Take it Easy: A Brief Guide to Stress Management

By Tania Hackner

Stress can take a catastrophic toll on the mind and body. Here are some stress management techniques that will help to improve the quality of your life.

  • Autogenic training: calming yourself down through words by using the power of suggestion. This simple but effective technique can be self-taught and can help you achieve a very deep state of relaxation.
  • Cognitive therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy: your thoughts directly affect the production of hormones that cause stress. A cognitive therapist can help you recognise and curtail irrational thought processes, and approach your problems in a calm, collected manner.
  • Progressive relaxation: gently tense and then relax muscle groups one by one, and feel the tension leave your body when you loosen your muscles.

Ground yourself

  • Turn off your cell phone and computer, ban yourself from going out and watching television, and confine yourself to your room.
  • Read a book, take a long bath, listen to music, or just catch up on sleep.
  • A healthy body equals a healthy mind. Being in shape can directly help relieve stress. So, exercise and eat well-balanced meals.
  • Find humour in your life, hang out with people who make you laugh, watch comedies instead of soaps. Laughter lowers blood pressure and reduces hypertension.
  • Do yoga or tai chi, meditate, or get a massage.

Get it off your chest

  • Talk to someone about your problems.
  • If you are a private person, write down your feelings in a stress journal.
  • Surround yourself with soothing sounds and aromas.
  • Listen to music that brings you peace; hum along.
  • Light scented candles or get a bowl of potpourri with fragrances like rosemary or lavender.
  • Grab forty winks. Sometimes small problems are magnified because you are tired and this can lead to stress. A 15 to 20 minute nap can do wonders.

For More Information:

Good health is not a struggle, nor it is an extraordinary feat. Healthy living is about understanding what your body needs and what is good for it. Re-discover good health in a simple way with Tania Hackner and make good health a way of living! For more information and advice on General health please visit us at What You Need to Know.

Article courtesy of www.ideamarketers.com.