Stress Relief Therapy Through Stress Knowledge and Stress Testing
Posted by on Dec 4, 2010
Some years ago my wife and I conducted research into students who had significant reading disabilities. We were worried that there might be a positive correlation between reading underachievement and elevated stress levels. This seemed to be an area that no one had bothered about in their research. The connection between a reading disability and emotional well-being, specifically stress, seem to be an obvious one. We identified a cohort of fourth graders who had a serious reading disability and we measured their stress levels using a ‘self-report’ system, that is, a pencil and paper survey.
This was one research study with a socially positive outcome. We were delighted to find that at least in this sample of boys in this particular school that while the boys were significant underachievers in reading, their stress levels were normal and no stress relief program was necessary.
I firmly believe in careful and frequent measuring of stress levels in my patients. How else can I know if my stress relief therapy is working? I don’t know anyone who does not want to relieve their stress? Do you think your results would be accurate using a self-report instrument? The answer is – ‘Yes’. You can measure your own stress levels just as easily and reliably as you can tell a psychologist how well you feel, your level of depression and anxiety and so on. When people start to understand themselves and become attuned to the variations in their ‘wellness’, they CAN report reliably. After all, emotional well-being is a personal and subjective business, don’t you agree?
There other physiological stress testing programs – urine and blood analysis. Both require medical analysis and the chemical of interest is cortisol. There seems to be substantial evidence that cortisol levels increase with psychological stress. There is little doubt that as your stress levels rise, there are increases in physiological responses too. These include elevated heart rate, blood pressure, flushing, skin changes and so on. For many people there are also headaches and even migraines and associated aura.
If you want self-report stress tests – go online! There are plenty of online tests of nearly anything. Unfortunately, you would never know how reliable these tests are. I use a 10 item Stress Test to understand how my clients feel about their levels of stress and anxiety. If we use this test several times over a period of months, we can both track the client’s changes in mood. To meet the challenge of managing stress I have to check that my stress relief therapy is working.
When I assess patient stress before introducing stress relief programs, I ask whether people have been feeling worried and upset, if they have noted changes in sleeping or eating, whether they feel refreshed after sleep, able to relax, feel physically ill, are inattentive and unproductive and have mood swings. These responses can be grouped under four main headings: Physiological and Physical Responses; emotional responses, inter-personal responses; and cognitive responses.
I think it is important to know my patients’ levels of stress. The more you know, the easier it is to manage the stress and anxiety. I believe that we should know and understand ‘the enemy’. High levels of stress, being stressed out, experiencing burnout are all symptoms of a system that is disordered and unproductive. Small amounts of stress can be very helpful to us but excessive stress levels are seriously disabling. So we need information on stress. We need to know how stressed we are. We need to be able to identify the stressors.
To get the best out of stress relief therapy, we need to know how to respond to stress. I have identified 15 ways that people typically respond to stress. The trick is to choose those responses and stress management strategies that work best and fastest. Life is too short to waste valuable time being miserable.
Unfortunately, stress often interferes with relationships because we feel tense, anxious and worried. The sad part of this is that the best form of stress relief is social support. Being able to share our feelings with a friend or loved one reduces stress and tension. And this costs nothing. A trouble shared is often a trouble halved. Of course sometimes the issues are much more difficult to manage. A good case in point is the current problems many people are experiencing in regard to home loans and mortgage foreclosures. These and other more serious stressors require professional help.
It is my hope that this information on stress and stress relief is helpful. Naturally, these short articles are like icebergs – we can cover a small amount of the issue but much remains under the surface and requires deeper reading and investigation. My final point is that the more you know about your personal psychology, mental health, stress levels and anxiety, the more YOU can take charge of your life, successfully relieve and manage stress.
Dr Jeff, a psychologist, writes about stress. He has consulted with many employees and organizations to reduce stress and increase morale. He knows that most people experience higher levels of stress from time to time. To understand how to manage stress and the key principles of stress relief, we need to know a lot about the psychology of stress and stress management. For more stress relief information, visit http://www.drjeffbailey.com to get a free book that will introduce you to effective stress management. For Dr Jeff’s full book on stress management, go to http://mightydigitaldownloads.com/dr-jeff681632552752156691045/stress-management-by-dr-jeff/ for a comprehensive guide to stress management and stress relief.
Author: Dr Jeff Bailey
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Stress Management Myths That Could Kill You!
Posted by on Oct 16, 2010
WOW! If you learn nothing else about managing the stress of your life, you must become skilled in recognizing these five common stress management myths and take steps not to be caught in their deadly trap.
In today’s 24/7 pressure filled world, it is crucial to develop the stress hardiness needed to enjoy the stress of your life, be at peace and productive. The speed of life today is not going to slow down! If anything it may speed up, if that is possible. In order to survive and thrive you must not only strengthen your stress coping reserves, you must maximize them! You must also be aware of some very dangerous misinformation circulating about stress.
MYTH #1–I’M NOT STRESSED BECAUSE I DO NOT FEEL STRESSED! The question is: how do you know? Stress is very deceptive and many people who feel very stressed are actually handling their stress quite well while others who do not feel stressed are on the edge of disaster. The truth is that some individuals can handle huge amounts of stress and thrive while others collapse under less than normal stress.
MYTH #2–ALL STRESS IS BAD, AND I CAN ELIMINATE ALL STRESS FROM MY LIFE, RIGHT? Wrong, stress is not all bad. In reality, stress is the spice of life. Life would not be much without it. The only people experiencing no stress are in the cemetery. Eliminating stress is not the goal. The goal is to manage both positive and negative stress for the optimum enjoyment of life.
MYTH #3–EXECUTIVES AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ARE THE MOST STRESSED PEOPLE, RIGHT? Wrong! Executives and air traffic controllers deal with huge amounts of stress and most thrive on it because they have learned the basic stress coping skills needed for their high intensity work. Actually, the reverse of this myth is true. The average worker and those in middle management are often the most stressed in an organization because of the lack of control they feel in their every day lives combined with limited stress hardiness skills.
MYTH #4–I ALWAYS KNOW WHEN I AM STRESSED! Unfortunately most people don’t and a serious miscalculation here could cost you your family, your job or even your life. Your feelings are not the best indicators of how well you are managing your stress. You need some objective assessment tools which will tell you how effectively you are handling your stress and more importantly how stress is actually affecting you. With a good assessment, some people find out that they are handling their stress very well–a pleasant surprise! Others, sometimes in the same family or work group, get an unpleasant surprise when they find out that while they do not feel stressed that in reality they are heading for a crisis and don’t even know it. If you had asked me if I felt stressed a few days before I experienced serious job burnout, a few years ago, I would have said no. An effective and objective assessment tool is worth it’s weight in gold.
MYTH #5–IF I IGNORE MY STRESS AT HOME OR WORK IT WILL ALL GO AWAY. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Plus this is a very dangerous attitude. We never automatically resolve work or personal stress. You must be aware of your stress and know and use daily the stress resolving tools that work best for you.
Here are three ways to make sure that these myths do not unnecessarly harm you:
1. Discover all you can about stress, how it both positively and negatively affects the body and most importantly how it is affecting your body mentally, physically and emotionally.
2. Become tuned in to your body’s reactions to stress. Know what are the key stress warning signals for you.
3. Take the necessary proactive actions needed to thrive and grow with the stress of your life. I have FREE E-course entitled, 7 Days to Enjoying the Stress of Your Life, to sign up click on the link below.
Cameron Johnston is an author, speaker and stress fitness coach. He is a burnout survivor who has inspired tens of thousands of individuals to live it up without being washed-up. Through his articles, books and speaking, employees in hundreds of organizations have mastered the stress hardiness tools needed to thrive and succeed in our fast-paced, 24/7 world. He has a Masters of Science Degree in Public Health and has developed the Cooling DownThe Stress Soup Stress Management System. Cameron is the author of three books on stress management including, Don’t Eat The Soup As Hot As They Cook It! Here he has distilled all the stress management essentials into eight powerful and very doable ways to cool off the stress soup. He is President of WellChoices™ Consulting and Business Development Director for the Silver Hills Lifestyle Makeover Spa. His unique, effective and fun approach to wellness and stress solutions guarantees that his writing and presentations will always be both entertaining and informative. [http://www.thestressfitnesscoach.com]
Author: Cameron Johnston
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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5 Tips to Communicate Effectively Under Stress in Conflict
Posted by on Oct 9, 2010
Not enough time, boss pushing for work to be completed, children are loud, bills to pay, shopping to be done, housework to do, partner asking for your help… and to top it all off you’re suppose to be nice to people by communicating effectively with them? Yikes!
If you’re like me, you find it hard to communicate in stressful moments. Stress management techniques don’t always do the trick. In response to stress, you either become aggressive towards other people to release stress or you become submissive to hide the stress.
Showing aggression towards another person temporarily feels okay, but then reality kicks in as you feel even more stressed from having hurt the other person. When you are submissive and hide your stress, it internally eats at you as your emotions get suppressed, which then hurts your relationships.
When under stress, your communication style will change in response to the situation. You can go from a cool and collected person one moment, yet when a stressful situation impinges your tolerable threshold your calm style likely shifts to the aggressive or submissive behaviors.
What behavior you fall back on in stressful situations is the one you have been comfortable with in the past that will have “protected” you. It’s a natural human extinct built within us that we use to block out external factors and listen to internal ones. You probably now are able to realize that stress causes you to block external factors, such as other people’s feelings, as your interpersonal communication skills decline. You begin to only worry for your internal factors.
When someone has surpassed their tolerable stress level, telling them to get their “act together” or how ineffective their current communication is, does not work. It won’t work for you either. Communicating better in intense conflict is a matter of managing stress otherwise it is next to impossible to deal with conflict.
Stress motivates us to take action, but it too often works against us. I’ve come up with the best five ways and techniques to manage stress that you can use to deal with difficult conflict:
1) Stop the stress from rising in the first place. The best technique to deal with stress is to stop it from occurring altogether. You can incorporate other stress management techniques listed below into your stress plan before you get stressed in conflict.
2) Breathe. When your stressed levels rise, you breathe shallowly. This causes you to enter the fight or flight response that hurts your ability to effectively communicate When your stress levels rise, take several deep, slow breathes and you will instantly reduce your stress levels.
3) Accept responsibility for how you feel. It is tempting and too easy to release your stress on other people. Do not treat people inappropriately. If you treat people in a way they don’t want to be treated, you build their stress levels, which they will be happy to put back on you.
When you accept responsibility, you live in truth. you eliminate blame. You do not become a victim of others. You take control of your feelings. Your new levels of responsibility builds your self-control and ability to manage stress.
If someone causes you stress, you need to address the person by explaining to them how you feel, why you feel that way, and what can be done to fix the problem. Do not stress out the person by focusing your reason for being stressed directly on the person, but focus on the problem. Be problem oriented and not person oriented.
4) Take time out. Walking away is a guaranteed stress management technique to refresh your mind. If you can afford to go on a Caribbean cruise, go for it! For others who cannot do that, go for a walk or workout at the gym. Being active releases hormones that counter stress. Being away from the stress also takes your mind off the problem and gives you clearer thoughts and feelings. Be sure to address the problem after your time out, however, otherwise you will only have temporarily avoided the real issue.
5) Be flexible. Stress is like the sunrise and sunset. It is inevitable. Therefore, the best way to deal with it is to change your behavior and communication. You need to be able to recognize when others are stressed by reading their verbal and nonverbal language then adjust yourself accordingly. Be flexible by going a bit out of your way for them to assist their temporary needs and wants. Don’t run around the world for them, but do be more aware and respondent of them. This can lead you to less stress.
Bonus Tip: Ask others about your responses in stressful moments. It is useful to ask others what you do when you enter that threshold level where you begin to block out external factors. Just ask them what you are like and how it makes them feel when you are stressed. You are to ask other people about this because assessing yourself when you experience heavy emotions is an inaccurate source of information.
Stress shouldn’t make you miserable. We were given the ability to be stressed to get things done otherwise we would sit on our lazy behinds all day. Learn these ways to manage your stress to effectively communicate, and you will better manage your relationship communication in stressful moments.
Joshua Uebergang is a world-renowned communication skills coach that integrates approaches like stress management into communication to improve people’s relationships Conflict management techniques is one of the many skills he provides people to better their relationships. You can grab your free trial subscription to his newsletter today by going straight to TowerOfPower.com.au
Author: Joshua Uebergang
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Stress and Keeping a Stress Diary
Posted by on Oct 2, 2010
The first question most people usually want to know is …how can I eliminate stress? But stress is a fact of life…it’s been around since the first two people lived on earth. Stress is the physical and emotional reaction our bodies have to a changing environment and it can create both positive and negative effects.
Stress, in itself, is not always bad. Positive stress is what moves us to action, what makes us feel alive. It creates anticipation and excitement in our lives. “Dis”stress can cause “dis”ease. Take a violin for example, too little stress makes it sound dull and raspy, too much stress can make it sound shrill or even break the strings, but just the right amount of stress creates beautiful music. With people, too little stress can act as a depressant, leaving us feeling bored or dejected; on the other hand, too much stress can leave us feeling out of control or “tied up in knots”. Stress frequently shows up as muscle tension, headaches, migraines, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, ulcers, upset stomach, rashes and sexual dysfunction, among many others symptoms. Chronic stress can have serious effects on your health such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
What we really need to do is find our optimal level of stress, the point at which we’re motivated and excited about life but not overwhelmed. But before we can manage our stress to our optimal level, we have to find out what our stressors (sources of stress) are and how they affect us…good or bad. Do you know what causes you stress? You might be surprised!
Every person is unique and reacts differently to each event. Since each person reacts differently to different stressors (sources of stress), the best way to find your stress factors is to chronicle them. Keep a diary of what’s going on during your day and how it makes it you feel.
Keeping a stress diary will help you gain insight into how you react to stress. It will allow you to better channel your energy into performing as you choose to and not in reaction to the unidentified stress that has you by the throat. Your diary will help you understand:
- what causes your stress in more detail
- level of stress that you operate at most efficiently
- how do you react to stress
- are your reactions appropriate and useful
Include the following information, so you can best analyze your stress:
- Date and time of each entry
- How do you feel right now? On a scale of 1 – 10 with 1 being miserable and 10 being ecstatic
- Record how effective you feel you are on a scale of 1 – 10 with 1 being very ineffective and 10 being highly effective
- How stressed out do you feel? On a scale of 1 – 10 with 1 being in a state of utter peace and 10 feeling like you are crawling out of your skin
- What stress symptom do you feel?
- How did you handle the stress?
Make daily entries into your diary for a reasonable amount time. After about 4 weeks, you should be able to start seeing a pattern. Some of your behaviors, which are provoked by stress, will be repeated on a regular basis. Make a list of those behaviors that you see most often. These will be the stressors in your daily life you will want to learn to control first.
Next, look at the causes of these obvious stressors. Also, look at how well you managed them on a day-by-day basis. When you can identify areas where you can learn to manage your stress responses better, list those.
List all of the every day events of your life that cause you stress and list how these events made you feel.
By now you can see the contrast in what events cause you the most stress compared to what events cause you the least. You can now see at what stress level you can function best. Your goal now will be to lessen the stress in your life by managing how you deal with stressful situations and you can do this by responding to the stress in your life in a more proactive/positive manner.
Wendy Arthurs is Founder and CEO of Beyond Goals, a BC based firm that specializes in helping people get from where they are now…to where they want to be. She is a life coach, public speaker and author who specializes in stress management, relaxation techniques and goal setting. More tips on managing stress can be found at [http://www.stressdefeat.com].
Author: Wendy Arthurs
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Stress Relief Part 1: The Two Biggest Stresses in YOUR Life
Posted by on Sep 25, 2010
There are two stresses in your life, which if you change can improve your health, energy, stress levels and longevity.
They are very easy to change. It is just a matter of knowing what your two biggest stresses are.
Firstly, defining stress helps you understand why these stresses are so important. Stress is …
.“anything you expend energy on”
Yes, simple as that. Stress is any task you expend energy on. There is good stress and bad stress. All stress requires energy to deal with it.
The biggest stresses use up more energy. Energy that must come from somewhere. Energy that depletes functions in the body, which can lead to poor health, low energy levels and a shorter life span.
If these two stresses are not dealt with, you are losing energy faster than you should. Energy that is used to support your body and allow you to live longer.
Changing these stresses, returns energy to you. This in turn will improve your health, day to day energy levels, help you deal with other stresses easier, and allow you to live longer and happier.
So by now you may be wondering, “what is the biggest stress in my life?” It is an area that you seldom think about. It is a stress that is around you all day and every day. It is a stress that adults believe they deal with, yet children know they can’t.
It is a stress that takes more energy from you and with time will create poor health, bend you spine and even cause you to lose height as you age. Yes, one of the biggest stresses in your life is ….
Gravity.
Gravity requires you to use energy. Try floating in the air for example. Every part of the day where you sit or stand, you are fighting gravity. The problem is… gravity is winning.
If you only sit or stand when you have to, and lie down every other time. You will notice you suddenly have a few extra hours in the day where you can lie down.
Laying down means no energy is spent on gravity. Energy that fills your reserve tank, to help your health, day to day energy, helps you fight other stresses. Less gravity stress means less degeneration to joints, less shrinking with time, less pressure on your organs.
Try lying down more regularly. Watch children, they lie down all the time and have a plentiful supply of energy. They also deal with stress better mostly. You don’t have to sleep, just lie down to
… read
… listen to music
… watch television
… or just relax.
You can do it on the floor, couch or outside on the grass.
Very simple, just – “only sit or stand if you have to”.
The energy you will gain will surprise you. You will be astounded at hoe much better you feel (totally – health, stress, energy, happiness) at the end of the day and week. In the weekends you will feel better, lighter and happier. Work becomes less stressful and your enthusiasm and motivation will increase.
Gravity is one of the two biggest stresses. Easy to change, simple to do. You may now be wondering what the other stress is? If gravity is one stress you didn’t think of then the other stress is also just as baffling.
In part 2, the second of the two major stresses will be unveiled.
Fast Stress Relief [http://www.fast-stress-relief.com/index.html]
is dedicated to teaching you ways to remove stress; simply, easily and quickly. Using a combination of Eastern and Western techniques – stress can be removed, repelled and prevented … fast.
For all the Tips & Techniques to Reduce Stress and Boost Your Energy simply click here. [http://www.fast-stress-relief.com/fast-stress.html]
Dr Graeme Teague has been in private practice since 1991, teaching and treating many clients with emotional and general health conditions.
Through his many teaching seminars and extensive professional knowledge, he has now released two new e-books on the many simple and effective ways to be healthy and stress free.
His new web-site is dedicated to teaching you ways to improve your health with orthodox and natural techniques.
Just click here to visit Fast Stress Relief [http://www.fast-stress-relief.com/index.html].
Author: Graeme Teague
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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How To Control Stress
Posted by on Sep 18, 2010
Research has shown that the stress hormone cortisol reduces a
person’s ability to retrieve information and memory. Even
worse, this same stress hormone is linked to progressive
shrinking of the hippocampus – an important memory center in the
temporal region. High levels of stress also promote depression,
which severely impairs memory and increases the risk for
dementia.
To reduce stress, try relaxation exercises. Sit quietly and
breathe deeply and slowly. Relax each part of your body,
starting with the top of your head and finishing with your toes.
Look for humor in tense situations and talk about your feelings
with family members, friends or a therapist, if necessary.
Try reducing stress and anxiety with fresh, natural scents. In
general they induce a calming state. In one recent study,
volunteers became extremely anxious when they were confined in
coffin-like tubes, but then calmed down when the tubes were
infused with the smells of green apple and cucumber. These
odors seem to have an impact on the limbic systems, the
emotional center of the brain.
If you anticipate a situation where you will feel anxious, try a
shampoo with green-apple flavored shampoo. Here are a few tips
that will lower stress in five minutes or less:
* Move around. * Walk rapidly around your workplace. * Take a quick walk around the block. * Climb rapidly up and down a flight of stairs to really get the heart pumping. * Do 15 jumping jacks in place. * Stretch while seated at your desk. Link your fingers under a knee and draw it to your chest. Repeat with your other knee.
This stretches the legs and the lower back.
* Stretch your arms above your head, palms up and fingers
linked. Dangle hands at your sides, then raise right shoulder
to right ear, keeping the head vertical. Repeat this with the
left shoulder. Finally, flex and bend back the fingers of each
hand. Hand stretches are especially important if you use a
computer for long periods.
* Take 10 long deep breaths. Your belly should expand as you
inhale and contract as you exhale.
* Massage your eyes by placing your palms over them and apply
gentle pressure while spiraling your palms. Try the same
technique for your ears. Periodically, try to block out all
sight and sound for just a second or two. Researchers report
that this can be a refreshing experience from a psychological
standpoint.
* Experiment with aroma therapy. A drop of citrus essential oil
like lemon-lime or orange is refreshing for your office or home
and is not overbearing.
* Early morning sleep is really the most restful sleep you can
get. Men sent to bed at 2:15 a.m. and awakened at 6:15 a.m.
slept more soundly than ones sent to bed at 10:30 and awakened
at 2:30 a.m. So, if you are stressed and can get only four
hours of sleep, stay up as late as possible to get the most
benefit from your limited sleep. This does not replace a full
night’s sleep. Resume normal sleep pattern as quickly as
possible.
Meditation is a favorite stress buster for some people. Getting
away from the everyday hassles of the world and turning your
thoughts inward is a great stress buster. Meditation helps you
see the objectivity in your own life and thoughts in a detached
manner. Meditation is proven to reduce anxiety, work related
stress. . .and blood pressure, too.
There are many meditation techniques, but here is a common one
that is simple:
* Sit quietly and comfortably in a place where you will not be
disturbed.
* Focus your attention on your breathing.
* Feel the breath as it comes into your nose. . . . and when it
goes out.
* Other thoughts will enter your mind. Just observe them and let
them go. Return your attention to your breath.
Start practicing meditation for five to 10 minutes a day,
gradually increasing it to 20 to 30 minutes. Keep a clock nearby
so you can keep track of the time but don’t use an alarm that
might be jerk you back to full alertness too quickly.
Regular moderate exercise reverses much of the damage caused by
stress and can also improve immune system function, lower blood
pressure and improve your mood. The reason is because any
physical activity negates the fight-or-flight response and can
leave you feeling less tense, anxiety free and invigorated.
Aerobic exercise is an effective stress buster but you may be
more suited to relaxed walking.
Any exercise that suits you is fine. Just be sure to do it for
at least 20 minutes each day. Don’t overdo it, however, because
more is not necessarily good for you.
Human beings have an inborn affinity for nature. The scientific
name for it is “biophilia.” What that means is we enjoy things
having to do with nature. Having “natural” things around us is
psychologically beneficial. For example:
* Having an office with a view is not just prestigious. Studies
have shows that workers who have a view of grass and trees
exhibit less stress than who look at parking lots.
* Dentists who have an aquarium in their waiting room report
that their patients are less anxious.
* Eating lunch on a park bench will relax your body.
* To reduce stress try spending time in the garden and
your troubles will seem unimportant.
* Living in the city has its own stress factors. When it
comes to a vacation, try planning it in a totally different
environment like the mountains or seaside.
* Research studies show that people who have pets are
generally healthier and have better methods of coping with
stress. Consider obtaining a cat, dog or even a bird.
Humor is a great stress buster. Keeping a sense of humor and
learning not to take yourself so seriously definitely helps.
It’s hard to remain stressed when you are laughing at yourself.
Try looking for the lighter side of every situation. Indulge
your taste for entertaining books and movies.
If you have a favorite cartoon or saying, cut it out and put it
on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator.
Try silly antics. Things that you would normally not even
consider like walking in the rain or feeding birds in the park.
Cultivate friendships. Having close ties with others can make
you feel warm inside. Having someone to talk to about your
problems makes the problems much easier to deal with.
Just having a friend helps reduce your blood pressure and
research has shown that those who have lots of friends tend to
have a lower level of cholesterol and strong immune systems.
Following a high carb, low protein diet can help with reducing
stress for a short period of time, but should not be undertaken
on a long term basis as the carbs represent just a short term
energy boost.
Other foods that fight stress are foods that are rich in
vitamins C and A like raw carrots peppers and broccoli. There’s
a bonus as well, chewing crunchy foods helps to dissipate the
tension.
How about some natural therapies for stress? Here are a few:
* Lavender – Use the flowers. This is a beautiful herb
and is widely used. Many do not realize that it is an effective
treatment for headaches related to stress. Also good for
depression.
* St. Johns Wort – Taken internally, has a sedative and
pain reducing effect. Use in treatment of neuralgia, anxiety,
tension and similar problems.
* Vervain – Also known as Wild Hyssop. Will strengthen
the nervous system while easing depression and melancholia.
Good for fever and best for colds, and for menopausal
irritations.
Here are more tips to consider for reducing stress:
* This one is a “no-brainer” and we won’t go into detail
here, but if you are a smoker – STOP!
* Try to avoid tight deadlines, keep your schedule looser.
* Ask for help instead of insisting on doing it all
yourself.
TAKE A STRESS TEST
The standard tests that doctors use to tell whether you are an
easily stressed “hot reactor” (and at greater risk for disease)
are pretty simple, so take your pick, says Frank Barry, M.D., a
family practice physician in Colorado Springs and author of Make
the Change for a Healthy Heart. For the first two tests, you’ll
want to take a blood-pressure reading twice “once before the
test and once during the test” for comparison.
Test 1: Chill out. In Test 1, put your hand into a bucket of
cold water for one minute and have someone measure your blood
pressure right after you have done it. If it goes up into the
high range in response to physical stress, you are a “hot
reactor.”
Test 2: Do some math. Test 2 is a little more cerebral. Start
with the number 100 and mentally subtract 7, then continue to
subtract 7 until you get to 2. In the midst of your figuring,
have your blood pressure taken. “There’s no exercise, no threat
to your life, but a lot of people still feel mental stress and
their blood pressures shoot up,” says Dr. Barry.
Test 3: Talk to yourself. You can also test yourself without
the shock of cold water or the mental anguish of math. As
yourself: “Are you working toward your own true goals or
someone else’s? ” If you are busy trying to keep up with the
Joneses, you’re still in the rat race, even if you have retired.
You’re much more likely to feel the effects of stress regardless
of whether you’re a “hot reactor,” says Dr. Barry.
CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM
The greatest challenges to your confidence come when you’re
facing a situation that looks impossible. When this happens, you
must tap in to the unseen force of self-assurance so that you
can press beyond supposed limits. It’s not a matter of what
things look like on the outside – the key is to recognize what
you have working on the inside.
Confidence is often the missing link to seeing yourself
accomplish the impossible. You just have to believe that you
have what it takes to be successful, and don’t back down from
your capable stance.
You are in control of your thoughts. If you choose to believe
you have confidence – that you’re energized – then you will be.
The next time you face a big challenge, take a deep breath and
fill your heart with the belief that you have unlimited energy
running through your veins. Build your confidence by reflecting
on those things you’ve already accomplished. If you did it once,
you can certainly do it again.
Today, receive the confidence you deserve – and you’ll find that
you always had it within you.
Don’t confuse self-esteem with arrogance: Arrogance is an over
evaluation of your worth, while self-esteem is a healthy opinion
of yourself – it’s valuing yourself to the point that you don’t
allow other people or negative situations and circumstance to
influence the way you feel about yourself. Until you value
yourself, you won’t value anything, and other people won’t value
you either. After all, your relationship with yourself is the
most important one you’ll ever have.
When you’re filled with self-doubt, give yourself a little pep
talk. Repeat
” [Your name], you are great! You are a unique individual, a new
kind of person the world has never known. You were born to do
well. You were born to succeed. You were born to bless the lives
of others. You were born to be great, and you have what it takes
to be great. You are enthusiastic, optimistic, and a change-
embracer. You are a giver, rather than a taker. You are
organized. You are a hard worker. You are happy. You are a
master over yourself, you are a leader. You are a big thinker.
As blessed as you are with all these talents, there isn’t one
thing in the world you can’t do. You will never fail. [Your
name], go out and make today an ‘attitude is everything’ day!”
By making this profession every day, you’ll experience an
awesome self-esteem boost! Remember, you are priceless – your
past is history, and your future is now!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Let’s review some of what you have learned about stress. Steel
will snap from it and a pressure cooker will blow its lid.
Stress, pressure, tension is a fact of everyday life for most of
us.
Remember that it puts you at risk for heart attack, stroke,
insomnia, backache, headache, irritable bowel syndrome, sports
injuries and infertility.
Stress can trigger serious illness like Graves’ and
fibromyalgia. Stress even makes us more susceptible to the
common cold.
With your health at stake, it is essential to use some of the
methods we have discussed. Also, it’s important that you
remember that stress is a physiological response. It isn’t all
in your head! You owe it to yourself to take the time to use
the stress-reducing techniques on a daily basis.
We’ve already given you a great selection, but we want to make
certain that you have a wide range of coping skills to use at
home, work and other places. So here are an additional 12 keys
to stress reduction to help you open the door to a more relaxing
life. They contain dozens of additional helpful hints. Choose
those best suited for you.
Breathe deeply. Relax your muscles, expanding your stomach and
chest. Exhale slowly. Repeat several times.
Follow your breath as it flows in and out. Do not try to
control it. This is a good way to relax in the midst of any
activity. This technique allows you to find a breathing pattern
that is natural and relaxing to you.
Use this yoga technique: Inhale slowly, counting to eight.
Exhale through your mouth, even more slowly, counting to
sixteen. Make a sighing sound as you exhale, and feel tension
dissolve. Repeat 10 times.
Exercise regularly. Aerobic exercise, such as walking and
swimming, produces brain chemicals that uplift your mood and
mental well-being. Exercise also improves sleep and gives you
time to think and focus on other things. Beware of compulsive
exercise, however.
Yoga is an age-old system for stretching and strengthening the
muscles. Take a class or learn at home with a good book or
video.
Neck and shoulder exercises are useful for the desk-bound and
arthritis sufferers.
Neck roll: Look to the right, then roll your head forward, as
if you are trying to touch your chin to your chest. Keep
rolling until you are looking over your left shoulder. Repeat
in the other direction.
Shoulder lift: Relieve tension in the neck by lifting the
shoulders toward the ears, then dropping them as low as they
will go. Repeat 10 times.
Eat healthy foods. You should never skip meals. Take time out
for lunch no matter how busy you are.
Carry nutritious snacks to the office, or even the shopping
mall. A nutritionally balanced diet is important. For example,
researchers have found that even small deficiencies of thiamin,
a B-complex vitamin, can cause anxiety symptoms. Pantothenic
acid, another B-complex vitamin, is critical during times of
stress.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large amounts of sweets, which can
aggravate symptoms of stress.
Don’t let others get you down. Choose positive friends who are
not worriers. Friends who constantly put you down or talk
gloomily about life will increase your anxiety.
Ask a good friend to help you talk out a problem and get it off
your chest. A long-distance call to an old pal can be great
therapy.
Forgive others instead of holding grudges. Relax your standards
- for yourself and others. Perfectionism is not the way to
happiness. Become more flexible.
Communicate clearly with your co-workers and boss. Ask
questions. Repeat instructions that you are given. Clarifying
directions at the start of a project can save hours later
straightening out misunderstandings.
Be truthful with others. Lies and deception lead to stress that
always takes it toll.
Be optimistic. Count your blessings, especially when everything
seems to go wrong. Believe that most people are doing the best
that they can.
Don’t blow problems out of proportion. Live by a philosophy of
life that whittles problems down to size. The maxim, “Live one
day at a time,” has helped millions.
Plan your time wisely. And realistically. For example, don’t
schedule back-to-back meetings with tight travel time. Remember
to leave room for unanticipated events ” both negative and
positive. Be flexible about rearranging your agenda.
Get up 15 minutes early in the morning. Allow an extra 15
minutes to get to all appointments.
Avoid procrastination. Whatever needs doing, do it now.
Schedule unpleasant tasks early, so that you won’t have to worry
about them for the rest of the day.
Keep an appointment book. Don’t rely on your memory.
Do one thing at a time. Focus your attention on the person
talking to you or the job at hand, instead of worrying about
other things. This also reduces mistakes — which lead to
more anxiety.
Be prepared to wait. Carry a book to read in case of delays.
Say “no” to requests that stretch you to the limits.
Delegate. You don’t have to do it all yourself. Break a job
into separate tasks and assign them to people with the
appropriate skills. Then leave them alone to do their work.
Prevent problems before they occur. This takes some planning.
If you are flying to another city for an important meeting,
carry your presentation materials and dress suit on board the
plane. Baggage does get lost.
Buy gas for the car before the tank is empty. Get regular oil
changes and checkups.
Keep food staples on hand so you can fix a fast meal without
going to the store.
Keep food, toilet paper and toiletries on hand so you never run
out. The same goes for postage stamps, paper and envelopes.
Keep duplicate keys for home, car and office in secure
locations.
Retreat to recharge your spirit. Schedule private time every
day. You deserve it. Unplug the telephone and enjoy a quiet
evening alone or with your family, or even 15 uninterrupted
minutes in the shower or bathtub.
You may want to spend a few minutes writing your feelings out in
a journal. It can help you find a new perspective and relieve
hidden conflicts.
Here are more spirit rechargers:
Wear earplugs for instant peace anytime, anyplace.
Learn a meditation technique. Two methods: Observe your
thoughts as they pass through your mind. Or, repeat a word or
phrase with an uplifting meaning.
Practice progressive relaxation for 20 minutes twice a day to
relive high blood pressure and other physiological responses to
stress. Tighten and release each muscle group in turn, starting
with the soles of the feet and slowly working up to the scalp.
Plan a weekend activity that is a change of pace. If your week
is heavily scheduled, relax and enjoy noncompetitive activities.
If you are never able to finish anything during the week, choose
a project that you can complete in a few hours on Saturday or
Sunday.
Take time out for a diversion in the middle of your workday.
When the pressures of completing a project are too great, your
productivity can drop. Take a walk or stop for lunch.
Savor life’s little delights. Give yourself some physical
pleasure to help your stress slip away.
Treat yourself to a professional massage, or trade massages with
a loved one.
Give yourself permission to enjoy a movie, watch a sports event,
listen to music or read a book.
Savor a soothing cup of chamomile herb tea with a dollop of
honey. Chamomile has long been used to relieve nervous tension.
Plan a day of beauty with a friend. Do each other’s hair, or
paint your nails and chat.
Create a simple steam facial at home by boiling water. Remove
the pan from the stove. Cover your head with a large towel so
that it creates a tent over the pot. Steam your face for five
or 10 minutes. Add aromatic herbs to the water for a sensual
touch.
Focus completely on any of the senses ” hearing, seeing, eating
or body movements ” for a few minutes. Even washing your hands
can become a sensual experience.
Use visualization and affirmation techniques. You can inoculate
yourself against a situation you fear by going over the event in
your mind. Imagine the scene in vivid detail and picture the
best possible outcome.
You can also shrink an imagined fear down to size by picturing
the worst possible results. Imagine describing this worst case
to your best friend the next day and the sympathy you receive.
Imagine telling a group of friends the next month, who share
their similar experiences. Finally, imagine joking about your
unpleasant experience with a complete stranger a year later. If
you carry this exercise through to the end, your stress will
become something to laugh about.
Replace negative self-talk with affirmations. The chatterbox in
your mind is filled with gloom: You’re too fat. . . you’re too
old. . .you’ll never amount to anything. Like the little engine
that could, nourish your mind with a constant stream of “I know
I can.”
Get enough sleep. Determine how much sleep you require for
optimum performance. Sleep deprivation aggravates the body’s
responses to stress. Consider setting an alarm clock to remind
yourself that it is time to go to bed.
Strive for your dreams. Plan ahead to meet your most cherished
goals in life.
Time management experts emphasize the importance of writing down
your important goals.
Break big projects down into a series of small steps that you
can work on every day. Want to change jobs? Make one phone
call contact today. Is writing a book your dream? Commit to
writing one page a day.
Knowing that you are striving toward your dreams relieves
frustrations that mount when you feel stuck in a rut of endless
responsibilities that seem to lead nowhere.
Even if you only use these last 12 keys to stress relief, you
can become a happier, healthier person, a more efficient worker
and a better friend to others. Keep a notebook as new ideas
come to you through your reading and your own creativity. The
most important key is your decision to take time for yourself
and to simplify your life whenever possible.
————————————————————
Copyright (c): Jaime Peret Director / Founder
@ozsmartweb Pty. Ltd.
http://www.sydneybrowser.com
http://www.ozsmartweb.net
————————————————————
Author: Jaime Peret
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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