessive toll on your system and needs attention.

* Symptoms of Severe Stress
Irrespective of the nature of the reaction to stress, the one kind of stress that needs immediate attention is severe stress. Acute or severe stress is mainly stress that is acute in nature and results in severe symptoms.

* Work Related Stress Symptoms
Stress at workplace is a relatively new phenomenon but has already received worldwide attention. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has termed it as a global epidemic.

* Causes and Symptoms of Stress in Children
While the physiological, psychological and emotional symptoms of stress in children are similar to those of adults, there are various other symptoms that you can observe like exhibition of extreme reactions and emotions, attention grabbing behavior...

* Causes and Symptoms of Stress in Women
While symptoms of stress among adult men and women are similar, there are some specific symptoms that are likely to surface more frequently among women. The causes of female stress, on the other hand, tend to be fairly different from the causes of stress in men.

How to Cope With Stress
The first thing that you need to understand is that stress is manageable. First you need to understand that stress is an individual experience. This basically means that the situations that cause stress are different for different people. While some people may not get worried about a work related issue, others may get extremely stressed in that situation, while the opposite may be the case if the stressful situation were at home. The circumstances that cause stress are based on individual perception and orientation. It is thus incumbent upon you and you alone to manage your stress in your way.

Since the stress that you are feeling is so individualistic, the first step that you need to take towards managing it is to identify the cause of the stress. This needs a fair amount of introspection so that you can objectively and correctly identify the cause. Please do not pretend that something that makes you uncomfortable will be resolved all by itself. This is commonly referred to as denial. Denial of a situation is something that needs to be avoided. Fooling yourself into believing that you are not worried about something, while in fact you are, will only make matter worse. Once you have identified the cause, it is also important to understand the various manifestations of the stress. Do you come home and abuse a family member or the dog because something at work has you a little irritated? This would be one of those identifiers that you need to pay attention to. Then it is important to find the real cause of your irritation. Below is a short list of "TO-DO'S" if you find yourself lashing out at friends or family members unnecessarily.

There are many techniques that you can use for managing stress. If you know that a certain event stresses you out, you can de-stress by indulging in fun activities or by taking up a hobby, going on a walk, run or bike ride or listening to some soothing music. Some people may need other methods of stress management. Practicing yoga, learning breathing techniques, meditating, laughter therapy and the like can be helpful in such cases.
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How to Overcome Stress and Anxiety

2010-03-23T12:24:00.000+02:00

"TO DO'S" (Things To Do If You Are Feeling Stressed)

* Be Aware of Your Actions
Being aware of your actions is a step in stress management. Try to bring consciousness in your daily life. Your awareness will go a long way to prevent the negative effects of stress. When you are aware of how stressors affect your emotional well being and physical health, you are better placed to analyze and understand how to react.

* Just Change the Way You See Things!
The most permanent and conclusive manner in which you can prevent and cure stress is to change the way in which you perceive things around you. Think positive and discard negative thoughts. Let go of age-old biases and subjective assessment of things and look at the circumstances from a new perspective. See beauty in little things and you will realize that we often make mountains out of mole hills and stop enjoying the life that we have.

* Find a Distraction
One of the most common ways to deal with stress is to find an outlet. It doesn't have to be much it just has to be something. I know people who like to go for a bike ride. Some of them jump on their comfort bike and go for a short whimsical ride while others have to be on a monster mountain bike and really challenge themselves. Then there are people who build stuff like model ships or cars these same types of people might start something crafty like scrap booking, photography or painting. Another great outlet would be reading a great book or listening to your favorite music. Whether you like calming or exhilarating distractions doesn't really matter. In fact a combination of both is probably the best. The important thing is that you recognize the fact that you are stressed and you do something that will help you to sort out the cause and deal with it rather than take out your aggravation on some poor undeserving soul.

* Supplements Can Help!
Natural herbal supplements can help you relax or deal with social anxiety without the harsh and unwanted side effects associated with alcohol or drugs. In general, they can enhance your ability to relax or get the sleep essential to making real change. However, few know where to start or which supplements actually work. Our brains produce a variety of hormones and chemicals in order to regulate essential functions such as sleep and relaxation. Herbal supplements can be a catalyst to producing and releasing these chemicals and hormones. Below I will list some of the herbs that have had a history of addressing stress and anxiety. Herbs for Stress and Anxiety

Chronic and acute stress can at times get so taxing that you may feel the need to resort to conventional medications like antidepressants, sleeping pills and mood elevators. Or you may resort to illicit drugs and alcohol. Self medication with the OTC drugs, illicit drugs or alcohol can sometimes become addictive and even more harmful over time, creating more stress and more depression. Before you reach out for these stronger addictive drugs or alcohol you should try the various herbal options that are available for effective management of stress and the anxiety.

All of the herbs that are listed below have a great history in reducing stress and anxiety. Some are preventive in nature, and others take a more direct approach. Some will help to calm the mind so as to help with sleep deprivation while others give you the boost that you need to get through the day. Herbs can be taken in capsule form or made into a tea. Herbs in their natural form are not as strong as the drugs that are available but they don't have the side effects and addiction issues that often (almost always) accompany the drugs.

It is to be noted that herbs can be most effective when they are taken as soon as the symptoms of stress or anxiety are perceived. The longer you have been stressed or overly anxious about a situation, the more time it'll take for herbs to act. I view it as walking on a pathway. The longer that I walk the wrong direction before I turn around the farther I will have to travel to get back to the path going the right direction. Useful Herbs
* Chamomile - This herb relaxes tense aching muscles, relieves irritability and contains trytophan, which works like a sedative in the body to induce sleep. * Bladder Pod - one of the strongest herbal relaxants, has a beneficial effect on the whole body, a synergistic herb, causing the other herbs to work more effectively, valuable in distress crisis, balances the glands * Cayenne - a natural, powerful stimulant, benefits the heart and circulatory system, good circulation is the key to healing in the body, synergistic, helps with headaches and depression, excellent Nervine * Kava kava - One of the most popular herbs for stress reduction, this herb reduces stress extremely effectively without the side effects associated with conventional medicines. In most cases, the herb does not leave you with a foggy feeling but increases alertness and memory thereby aiding in sociability and mood elevation. The herb should be avoided if you take alcohol, other antidepressants or have Parkinson's disease. * St. John's Wort - This herb, while effective, does not show results as immediately as some of the others like kava kava. This is mainly because of the manner in which it works. The herb reduces the uptake of serotonin, thereby making more serotonin available in the system. Since serotonin helps in keeping the body calm, the herb ultimately helps in a generally calmer personality. Over time, St. John's Wort makes the skin more sensitive to the sun and therefore a good sunscreen should be used as a preventive measure as soon you start this herbal therapy. * Blue Cohosh - Cleanses, builds and helps to sustain health, contains properties to calm nerves and relieve muscular pain, helps heart palpitations, good for neuralgia * Ginseng - The Siberian Ginseng helps in fighting the onset of stress by toning the nervous system. Panax Ginseng relaxes tense muscles and helps in relief from psychological stress. The Indian Ginseng (also known as Ashwagandha) has berries that promote overall health and help in alleviating symptoms of stress, anxiety, emotional trauma, and tiredness. * Blue Vervain - relaxes the nerves, produces a feeling of well-being, tonic for the nervous system. It soothes headaches associated with stress, anxiety and fevers. * Mistletoe - Aids in the relief of panic attacks and headaches. It has been used to ease anxiety, promote sleep, and can be used for convulsions, hysteria, delirium, nervous debility and heart troubles. * Mulungu - A herb used extensively in the Amazon region, the bark and root of this tree help in regulating heartbeat and reducing blood pressure. By controlling these symptoms of stress and anxiety, this herb helps in reducing the negative impact of stress on health. This plant has been validated in research as an effective remedy for anxiety. * Graviola - Another herb that has been used in the Amazon extensively, this small tree has special medicinal qualities. The leaves and bark and roots have been known to have a tranquilizing effect and reduce tension. * Bugleweed - An infusion made from boiling water, herb and a dash of lime (optional) helps in soothing hyper nerves. * Fennel - For those who exhibit various bowel related symptoms due to stress and anxiety, this herb helps in reducing gas, stomach upsets and relaxing the intestines. * Feverfew - Another herb that helps in reducing stress related headaches like migraine, this herb is extremely effective. It is known to increase circulation in the brain and nervous system. * Motherwort - The herb helps in reducing palpitations caused by extreme anxiety. If the palpitations are accompanied by blood pressure, adding linden blossoms helps. * Passion Flower - This herb acts in a manner to alleviate multiple symptoms of stress and anxiety. It relaxes tense nerves, induces sleep and relaxes people when they are emotionally upset. It is effective for people with mental worries or people who are overtired, it is good for hysteria, it strengthens the nervous system and has been used illnesses related to tension. * Skullcap - This herb is considered one of the best herbs to reduce tense nerves. This nervine is generally used at bedtime so as to ensure a good night's sleep. It also helps in preventing panic attacks while asleep. It is good at addressing aches and pains and many other nervous disorders, one of the best nerve tonics, it is a wonderfully mild sedative, it has been effective in mental disorders and has a deep action on the nervous system. * Valerian - This herb is a natural sedative and helps in relieving insomnia, an extremely common symptom of chronic stress. It is a pure nervine, it is powerfully antispasmodic, soothing, quieting and calming, history shows that it has been used to stimulate and heal the nerves. * California poppy - Similar to Valerian, California poppy also helps in combating stress by inducing the required sleep. * Wood Betony - a mild sedative to the central nervous system, good for the immune system, excellent for headaches * Hops - This herb is a sleep inducing herb, it relaxes and strengthens the nerves, relieves tension and anxiety, eases headaches, produces restful sleep. This herb is also used to make a sleep pillow. This is done by inserting a pouch of hops in the pillow fluffing.

Many of the people who suffer from stress, anxiety, nervousness and depression from today's modern lifestyle are turning to a more natural approach to resolve the issues associated with stress and anxiety. We have found that the combination of herbs in NaturALL-Calm has been formulated to help give relief naturally.

St. John's Wort one of the main ingredients in Grandma's NaturALL-Calm. It has a long history of treating anxiety and depression. In fact it has been touted as a remedy for stress and anxiety for over 2,000 years. It is being extensively used in Europe as a safe and effective mood-promoting supplement.* We all need help maintaining a positive mental outlook without the side effects of prescription drugs.* Grandma's Herbs NaturALL Calm may just be the solution that is right for you. www.GrandmasHerbs.com

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Using Yoga to Manage Your Stress

2010-03-23T12:19:00.000+02:00

The raves about yoga is more than just a current trend or a flash in the pan fad. The physical and psychological benefits of yoga for stress management has been taking America by storm no matter if it takes one to stand on his head, or twist her foot behind the neck like a human pretzel.

The regular practice of yoga can help decrease stress and tension, increase strength, balance and flexibility, lower blood pressure and reduced cortisol levels. It also yields strong emotional benefits due to the emphasis on breathing and the interconnection of mind, body and spirit.

Frequent practice of yoga for stress management induces better sleep, helps individuals not to focus on things beyond their control and how to live in the present. It makes a stressful event a lot easier to handle, whether it's family or work.

Whatever misconceptions you have about yoga and stress management should take a back seat. While most people have the notion that you have to be flexible in order to do yoga, the truth is, anyone will benefit from yoga regardless of age. Even people who aren't flexible will actually see results faster. It's perfectly suited to all levels because yoga is a practice geared to helping you become aware of your own highly individual mind/body connection.

There are many different styles of yoga to suit your preference. Hatha yoga is one of the most flowing and gentle options that is a good choice as starting point. Vinyasa is more athletic while Iyengar concentrates on proper alignment. However, Bikram or "hot" yoga, is not recommended for beginners. It doesn't matter if you join late in a yoga class. It's not about doing it better or worse than the others, it's about how you feel each stretch in your body. What matters most is how relaxed you can allow yourself to feel.

Yoga is considered as a deeply personal practice and no two people can or should hold a pose in exactly the same manner. A person has to work at his or her own level of flexibility, one that is challenging but not overwhelming. If you don't feel good with what the instructor is telling you to do, don't do it. Your body will warn you if you are about to get hurt. It is important that you listen to your body, push the limits gently, but don't let yourself be overcome by ego. Allow your body to guide you and be your friend.

The goal of yoga is to synchronize the breath and movement. It is important when to inhale and exhale as you work through poses. Breathing only through your nose keeps heat in the body and keeps the mind focused. Concentrating on your breath is the key to yoga for stress management, as it helps you let go of external thoughts and anxiety. The easiest way to bring yourself into the present moment is to focus on your breath. Feel how it goes down your nose and into your body. It helps you let go of the worrying thoughts.

As you end each yoga session, simply lie on your back with both arms at your side with eyes closed and breathing deeply. This final "corpse pose" is designed for deep relaxation.

Bear in mind that yoga is a slow process. Forget about expectations. Let go of competition and judgment. As yoga brings you into the present moment, you will experience joy not only in the physical movement and mental benefits but in spending time in the now.

About the Author

Learn about pulled chest muscle and pulled calf muscle at the Pulled Muscle site.

Inexpensive Methods of Stress Relief

2010-03-23T12:16:00.000+02:00

Yesterday, I got the shock of my life when a woman suddenly stood in front of me as I waited in line inside my favorite coffee shop. The woman was in her mid-40s and apparently was a top business executive. For the life of me, I could not understand why she had the gall to cut in line. I felt my blood rush to my head and my heart thumping so loud --- this time, because of anger. For me, it was another moment of anxiety in an already stressed out week. The good thing about the incident was that I was able to maintain my composure and did not allow Ms. No Manners to get to me. I just calmed myself and decided not to make a big deal out of it. After all, that woman may be just like me --- a stressed-out career woman.

Like that career woman, all human beings are wired to feel various emotions whenever they encounter tense situations. A flood of stress hormones course through the bloodstream and trigger a rise in blood pressure and heart rate. The release of stress hormones also cause the intestinal muscles to contract. In fact, stress and anxiety accounts for millions of dollars spent for psychiatric care and counseling.

But you can fool your brain into thinking that your are in control and somehow decrease the stress response.
The most effective ways to control stress include the following:

· Laugh till you drop!
Laughter is still the best medicine. People with stress should try to laugh more and maintain their sense of humor.

· Breathe and do some meditation
Take slow, deep breaths especially when you are in a situation like being caught in traffic or when you are in a stressful situation in the office. To meditate, find a quiet place and sit comfortably. Close your eyes and focus on clearing your thoughts and removing worries. You can also try to imagine being in the middle of a beautiful garden while having positive thoughts.

· The Write Stuff
Writing is a good therapy which allows you to literally scribble away your fears and apprehensions. By keeping a journal or a diary, you can record your negative thoughts and use the pages of your diary to reflect on your situation.

· Aromatherapy
Inhaling, sniffing, or just smelling essential oils can be a stress relief method. Known as aromatherapy, the specific scents are used to induce feelings of relaxation or calmness. Lavender oil, chamomile, eucalyptus, tea tree,citrus are just one of the scents used to promote calmness and serenity.

· Have a Pet
Having a pet is another effective means of stress relief. Many people choose to have a dog or a cat to keep them company. Based on research, pets help people feel more comfortable and a bit happier.

Stress management can be very simple to undertake. It can be as simple as getting a pet or breathing slowly. Stress and anxiety need not cause you to spend money on psychotherapy or anti-anxiety pills.

About the Author

To read about arthritis in horses and shoes for arthritis, visit the Arthritis Types site.

Stress Management And The Art Of Being

2010-03-23T12:09:00.000+02:00

I sat down to write this article today and I experienced a bit of a block - which ironically caused me some stress. And as I struggled with how to formulate the topic, I began to think about the process of writing itself, and how it might feel to actually 'be a writer' - to derive great natural enjoyment from being immersed in the process; easily getting into a state of 'flow'. As I pondered on this I just began to type my thoughts about it (which I've actually saved elsewhere, likely to become the base of another article).

What was interesting thing to me, though, is that what I wrote actually seemed to 'pour out of me' as I was imagining and describing the process of spontaneous writing. In other words, I found myself in a 'state of flow' as I imagined what a state of flow might be like. The process wasn't my typical labored, "type-backspace-retype-cut-and-paste-until-I'm-happy" method. And there was no stress involved.

So my original intent for this article was to highlight the virtues of learning to "just be" sometimes, as opposed to always having to "do" - but through this process I realized that 'being' and 'doing' aren't necessarily exclusive ideas. And so the understanding I'd like to share is this:

The first piece is that it is important to learn to just 'be' sometimes (if we don't normally make the effort to do so). We can easily get caught up in all the things we need to do, and rationalize to ourselves and others why we can't take a break. Granted, there are certainly times when it's not realistic to stop what we're doing - but how often do we fool ourselves into thinking that this is always the case? It helps to examine our assumptions about this, and ask ourselves if things really will fall apart if we just stop for awhile.

We can also ask ourselves honestly if there are other reasons for our perpetual motion: perhaps it's uncomfortable to be alone with our thoughts. Or perhaps we feel a sense of guilt when we're not contributing. Or maybe we simply haven't learned to be any other way. The point is that we need to reexamine where we can give ourselves the time and space sometimes to regenerate and just contemplate about nothing - and learn to trust that it's okay to do so.

The second thought is that if you truly are a "doer" (and you've established that you're not avoiding anything or perpetuating any false rationalizations by always "doing"), then perhaps try doing more things from a state of 'just being' - in other words, where you can experience that sense of flow. Try doing something with your family just for the sake of spending time: really 'being there' with them without ruminating over the tasks you have to accomplish. Go for a run and 'get lost in your thoughts' along the way. Hit the highway for a day-trip to nowhere. Write something just for fun...

About the Author

Chris Hammer, Ph.D. is a certified professional coach and licensed psychologist. He offers leadership and life coaching services, as well as various coaching ebooks for people who are passionate about their personal and professional growth. http://www.mycoachingbooks.com

Stress Free Life with Relaxation Music

2010-03-23T12:06:00.000+02:00

Stress is always present in our daily lives, what's vital is how we deal with it. There are so many ways to deal with stress and one of the main ingredients in dealing with it is relaxation. Relaxation comes in many forms as well. One way to make sure that you have good stress management is by listening relaxation music.

Music has a very big influence on our bodies that is why it is a very effective tool to relaxation. In fact music can bring many changes to our body, one of which is promoting relaxation of tensed muscles. If you have a lot of tension due to a lot of stress you have for the day or week, listen to a soothing music while you are sitting on your favorite couch while your eyes are closed. This will surely ease those tense muscles and you will feel refreshed after a few good ones.

Music can also aid you in enhancing the effects of the activities that you do to remove stress. When practicing yoga, self-hypnosis, or guided imagery, listening to music can help you get into the zone where you can optimize your experience in these activities. Upbeat types of music also energized you whenever you are exercising. It will also help you relax while you are soaking in the tub. What is so wonderful about music is that it can make effective stress reliever activities even more effective.

As mentioned on top, certain music can help you achieve meditative state of your brain which will bring a lot of stress relieving benefits. For those who find yoga, self-hypnosis, and guided imagery quite intimidating, then just listening to music is a good and easier alternative for you.

Music can also promote positive focus, especially upbeat tunes which can take your mind off whatever you are thinking that stresses you out. This will also make you feel more positive and optimistic releasing stress and helps you from getting so stressed out over such little things in our life. Frustrating situations can bring about a heavy stress in you but if you are upbeat and positive, and you always see life as half full rather than half empty, then you will be able to overcome the situation easier thereby minimizing stress.

Music and affirmations go hand in hand. The type of self-talk you usually do and the way you see life also has a very big impact on your stress level that is why positive self-talk created by positive affirmations is so helpful. In line with this, choose the kinds of music that has affirming lyrics so that you can double up the stress removing benefits.

These are just some of the reasons music is so effective in relaxation. Choose your music well and you will surely be able to live a stress-free and contented life.

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Why Stress Management Is Important

2010-03-23T12:04:00.000+02:00

Why Stress Management Is Important
Stress is the root cause of several illnesses, both major and minor. Doctors and mental wellbeing specialists agree that stress reduction techniques can prevent a myriad illnesses, and disorders, as well as escalate a patient's facility to get better following the development of a variety of health issues. The human response to stress is activated inside the brain, manufacturing chemical and physical changes right through the body, which affect each aspect of it's functioning. Throughout moments of excessive stress the brain's creation of such chemicals as Dopamine, Epinephrine, and Norepinephrine spread, causing the distribution of larger amounts of these Catecholamines right through the body.

The intensification of the presence of such chemicals contributes to physiological changes such as increased heart rate, and blood pressure, increased cell reproduction, and withdrawing of the immune system. As time goes on, unmanaged stress can lead to the development of ulcers and other digestive problems, heart disease, even heart attack and stroke. The immune systems' ability to fight off infection and disease is hindered, allowing for the start of all manner of illnesses and viral infections. Additionally, the development of chronic conditions such as Diabetes and Asthma, have been linked to stress.

Stress is also connected to several mental and emotional disorders, such as Depression, Anxiety, extreme Phobias, and panic attacks. The "Fight or Flight" instinct produced in the brain through moments of extreme stress is also associated to the on-set of these chronic mental health issues. Learning to deal with stress in healthy ways can help limit the chemical changes happening within the brain and body, in that way improving both physical and mental health.

Saying Goodbye To Stress
Anxiety disorders are often a result of stress. From GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) to panic disorder, you can cut back on the anxiety in your life directly by reducing stress. Stress is customary in every day life regardless who you are, but if you allow your stress to rob you of your life, serious problems will appear. Happily, ongoing stress is easy to overcome, but it is critical to know the steps to doing so.

Stress is an inner reaction produced by outside factors, like pressure. One of the finest methods to overcome such reactions is with heaps of working out. Daily exercise can help you learn to physically deal with stress by improving your tolerance to stress during exercise. At some point during a panic attack, most folks seem short of breath and a pounding heart. A hard workout gives you these same experiences, but in a healthy way. As you work out more and more, you force your body to tolerate these conditions without panicking.

Getting a nice night's sleep is also especially valuable to reducing stress. Stress can physically wear out a person's body, and without sleep, you will feel the effects of stress much more readily. This can lead to anxiety disorders extremely easily. To get an adequate amount of sleep, make sure that you schedule at least 8 hours for sleeping. Don't eat or drink lots of sugar or caffeine products ahead of bedtime and try to do relaxing activities in the few hours before bedtime. If needed, see your doctor for help with sleeping issues.

An additional key to reducing stress is to schedule time for non-work linked activities. Take vacations or at least days off in order to have fun. Work is a main cause of stress, and with that stress comes anxiety about money, wellbeing, and several other things. By setting aside specific time to enjoy yourself with loved ones or on your own, you can physically and mentally set aside the stress for at least a few hours. Try to have at least an hour to yourself every day and an entire long weekend every few months to purely enjoy fun activities.
Finally, work to reduce stress by learning to think a bit differently in relation to life. Many of the most stressed-out people are perfectionists. While this can be a good trait, it can also go too far. Know when to let something go. Also, think positively about your life. When you worry that you aren't good enough or are upset about little things, they really add up to hurt you. Supervising your thought process is only part of the battle, but if you work at dropping stress, you can avert budding anxiety issues.

For more info and resources on panic and anxiety attacks visit Panicaway.Thereviewarticles.Com

About the Author

Bret is an author very much interested in research and problem solving. First identify a problem, then research a solution. Once a solution is found.....write about it!

Stress Management Tips - Things You Can Do To Overcome Stress

2010-03-23T11:57:00.000+02:00

Today everyday life brings many pressures, and more and more people are suffering from anxiety and stress, which leads to nights without sleep on a regular basis. The more you miss out on sleep, the harder it becomes to deal with the anxiety and stress that occurs on a daily basis in your life. It is important that you learn to cure stress and cure anxiety if you are going to start getting better sleep at night and it can be done in an all-natural way. There are things you can do to naturally cure stress and eliminate that anxiety from your life that is keeping you awake at night. Here are some excellent tips that can help you get back in control.

Identify The Things Causing Stress and Anxiety
If you are going to naturally cure anxiety and stress, you first need to start by identifying the things that are causing the stress and anxiety in your life. If you don't know what is causing the anxiety to occur, finding the right cures for the stress is going to be impossible. Write down the things causing these problems and find ways to deal with them. As you identify the problem areas in your life, to you can take time to work on them so you can start eliminate that anxiety that is causing the sleepless nights all the time.

Pay Attention to Your Eating Habits
It is important that you pay attention to your eating habits if you are going to cure stress and cure anxiety. It is important to have right diet, making sure you get the nutrients that your body needs. A healthy diet full of vitamins and minerals and a good multivitamin can help. Proper nutrition can help the body deal with the build-up of stress hormones. Avoiding foods that are sugary and greasy should be limited as well, since they can lower the ability of the body to deal with the stress and anxiety in your life. Healthy eating helps the entire body and can be a quality way to cure stress and cure anxiety naturally.

Start Using Meditative Practices
There are a variety of different meditative practices that you can begin using on a regular basis that can help you eliminate those sleepless nights because they will naturally help you cure anxiety and stress. Yoga is one option, and there are other types of meditative practices as well. Taking time out each day to use these practices will help you begin to relax and will alleviate the problems you have with anxiety and stress on a regular basis.

Of course, it is very important to start working on getting enough sleep. As you miss out on sleep, it causes your body more stress, which leads to a vicious circle. It is important that you learn to cure stress and anxiety naturally so you begin sleeping better at night. As you get more sleep, you'll find that it will also help you to eliminate the stress and anxiety from your life and the body will be better able to deal with the stress that occurs on a daily basis.

About the Author

T S Gill is a researcher in the field of self-improvement and is always looking for ways to solve health problems fast and naturally without the side effects of drugs. If you would like to know the ultimate secret to cure stress fast and naturally please visit: www.curestressfastnaturally.com

Stop Stressing- The S.t.o.p. Method

2010-03-23T11:55:00.000+02:00

Stress is a universal part of the human condition. In short, just about everything in our lives can be a source of stress. The key is not avoiding stress, but learning how to filter what kinds of stress we allow to affect us, and to stop the influence of the worst sources.

However, in some cases one of the worst sources of stress is the voice in our own heads. It really is true that we can be our own worst critics. We talk ourselves into giving up on important projects, belittle ourselves, and sabotage our good, healthy habit-building progress with unhelpful language and private doubts. While a healthy dose of constructive self-criticism can help anyone, we frequently end up taking things too far and miss out on many otherwise good opportunities to build strong habits for ourselves.

With this in mind, we're going to take a look at the Habit Changer S.T.O.P. method of thought management. S.T.O.P. is one of the many techniques you can use to keep a healthy perspective on things. In particular, it is a means of bringing up those negative thoughts and banishing them before you can talk yourself into a bad situation. Practicing these steps will build a healthy habit to stopping stress.

S - Say 'Stop' now.
Right at the start, learn to say 'stop' aloud to yourself. The moment you start having those self-sabotaging thoughts, or that mental voice tells you that you're stupid or silly for trying something, say 'stop.'
It may feel a bit awkward at first, but there's a reason for this. Remember that in a crisis, the police or firefighters will often give verbal commands, even when the situation is fairly obvious. This isn't just to relay the information itself, it also helps get everyone thinking on the same page. This psychological trick can be used in your own favor, so that the act of saying 'stop' aloud starts off a chain of events that you're able to use to your advantage.

As another example, it's similar to the habit of some experts who talk to themselves through a task they know how to do. They aren't necessarily reminding themselves how to do it. Rather, the act of saying the instructions and steps aloud helps them focus, and gets their mind in an appropriate place. Learn to take advantage of this at the first sign of trouble.

T - Take a breath and a breather
Now that you've brought your bad thoughts to a halt, don't let them just start up again. If you immediately start thinking about the problem right away, there's a good chance you're going to go down the same path of negative thinking as before. This is because the mind tends to think in patterns.

The reason habits are such strong behaviors is that the mind likes a pattern, and will adapt itself to one. Therefore, if you try to dive right back into a problem the moment after you say 'stop,' chances are you aren't going to be in the right mindset.

Instead, take a slow, deep breath. Hold it for a moment, and then let it out slowly. Deep breathing has a calming effect on the body, and our brains work better when we have plenty of oxygen.

Then, take a break from the problem. It doesn't have to be a long one, just long enough to think about something else for a few minutes. Read a short story, listen to your favorite positive song, or take a brief walk. The activity will allow you to get your mind into a more positive framework that you can use to your benefit.

O - Own your Outcome
Remind yourself of the goals you've set for yourself. Remember that the reason you chose the Habit Changer program is because you want to feel better, and take control of the stress in your life. Yes, the present matters, but only in the way it relates to your goal.

Letting negative thinking defeat your efforts is going to sabotage the Outcome you've picked for yourself, so focus on that Outcome and analyze your thoughts for how they will help you get there.

P - Praise yourself for what you've accomplished
There is always a bright side to look at. Whether it's meeting a long term goal, or just having the satisfaction that you're finally starting to take small steps toward making your life better, remind yourself of the good things as often as you can. This will help put those negative thoughts into perspective, and allow you to see them in their proper context. Praise reaffirms our good behaviors, and is a critical element in good habit building.
The S.T.O.P. method is easy, but it will feel a bit awkward at first. We don't often tell ourselves to 'stop' aloud, so it will take practice. This is true of all good habits. It takes about a month of consistent effort to develop a new behavior into a habit. That said, once this time is up, the habits become strong enough to easily fit into our lives, and they get easier every time. Good luck, and remember to S.T.O.P. when stress starts.

About the Author

Larry Tobin is a co-creator of HabitChanger.com, offering effective and empowering solutions for stopping stress. Try our 42-day program that will help you learn proactive habits to beat stress and keep you moving forward in the right direction.

Stress - Countless Ways to Cope With Stress

2010-03-23T11:47:00.002+02:00

People are prone to stress no matter how hard you try to get rid of it. The question is not really a matter of how you can keep away from it but more of how you can handle and cope with stress. People may not be aware of it, but stress can sometimes provide positive effects. In some cases, a modest amount of stress can help you deal with your issues more appropriately.

On the other hand, too much stress can cause alarming consequences to an individual. Excessive amount of stressful matters can lead to health disorders and unwanted changes in your mood and attitude. Most of the time, it also causes undesirable transformation in your physical appearance as well.

In order to prevent yourself from these appalling changes brought about by stress, you need to figure out what triggers it off. This tension must be caused by either personal matters or work-related anxieties. There are times when even if you want to resolve the issue, it's just too much to disappear in an instant. No matter what causes your stress, you have to be flexible enough to adapt to it. Learn how to get used to it and respond to stress without terribly dwelling on the issue.

Take time to relax and get involved to recreational activities. Be certain that your entire life is not being haunted by your anxieties. Take note of your time management as well. There are circumstances when all you need to free yourself from stress is to have a systematic time table. It's time you give high regards to the kind of relationship that you have with the people around you. It is definitely a stress reducing factor having a graceful bond with them.

Finding out how you can cope with stress maybe the answer to your long time burden. Be sure you grace yourself with pleasurable undertakings from time to time to remind you that life is a blissful occurrence after all.

About the Author

Andrew has been writing articles for nearly two years now. Not only does this author specialise in travel, business and art, you can also check out his latest website on the popular Classic Car Radio which lists the best car radios to buy. So visit http://classiccarradio.org/ to find more information.

Dealing with stress can be difficult. After all, you can never totally wipe out all the stress from your life today. While you can't get rid of everything that stresses you out, you'll find that stress management is important if you want to keep your self healthy in mind and body. So, here are some excellent tips that will help you to more effectively manage your stress. Tip #1 - Figure Out What is Stressing You Out The first thing that you need to do if you are dealing with a lot of stress is to actually figure out what is stressing you out. It is difficult to work on removing stress or finding a solution to your stress if you are not aware of what is actually stressing you out. Figure out if the stress is only a temporary thing, or if it is something that is a part of your life. Tip #2 - Avoid Stress that is Unnecessary One of the best stress management solutions that can improve your life is to make sure that you avoid stress that is unnecessary in your life. Avoid putting yourself in situations that will stress you. Make sure you stay away from people who stress you, and control the environment around you in order to avoid stress as well. Tip #3 - Accept Things in Life that Cannot Be Changed Another great stress relief tip that can help is to accept things in life that can't be changed. There is no use causing yourself more stress by fighting things that can't be changed by you. Don't try to be in control of things you can't control and work to be positive about things in your life that you cannot change as well. Tip #4 - Take Time for Relaxation It's very important to take time for relaxation. This is one of the most important stress management solutions to incorporate into your life. Relaxation and fun can go a long way to reducing the amount of stress that you deal with. Often it is very easy to get caught up in life and all you have to do that you forget to take some time to relax yourself. Make sure you set aside time to relax, do things that are enjoyable on a daily basis, and make time for positive relationships as well. Tip #5 - Keeping Your Lifestyle Healthy Last of all, keeping your lifestyle healthy is another excellent stress relief tip to keep in mind. Make sure that you exercise, which keeps you healthy and also relieves stress. Make sure that you eat right as well. Even getting plenty of sleep can help you to combat stress. Stress management is important, and it is not as difficult to incorporate into your life as you may think. Keep these simple tips in mind and work to lower the stress you have in your life to keep as healthy as possible. About the Author Discover more effective personal health strategies, healthier lifestyle techniques, healthy dieting advice and time tested wellness tips go to: Health Tips 101 Unlock the secrets to living a healthier lifestyle sign up for my Daily Diet & Exercise Tips Newsletter! at: Free Diet & Exercise Tips Newsletter

2010-03-23T11:40:00.000+02:00

Dealing with stress can be difficult. After all, you can never totally wipe out all the stress from your life today. While you can't get rid of everything that stresses you out, you'll find that stress management is important if you want to keep your self healthy in mind and body. So, here are some excellent tips that will help you to more effectively manage your stress.

Tip #1 - Figure Out What is Stressing You Out
The first thing that you need to do if you are dealing with a lot of stress is to actually figure out what is stressing you out. It is difficult to work on removing stress or finding a solution to your stress if you are not aware of what is actually stressing you out. Figure out if the stress is only a temporary thing, or if it is something that is a part of your life.

Tip #2 - Avoid Stress that is Unnecessary
One of the best stress management solutions that can improve your life is to make sure that you avoid stress that is unnecessary in your life. Avoid putting yourself in situations that will stress you. Make sure you stay away from people who stress you, and control the environment around you in order to avoid stress as well.

Tip #3 - Accept Things in Life that Cannot Be Changed
Another great stress relief tip that can help is to accept things in life that can't be changed. There is no use causing yourself more stress by fighting things that can't be changed by you. Don't try to be in control of things you can't control and work to be positive about things in your life that you cannot change as well.

Tip #4 - Take Time for Relaxation
It's very important to take time for relaxation. This is one of the most important stress management solutions to incorporate into your life. Relaxation and fun can go a long way to reducing the amount of stress that you deal with. Often it is very easy to get caught up in life and all you have to do that you forget to take some time to relax yourself. Make sure you set aside time to relax, do things that are enjoyable on a daily basis, and make time for positive relationships as well.

Tip #5 - Keeping Your Lifestyle Healthy
Last of all, keeping your lifestyle healthy is another excellent stress relief tip to keep in mind. Make sure that you exercise, which keeps you healthy and also relieves stress. Make sure that you eat right as well. Even getting plenty of sleep can help you to combat stress.

Stress management is important, and it is not as difficult to incorporate into your life as you may think. Keep these simple tips in mind and work to lower the stress you have in your life to keep as healthy as possible.

About the Author

Discover more effective personal health strategies, healthier lifestyle techniques, healthy dieting advice and time tested wellness tips go to: Health Tips 101
Unlock the secrets to living a healthier lifestyle sign up for my Daily Diet & Exercise Tips Newsletter! at: Free Diet & Exercise Tips Newsletter

Stop Stressing: the S.T.O.P. Method

2010-03-23T11:34:00.000+02:00

About the Author

Reduce Stress to Reduce Fibromyalgia Pain

2010-02-26T20:40:00.000+02:00

It's been shown that stress and pain are irreversibly linked to fibromyalgia. In some cases, being under a lot of stress is what initally has triggered it. Fibromyalgia sometimes will manifest after a serious illness, or an emotional of some kind. Although not certain, a genetic tendency toward fibromyalgia appears likely, and many people believe that stress unmasks the disorder. Therefore, it makes sense to reduce stress to reduce fibromyalgia pain.

Fibromyalgia is believed to be a central nervous system disorder in which either pain-sensing nerves are overly sensitive, or the brain is very sensitive to pain impulses. Those who have this disease have poor functioning of the HPA axis-hpyophysis-pituitary-adrenal axis- in other words..... our body's system for responding to stress with neurochemicals such as adrenalin and serotonin.

How pain sensation and an abnormal stress response are related is not known, but we do understand that people with fibromyalgia have increased pain when under a lot of stress.

It is very stressful just knowing you have fibromyalgia. Having to cope with chronic pain, fatigue and mental cloudiness is very challenging and difficult. It may affect a person's ability to keep their job, which only adds to the stress. That can lead to financial difficulties as well. Because many people do not understand what you are going through, they may expect you to behave "normally".

Learning how to cope with a chronic illness and lifestyle changes is stressful. That's the typical daily stress load; adding anything to it often tips the scale and, as a result, the fibromyalgia symptoms will tend to get worse.

For these reasons stress reduction is crucial in managing your fibromyalgia. These ways may help alleviate some of it.

1. Take good care of yourself first This includes eating a nutritious diet with lots of fruit and vegetables, getting enough exercise and restful sleep. You won't be able to do as much and may feel worse if you don't look after yourself before anything else.

2. Be aware of your body so you can recognize your body's cues that you are becoming stressed. Then you can make use of relaxation techniques or exercise in the early stages, before the stress gets out of hand. However, you don't want to lose your protective lack of awareness about pain. Pay attention to how you feel so you can identify where you feel stress first. Does it start with your shoulders get tight? Once you have that figured out, you can scan to see if your body is showing signs of stress

3. You may find it helpful to keep a journal. A journal can be your tool to assist you in finding situations that cause tension so you can either avoid them in the future, or be better prepared to handle them if they can't be prevented. Writing about the stressful event in itself can help you release it.

4. Practice stress management techniques. This can include meditation, deep breathing and visualization. These techniques reduce neurochemicals levels that circulate in your body, and help decrease both stress and pain.

5. Physiotherapy, massage and stretching can reduce muscle tension and stress and as a result keep pain at a minumum as well.

These are some was to reduce stress and reduce the fibromalgia pain as a result. Taking good care of yourself, which may require some lifestyle changes can reduce the incidents of flare-ups and give you a better quality of life.

About the Author

For more information on how to reduce stress and reduce fibromyalgia pain using natural therapies visit EliminateFibromyalgia.com.

Meditation as a technique for Stress Management

2010-02-26T20:37:00.000+02:00

A common man's daily work schedule can be very hectic. In fact this daily work routine is a major source of stress for human beings. The environment in the office, bosses', colleagues, difficult tasks can act as a major stress builder. Not only does this stress affect your personal and physical health but this can also have a serious negative impact on your career.

If you are aiming for a very good career then surely, you will have to do a lot of hard work. A long day's work adds a lot of stress into people's life. So without learning to manage stress, you won't be able to keep up with the demands of your career.

Meditation is on of the best source of stress management. While the prolonged exposure to stress can cause many types of damage, meditation affects the body in exactly the opposite way stress does. It helps restore the body to a calm state and helps to repair itself from the damages caused from stress.

Meditation provides lot of benefits. It restores your heart rate, breathing and blood pressure to normal. It helps to reduce sweating, helps to use oxygen more efficiently. It helps to increase your immunization, and also strengthens your mind. People who meditate regularly can easily leave any type of bad habits like smoking, drinking etc.. The most important advantage of meditation as a stress management technique is that it is free and can be done anywhere and anytime.

The only con being that it is not easy for beginners to learn and that you need a little extra time for practicing it. But this cons can be easily eradicated since there are numerous books and techniques which teaches meditation that can be practiced easily and in very short time.

About the Author

1200Seconds.com brings to you a book which will make you capable of Meditating in only 1200 Seconds. Get the book now at 99.99$ only at 1200Seconds.com

How to Manage Stress in the Workplace

2010-02-07T00:10:00.000+02:00

For an average employee, the demands of a job is stressful enough. But, for an employee with an anxiety disorder, meeting his work's demands is twice, even thrice as stressful. Getting treatment and undergoing medication for anxiety can be quite expensive so quitting one's job is not an option. There are ways to manage workplace stress but first, you have to know its common causes.

Common cause of workplace stress
* Excessive workload * Unreasonable hours * Tedious tasks * Low pay * Inconducive work environments * Inefficient organizational practices * Poor interpersonal relationships with colleagues * Sudden workplace changes

Workplace stress management tips

Once you have determined the cause of your stress in the workplace, you can use any or all of the following tips in order to manage it:

1. Review your job description and responsibilities.
As much as taking more responsibility at work can boost your career, now is not the time to do so. You can take on more tasks once you are done with your treatment and can take on added responsibility. For now, review your job description and pertinent tasks. If there are tasks that are not included in your responsibilities, inform your supervisor and explain that in your current condition, it will be best if the extra work will be delegated to other people.

2. Keep your workstation as organized as possible.
Although you cannot control the entire office environment, you can try and keep your station as clean and organized as possible. Clutter can cause you to lose concentration while drab office colors can make you distressed. Use colorful space organizers like pen holders, in-trays, and folders to keep your station clean and cheery.

3. Participate in office events.
Participating in office events like corporate parties or casual lunches with your colleagues can boost your working relationship with them. A kind smile can go a long way in improving your interpersonal relationship with them.

4. Clarify concerns with the management.
Often, employees tend to form their own conclusions about new policies or procedures in the workplace. Unfortunately, these conclusions are often negative. Before joining the bandwagon, clarify your concerns first with your supervisor so you can get a clearer picture of what your employer and the company is trying to accomplish with the new policy or procedure.

5. Be open to workplace changes.
Employees often stress themselves over new procedures or policies. Instead of closing doors on changes, keep an open mind and try to see things differently. Sure, new rules or policies may be difficult to swallow at first but they might be what the company needs to move forward and create opportunities for employees like you.

Aside from these tips, you can also take advantage of Employee Assistance Programs or EAPs offered by your company like stress management programs or counseling services. you can ask your supervisor about this or the Human Resources Department. By taking an active role in your treatment and minimizing workplace stress, you can do well in your job and still be healthy.

About the Author

For tips on bad sunburns and sunburn cures, visit the Treating Sunburn website.

Managing Stress using Yoga

2010-02-07T00:02:00.000+02:00

Stress is one of the major ailment of the 21st century. Stress is caused due a high pressure job, a bad marriage, social isolation and the list is endless. A lot of psychiatrics and shrinks have made a fortune because of this ailment. Almost every individual faces stress related problems because of the pressures of this era. A lot research and material is available to solve this problem.

What is Stress?
Stress is usually a mental pressure exerted due to fatigue or excessive work. It is also caused from worrying about the work or happenings in the past, present or future. Every individual faces this problem but those who cannot handle these face problems. Stress is one ailment where the mind wins over the heart. Stress also leads to physical problems, but if not attended to can cause an individual to go into a depression or snap. There have been several instances that this has caused people to harm others. If I have to put the causes of stress in a nutshell, it would be because of the high population. High competition in education and jobs cause people high levels of mental agony. There might be many ways to overcome stress, but let us now look at an age old technique that is YOGA.

Some of the steps are:
1) This might sound clichéd but a simple stress buster is breathing. Pranaya technique in yoga teaches individuals deep breathing techniques. It helps proper bold flow to different parts of the body and relaxes the mind after a disciplined session.

2) The other form of stress management is the Hatha technique. This involves a series of poses that designed to increase strength and flexibility. Poses range from lying on the floor while completely relaxed to difficult postures that may have you stretching your physical limits. It has been scientifically proven that this technique promises quick results.

3) The Mantra technique - This involves imagery, here the individual relaxes his mind completely and then meditates, he is here trained to invoke positive imagery and tries ti shun away negative thoughts away from his brain. The Secret movie also explains on how positive thinking and visualization results in happiness.

4) The Surya Namaskar is a intense body workout that leaves the mind refreshed after doing it. A great way to combat stress is indulging in intense physical activities as the body and mind are in tune while performing the act.

The people who die because of stress related problems increase tremendously each year. Therefore an individual must recognize the signs early and do the above to solve this problem. The youth should follow this on a rigors basis to lead a blissful life.

Feeling the Stress!!!! Find out a quick fix yogic solution on how to deal stress with yoga at http://yogamatreview.net

About the Author

The Author is an Advertising Professional with Leo Networks

Stress and 7 Steps to Reduce Stressful Mistakes

2010-02-07T00:00:00.000+02:00

Stress can be a difficult and complex process to handle. In using a range of stress management and stress relief techniques many people overlook one of the most important and powerful influences on your stress levels. It is your own self-talk.

WHAT YOUR MIND REALLY TELLS YOU
But what is self-talk? Basically, your self-talk is what your mind tells you in your head about yourself and others around you. It is what your thoughts and mind tells you about an experience you are having and the amount of worry, stress and anxiety you are feeling. You are not often aware of your own self-talk as it goes on quietly in your head. But it is very powerful. Your own self-talk actually becomes part of your psyche and therefore your belief systems, attitudes and your unique view of the world.

NEGATIVE THINKING INCREASES YOUR STRESS
When your self-talk is very negative about yourself then it increases your own feelings of stress and worry. When it is negative about the world around you this too makes you more anxious, apprehensive and distrustful. If you never balance negative self-talk with any positive thoughts then you will become increasingly stressed out and distressed.

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND STRESS RELIEF WITH SEVEN STEPS
It is now time to change this pattern of excessive negative talk about yourself. It vital that you develop stress management and stress relief strategies to deal with this negative self-talk. When you feel like you have made a mistake, then this is a great opportunity to practice changing your self-talk. So here are 7 steps to help you to change this negative self-talk when you have made a mistake.

Step 1. Be very clear that you are actually only human. You should not see yourself as superhuman. Trying to be superhuman only puts you under greater pressure so you make even more mistakes.

Step 2. Understand that we all make mistakes, even you. The mistakes you make are very rarely life threatening.

Step 3. Tell yourself you forgive yourself when you make a mistake. Holding on to guilt achieves nothing and gets in the way of your own stress management.

Step 4. Do not dwell on actions that have gone, you cannot reverse them now. It is not the mistake that you need to focus on but what you can learn from it for the future.

Step 5. See that it is no longer a mistake but really a challenge in disguise. A challenge to focus on how you will alter and change your actions in the future.

Step 6. Focus now on handling this differently when you find yourself in the same situation in the future.

Step 7. Decide to let go of this pressure-filled and stressful negative self-talk. Swap it for positive change and challenge self-talk from now on.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO USE STRESSED OUT THINKING
Life is far too short to spend your time and your energy dwelling in a negative self-talk pattern every time you make a mistake. Follow these 7 steps and you will begin to let go of that thinking and dramatically reduce your level of anxiety and stress.

About the Author

Has this got you thinking? Then how about 101 more ideas to think about? You can get all of these in our free 101 WAYS TO LESS STRESS GUIDE. At the Global Organization for Stress our mission is to bring you the best stress strategies from around the world. So join us now by clicking on this link to our website http://www.gostress.com

Stressed Out? Proven Stress Relievers

2010-02-06T23:58:00.000+02:00

In today's busy world almost everyone has stress in their lives. We are bombarded with stress from so many different areas. Not only do we have to deal with the usual stresses of work and family, but we are also have stress in the world around us as well. We have traffic jams, city noise, and electronics such as TV's and radios, computers and phones. And don't forget the fact that we are surrounded by artificial light throughout the day and night. It is no wonder that we feel stressed!

Without your knowledge, your body starts to crave peace and quiet when faced with stressful situations. Everyone has wanted to get into bed and pull the covers up over their heads at some point of their life! We should find the time to recharge and renew so we can deal with the daily stress we face. If we don't take the time to reduce stress in our lives, we may be faced with depression, anxiety or physical illness. By practicing stress management techniques we can prevent stress from increasing and creating an emotional breakdown or a physical illness.

There are many different kinds of stress management techniques that can be helpful in overcoming the stress that we encounter. Some ways of overcoming stress can be as simple as working to overcome the source of the stress, being more assertive, or stepping away from the cause of the stress all together.

Much of the stress that we face comes from our jobs. There are two main causes of stress on the job: the job itself and coworkers. Pressures at work can include difficult tasks that seem overwhelming, upcoming deadlines, and not having enough hours in the day to complete the assignments we need to do. Even though job stress will not go away, you can manage it. If you find yourself constantly being interrupted while trying to accomplish tasks, see if you can change your daily schedule so you can work when there are less people around. If you can't do this, use time management techniques to complete overwhelming jobs at the slowest time of your workday.

Everyone has had to work with difficult people and on the job this is a major cause of stress. Coworkers and tense bosses can be a source of stress as well as upset clients. If you learn to be assertive you can express your opinions without coming across as being overly aggressive or threatening. If you need to, get a book or an assertiveness training course that will teach you how to set defined boundaries. By creating boundaries and letting people know when they cross those boundaries you will become free from unneeded emotional stress created by dealing with difficult people. Assertiveness training can also help with stressful family relationships as well.

Some other ideas to help relieve workplace stress are little things such as taking scheduled breaks, creating a clean and welcoming workspace, and having the same starting and ending time to your day. Creating time for a break helps you to recharge and go back to your work with a fresh outlook. A short 15 minute break can really help your productivity. Plus, if your work area is a place you feel comfortable and enjoy being, your quality of work will increase. It is amazing how a few changes such as these can reduce your job related stress.

One of the best ways to deal with stress is to develop a positive attitude. Keep in mind that no one has a perfect life and that stressful situations happen to everyone. When you tell yourself that this too shall pass, you are allowing your mind to be free from unnecessary anxiety and worry. We all have problems to deal with, but we can learn to overcome rather than let the problems overcome us.

There is no cure all for stress and unfortunately stress will always be a part of our lives. If we learn to change our thinking from negative to positive, become more assertive, practice time management skills and finding the good around us we will see that life is great. You can overcome stress and find the peace and contentment you desire.

About the Author

Jamie is a mother of three who enjoys fitness and the outdoors. She loves to make fun treat for her kids with her milkshake maker. Check out her new website, www.milkshakemaker.org to learn all about getting the best milkshake maker so you can make great homemade milkshakes too!

Natural Stress Relief and Stress Relief Tips

2010-02-06T23:51:00.000+02:00

You can run into problems when your body is under stress all the time. When you knowledge stress constantly, especially the kind that most of us face every day, such as work stress, it can negatively affect your body and health. Thankfully, using herbs for stress running can really help-especially when paired with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Stress Relief Tips: -
* Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast table, make lunches, put out the clothes you plan to wear, etc. * Do nothing which, after being done, leads you to tell a lie. * Make duplicates of all keys. Bury a house key in a secret spot in the garden and carry a duplicate car key in your wallet, apart from your key ring. * Play an instrument especially guitar, if you know how. * Be prepared to wait. A book can make a wait in a post office line almost pleasant. * Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now. *Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful. * Plan ahead. Don't let the gas tank get below one-quarter full; keep a well-stocked "emergency shelf" of home staples; don't wait until you're down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more; etc. * Get together with your girlfriends and commiserate. When you all share your dilemmas and get the frustration out in the open, it's a pretty sure thing that you'll be feeling better in no time. * Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get to appointments. Plan to arrive at an airport one hour before domestic departures. * Take an entire night to yourself, to be completely worthless. Order take-out, walk around in your jimmies and just enjoy having nothing to do. * Make friends with no worriers. Nothing can get you into the habit of worrying faster than associating with chronic worrywarts. * Get up and stretch every so often if your job requires that you sit for extended periods. * Go on a vacation. Whether you leave for a week or you take a five-minute mental vacation, sometimes an escape from reality is all it really takes to re-energize and rejuvenate yourself. * Get enough sleep. If needed, use an alarm clock to remind you to go to bed.

Natural Stress Relief: -
Exercise for Stress Relief: - Exercise is another important part of a natural stress management routine. Experts have long known that cardiovascular exercise benefits people both physically and mentally. The reason for this is quite simple: when you exercise, stress hormones decrease and hormones that make you feel good (such as endorphins) increase.

Healthy Eating Habits: - When we reduce stressful eating habits we gain maximum benefit from the food we eat. We also bring more sanity into our relationship with food. Healthy eating habits help us stay trim and avoid compulsive stressful overeating.

Ashwagandha hreb for Stress Relief: - The shoots of the Ashwagandha herb are used in food and in India seeds of the Ashwagandha are used to thicken milk herbal stress relief. Also use Ashwagandha to treat fevers, and other inflammations for herbal stress relief.

About the Author

You may be interested in reading Natural Stress Relief and Stress Relief. Also read more Treatment for Stress

Stress Management Training

2010-01-15T04:11:00.002+02:00

This article describes stress management training at work is important (it reduces staff turnover, sickness and increases productivity) and some of the factors that make stress training courses effectiveness or otherwise.

Stress Management

In the businesses, non-profits and government organisations that employ me there are two kinds of people -those who admit there is stress in their lives and those in denial. Both may suffer but the latter cannot address what is a crucial workplace issue (in the UK the Health and Safety Executive make it a legal requirement for employers to address it is considered so important irrespective). Happily macho attitudes are dying out as people realise the impact stress can have on health (most of the Western World killers are stress related), efficiency/productivity (studies show that stressed people DO NOT work well) and relationships at work and at home.

Stress training is becoming recognised by businesses as valuable as if done well it decreases staff turnover (churn-rate), increases effectiveness and reduces absenteeism. As well as being an ethical stance, providing stress management saves organisations money. What then are some of the barriers relating to stress training? Aside from prejudicial attitudes that stress can make one weak there is also a misconception that people work well stressed. Some positive arousal or eustress can of course be beneficial - but most people in modern organisations that I see are well beyond this daily and working on adrenaline and heading towards burnout. The concept of "sustainable working" is often a useful one for managing stress, as is the distinction between "live relaxation" (like an athlete) and "dead relaxation" (like a unconscious drunk). Other barriers to stress management include time and cost. Short targeted courses funded by government grants can help with both of these.

What Makes Stress Training Effective?

Some stress training is effective and some is not (as measured by participants in feedback or by "hard measures" like staff sick days). Here are some of the things that make workplace stress management training courses effective if included:

Choose an Experienced Stress Training Provider Would you do dentistry "in house" or ask a mechanic to do it? Of course not, it pays to get a specialist in to address stress at work and the same is true of investing in an experienced and specialist stress training provider. Of course I am biased but the real test is that paying customers agree.

Adequate Pre Course Assessment Was Done Stress training will only work if it is targeted to the organisations needs. Public stress courses are possible but if the trainer is talking directly to the concerns of delegates after having done thorough research this is superior. A pre-course stress management questionnaire would be a minimal measure.

Stress Course Has an Embodied and Integral Perspective Talking about theories of stress is not enough as stress is an embodied phenomena and this much be addressed. Similarly looking at any one angle on stress is insufficient as psychological, biological, social, cultural, environmental and organisational aspects must all be considered for effectiveness as these elements are all involved. Ken Wilber's integral model is the most complete theoretical overview I know of.

Stress Training is Interactive and Fun! Interactive and experiential training will alleviate the problem of tired or bored delegates not taking anything in, and gain crucial buy-in.

Stress Management Training Enables "Real-World Transfer" Training often has a bad reputation as in many organisations people will go on a course, then promptly forget everything they have learned. It is important that stress training embeds learning in real-world applications. Follow-up e-mails and revision sessions are also effective.

This article is only a brief introduction to stress training and what makes stress management effective, but I hope it has been a helpful start. There are several government grants for stress training currently available in the UK so please get in contact to benefit your productivity, health and relationships.

Mark Walsh Integration Training Brighton, Sussex, UK

About the Author

Mark Walsh leads Integration Training - a UK stress training provider..
Integration Training work with stress management courses, team building and leadership training. They are based in Brighton (Sussex), London, and Birmingham UK.

Stress and How Our Body Responds

2010-01-15T04:10:00.000+02:00

Stress. This is a common term these days. We learn about remedies for stress, reasons for stress, first hand experiences from people who suffer from, and we probably experience stress ourselves. However stress is more than a word, it is physical and emotional reaction to danger, anxiety, and difficult situations. As you can see, stress isn't just a word, it is a reason for concern.

Stress creates different of issuesin our lives. Stress can cause several different physical and mental health problems. We might demonstrate our stress by getting upset or being cross a few days. But it can be possible that stress can cause a significant breakdown of our emotional or physical health. Most of the time it isn't one specific event that brings on stress induced health issues, it is caused by a build up of stress over time. Is it possible to stop allowing stress to take over our lives? If we are able to understand why we suffer from stress we can learn how to deal with it more productively.

Physical Stressors
Our bodies are made to react to immediate physical threats, which is a cause of stress. An encounter with an animal, discovering someone in your home, being in an accident; all of these things are stressful conditions. We are programmed to respond to these threats by increasing adrenaline production to help us be ready for fight or flight.

These threats can even create stress when we aren't experiencing them. If a person has a fear of a danger it can create emotional stress. Someone who is frightened of dogs may have a fear of passing by a neighbor's home who has a dog, perhaps going as far as changing their route to stay away from it. A lot people become physically ill before flying on a plane because of a fear of flying.

Environmental Stressors
Life in itself can be a reason for of stress in our lives. We aren't living in the peaceful world of yesterday. In our time we are continually subjected to intense sound: cell phones, traffic, TV, etc. We have bright lights, which help ensure our safety at night but make it hard for our bodies to fully rest. In time our bodies and minds crave peace, quiet and darkness to rejuvenate. But many times we just can't seem to block out the noise and light to create quiet time in our lives.

Emotional Stressors
Everyone at some time or another is faced with relationship problems. It could be a romantic relationship, a friendship, or a family problem. Regardless of the type of relationship, issues between people are a cause of stress in our lives. Life changes, even positive ones can disrupt the body's natural rhythm and create stress.

There can be several reasons we have stress in our lives, we need to determine the causes of the stress we have and learn to overcome it. By using stress management procedures we can create an inner peace that will bring us better emotional and physical well being.

About the Author

Paige is a graphic designer who enjoys fitness and the outdoors. She uses a roll laminator daily in her work. Check out her new website, www.rolllaminator.org to learn all about roll laminators so you can get the best one for your home or business.

Relieving Stress Through Meditation

2010-01-15T04:08:00.000+02:00

In a world where stress is everywhere, you need some time to find ways to eliminate them before they explode into your system. During this time, you really need to focus on practical moment method; this is also commonly known as meditation through stress management. Some people don't believe in the idea of relieving stress through meditation. But, if you can sit and do nothing for a few minutes, then stress meditation will be possible.

Here are four effective ways of doing it:

1. Choose a place that is relaxing. Sit down with your legs cross for a more easy and comfortable feeling. You can either sit on the floor or on a chair wherever you may feel comfortable.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Clear your head from worries. Some people find this part very hard. At first, you will really have a hard time doing this but eventually you will also be able to learn how to do it perfectly.

4. Focus inwards and avoid thinking of other things now other than making yourself feel better. Meditation takes practice, and in time you will be able to master the art of it. You can speak out a word to convince yourself to relax; this is commonly called as mantra.

There are lots of available ways to do it but it's really hard to follow every bit of it if you're not that familiar with the steps. Yoga is one of the most common meditations that have been known decades ago. This is not just helpful to eliminate stress; it can also provide you with calming effect in times of troubles and promotes your overall health. One of the most critical part of it is how can you bring your consciousness to your breath.

This may really sound hard and ridiculous to some but to those who had tried it, they can attest to the fact that they've found big help through meditation. Through the day, no matter how busy you are, find some time to breathe and have a relaxing moment for awhile. People tend to prolonged themselves in working hard not minding that our body needs some time to relax and calm for awhile from an adrenalin rush in meeting deadlines. You can do this by making something that reminds you to relax and breathe for awhile. It can be a telephone ring or an alarming call from your superior. Anytime you hear that you will be conscious and you'll remember to unwind for awhile before you continue to work again.

About the Author

Arjun has written for many Internet publications and enjoys technical issues and new product releases like the Harbor Freight Coupon and the new versions of Harbor Freight Coupon

Ways to Get Rid of Stress and Anxiety

2010-01-15T04:04:00.000+02:00

Stress and anxiety are among the two most common sources of work-weariness and complaint among urbanites, corporate executives, and other people who go each day to "fight" in the concrete jungles. Endless streams of tasks and unbeatable deadlines seem to push people near to the brink of resignation, if not from the job itself, but from the ability to meet the various expectations heaped upon them in the office. Aside from having the beat the early morning traffic and going off to work sans breakfast, the sheer competition in climbing up the corporate ladder have gotten into the minds of not a few "men in ties" and "women in heels." No wonder, the 21st Century rat rate itself has spawned a new and thriving industries --- the spa and the anti-anxiety medication businesses. Having anxiety panic attacks will not exactly boost the corporate image of an up-and-coming, hardworking junior executive. Those who can hardly survive "in the kitchen" due to the intense office "heat" may opt to go to a doctor to get a prescription. But what they need to take every morning may not be the all-too-common multivitamin and minerals in capsule form. The visit to the doctor was prompted by the need to take specially made drugs to calm the nerves. The use of anti-anxiety drugs is now fast becoming a common procedure among busy executives who want to remain in control of their emotions as well as their careers.

Another hip and trendy way to beat corporate pressure is by going to a spa. For an hour or two, a hassled "business warrior" can go in to have spend time to break a sweat inside a sauna. Inside the wooden room with just enough heat to cause you to sweat out your body's toxins, a tired executive can sit there for up to 45 minutes wearing nothing but a fresh towel. In between, sips of water needed to avoid dehydration, a spa enthusiast can take comfort that he is sweating away all the unhealthy elements of what he ate during that "power lunch" with the department head or the unwanted calories consumed during the company sales victory party. After perspiring away and feeling a bit lighter, the executive can then proceed to a discreet, aromatic room where his very own masseur waits with skillful hands. The all-too-willing subject of the massage can choose from a variety of techniques: Thai, Japanese, Swedish, Acupressure, Reflexology and even Shiamen-Style Foot Massage. All these massage styles offer soothing pleasures to the mind and body. Each therapuetic rub and stroke is made to specifically un-tie the "knots" and "bumps" from head to toe. Indeed, stress and anxiety are looked at by career-driven individuals not only as mere emotional and physical distress. These are now the "enemies" and "obstacles" that could make or break a person's climb to the top. The climb, or more appropriately, the race up the career highway has left many otherwise talented and skilled professionals lost, burned out, and out of the game.

Much like financial capital, equipment, technology and facilities --- people are now also looked at as highly valuable factors of production. In fact, it is the troop of professionals and workers who actually make a business run, and not just the CEO or company president. For this reason, many corporations are now investing more and more in the health and well-being of their people. By pouring in more dollars to take care of their most valuable assets, companies are able to minimize employee burnout, sick leaves, and executive turnovers.

A major intervention or program that is present in almost every company is called stress management, technique or series of activities designed to help a person cope with the daily struggles and pressures of work. Specifically, stress management may involve one or all of the following scientifically-based procedures and techniques:

? Autogenic Therapy ? Cognitive Therapy ? Exercise ? Meditation ? Progressive Relaxation ? Use of Stress Balls

In fact, even engaging in sexual activities is considered a stress buster --- a procedure that certainly beats going to a psychiatrist or stress therapist. Regardless of the technique or method, beating stress will continue to be an additional survival skill that every executive or worker must learn in order to continue and succeed at work. It is not just a matter of "getting rid of the blues" or releasing tension and anger. Dealing with work-related anxieties is necessary to maintain one's health as well to keep one competent and calm in facing the daily battles in the workplace.

About the Author

Visit the Arm Problems website to learn about numbness in right arm and pain in right arm.

Quit stressing the small stuff, manage your stress

2010-01-15T04:01:00.000+02:00

As we start a new year and a new decade many things in our life seem uncertain. The economy is not improving as fast as we would like and we have to wonder what the government is up to? The national debt is doing nothing but increasing and the provider of the paper the government uses to print the money is having a hard time keeping up with demand. So what does this mean for all of us?

It means that we need to do the best we can with the tools that we have. Use our education to the best of our ability. Hold our head high and move our lives forward the best way we can. For some of us it means that we will need to re-invent our self.

We have questions about how we will pay the bills or put food on the table? How will we pay for college for our kids that are in high school? Will we be able to go on a family vacation this year? Will we ever be able to retire?

All of these questions create stress in our life. They create stress and sometimes strife within family units that can blow out of proportion to the questions that we ask. At times the stress feels like it will break you apart so how do we manage it?

Finding ways to relax is the key to living, healthy, happy, energetic and stress free. Relaxation is the key to keeping your relationships healthy and keeping YOU SANE!

Relaxation is an essential part of stress management. Relaxation is not just about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby. Relaxation decreases the wear and tear on your mind and body from the challenges, hassles and stress of daily life.

Whether your stress is out of control or you have already got it tamed, you can benefit from learning ways to realize relaxation.

Learning basic relaxation techniques is easy, often free or low cost, and poses little risk. These simple techniques will get you started on taking control of the stress in your life and improving your health.
The benefits of relaxation techniques

With so many things to do, relaxation is easy to ignore. But that means you might miss out on the health benefits relaxation can provide.

Types of relaxing activities

In general, relaxation techniques involve refocusing your attention to something calming and increasing awareness of your body. It does not matter which technique you choose. What matters is that you try to practice relaxation regularly to gain the most benefits.

There are several main types of relaxation techniques, including:

Auto relaxation.
Auto means something that comes from within you. In this technique, you use both visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. You repeat words or suggestions in your mind to help you relax and reduce muscle tension. You may imagine a peaceful place and then focus on controlled, relaxing breathing, slowing your heart rate, or feeling different physical sensations, such as relaxing each arm or leg one by one.

Progressive muscle relaxation.
In this technique, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. This helps you focus on the difference between muscle tension and relaxation. You become more aware of physical sensations. One method is to start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and progressively working your way up to your neck and head. Tense your muscles for at least five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds, and repeat.

Visualization.
In this technique, you form mental images to take a visual journey to a peaceful, calming place or situation. During visualization, try to use as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound and touch. If you imagine relaxing at the ocean, for instance, think about such things as the smell of salt water, the sound of crashing waves and the warmth of the sun on your body. You may want to close your eyes, sit in a quiet spot and loosen any tight clothing.

Practicing relaxation techniques can reduce stress symptoms by:

Slowing your heart rate
Lowering blood pressure
Increasing blood flow to major muscles
Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain
Improving concentration
Reducing anger and frustration

Other common ways to relax include:

Yoga
Tai chi
Listening to music
Exercise
Meditation
Hypnosis
Massage

Relaxation techniques take practice

As you learn relaxation techniques, you will become more aware of muscle tension and other physical symptoms of stress. Once you know what the stress response feels like, you can make a conscious effort to practice the best relaxation technique for you the moment you start to feel stress. This can prevent stress from getting out of control. The first priority in relieving stress is to recognize the presence of it.

Remember that relaxation techniques are slearned over time. Your ability to relax improves with practice. Be patient with yourself - do not let your effort to practice relaxation techniques become stressful. Do not be upset when stress gets the best of you that will make it worse, just tell yourself you WILL do better next time and forgive yourself.

Also, bear in mind that some people, especially those with serious psychological issues and a history of abuse, may experience feelings of emotional discomfort during some relaxation techniques. If you experience emotional discomfort during relaxation techniques, stop what you are doing and get in contact with your health care professional or mental health provider.

to find out more about us visit: http://www.meetgordonandshelli.com http://www.healthpulse-shelli.blogspot.com

About the Author

Shelli Thompson and her husband Gordon are self employed Entreprenures and started a marketing company in 2009. Shelli has a background in fitness and is a member of the International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA) and also National Aerobics & Fitness Trainers Association.

How to Calm Your Mind - Part One - Take a Deep Breath

2010-01-12T12:31:00.000+02:00

Remember the old adage "Take A Deep Breath and Count To Ten?" There is a lot of truth in some of these old sayings. Many stress-relieving and meditative techniques focus on breath. And for very good reason: it is one of the simplest and most effective ways of calming the mind and returning our body to a state of balance or equilibrium.

Some years ago I began working with Anya Sophia Mann, founder of Conscious Journey, as my coach and mentor. She introduced me to the '100 conscious-breaths' technique, by inviting me to take 100 conscious breaths at the beginning of each day before doing anything else. The technique is pretty simple: just count 100 breaths and pay attention to each one. Easier said than done!

In addition to being an effective tool for calming the mind, this technique is also a barometer to indicate the state of our mind in any moment. For example, at first I would try doing this before I got out of bed. And was amazed at how much my mind would drift. I would find myself dreaming and totally forget where I was up to. Often I would totally drift off - thinking about something else I needed to do and forget completely that I was supposed to be counting 100 breaths.

When I did remember what I was supposed to be doing, I would forget where I was up to. I would sometimes feel agitated and find myself thinking: "This is ridiculous, I'm too busy to do this. I have things to do!" That, in itself, is a trick of the mind that keeps us feeling stressed. Think about it. If you are really too busy to take time out for 100 conscious breaths, you need to do this technique more than anyone! (And if I was really that busy I would be moving into action and not drifting back off to sleep!) In fact, the agitation I was feeling was already there. It was driving me. This truth is that this technique had simply revealed what already existed in me.

Initially we will experience agitation and 'losing our place'. This is not a sign that this technique doesn't work. Indeed, precisely the opposite is happening. The technique is revealing to you the true state of your over-stimulated mind. These days we are extremely over-stimulated, by internet information, TV, news, work-related issues. We have lost sight of valuable techniques such as this for calming ourselves down.

This is such a valuable technique to learn that it is worth the initial discomfort we might feel, in the beginning. If you can't sit still to try this, and feel a lot of agitation, try doing it in motion: running, walking or cycling, and counting 100 breaths at the same time. It will still have the same effect of calming your mind, and body.

If we can get through the initial discomfort of this technique we can get to a point where the 'relaxation reflex' kicks in. We re-train our minds, so that on beginning the technique the mind drops all its' agitation and automatically relaxes into the breath. We feel calmer, relaxed and less uptight. Once this happens, we have another valuable tool to support us in reducing the stress in our lives, which we can bring into any situation to relieve the stress in the moment.

The Conscious Journey work of Anya Sophia Mann can be found online at http://www.ConsciousJourney.com

Ruth Hadikin supports people in reducing stress in their lives.

She is author of "Effective Coaching in Healthcare" and co-author with Muriel O'Driscoll of "The Bullying Culture".

Website: http://www.dreamcoach.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Hadikin