Easy Ways To Reduce Stress Today

By Marlo Gino  

Photo: today.colostate.edu/

Do you go home every single day feeling extremely tired? If yes then you are probably suffering from stress. You are not alone. There are millions of people who are trying their best to help reduce stress in their lives. Many are not successful, perhaps because they tend to forget how to simplify their methods.
This is because there are many easy-to-follow stress management activities that we can all do. You do not need the most expensive gadgets and the latest food supplements to keep you calm and relaxed. Often the only thing you need is time. Yes, you must allocate maybe 30 minutes to an hour each day for such activities.
So to help you in your goal to reduce stress from your life, I have listed below some tips you may want to follow.
Meditation is a good technique you can immediately try wherever you may be. Whether you are at work or in your home, you only need a few minutes just to try this one. Get a quiet room that you can use by yourself so you will have the least amount of distraction. The simplest way to do this is to just sit down, close your eyes and indulge in the complete silence. This is one type of natural stress relief method that is worth a try.
Try a massage. It has always been a tried and tested technique to help relieve the stress from your body. There are many types of massages but the most popular ones are Swedish massage, shiatsu, hot stone, and Thai massage. It is best that you consult with your therapist to know which massage is ideal for your needs.
Go out with your friends. Perhaps it has been quite a long time since you last had a nice chat with your buddies. Now is the time to do it. Let your friends help you in relieving your stress even if they are not aware that they are doing it. A lunch out or a dinner with them might be just the right kind of activity you need.
And lastly, try to smile a lot. Smiling is a great way to relax and will help you feel positive the rest of the day. And not only that, you can gain new friends simply by smiling. Many people want to know how to be happy when in fact all they really need to do is to smile.
So there you have it. These are just some of the tips you may want to try to help reduce stress today. What is important is you do something right now or else you risk of suffering even more when you could have already get rid of stress from your life.

Try the best stress management activities for a healthier you. There are natural stress relief techniques for this purpose.

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Music - An Excellent Therapy For Stress And Tension In Today's Scenario

By: Mark Bennett

Photo: sagetherapycenter.com

Our lives are filled with work, family and other personal obligations. It is difficult to manage these obligations and sometimes we feel the need to avoid them. But it is not possible. How much ever you try to avoid them, these things are still part and parcel of your life. At the end of the day, you may feel relieved when these obligations are fulfilled but you are bound to get stressed. Stress is something which will make you think twice when you take up these obligations. This stress may physically and mentally strain you. It is nature's law that human beings are the only creature that get stressed quickly and agitated. Yeah! Stress could increase your blood pressure and give you tension. Now what can be done to cope up with stress? Surely we all know that stress is unavoidable and there is always a solution to overcome it.

There are innumerable methods to relieve stress and the most effective is music. Music is one of the things that could just ease your stress blocks. A pleasing music just makes you relaxed and feel fresh. One of the best things about music is that no matter what kind of music you hear it will still give you a pleasant feeling.

I still remember my car pool friend who always listens to soft and melodious tunes on his iPod. While going to work, he would take out his iPod and would sit back and relax. Frankly most of my car pool buddies found it absurd. But it was actually effective. He would be so much energized in his work that his co-workers would just get astonished. He enthusiasm level would be so high and completes his job on time. His boss always appreciated him for his avidness in doing his work and complimented him.

Gosh! His energy level and enthusiasm would be tremendous. At times I felt that he drank about four or five cups of coffee in a day. Sometimes I felt that he was on medication or something. So one day I just inquired to him on how he was so full of energy the entire day. He just replied that I have my iPod. He took out his iPod from his pocket and showed me the entire list of melodious and soulful songs. He said "Look dude, like all people I get stressed. But as soon as I get stressed, I take out my iPod and just click the play button. My entire stress just vanishes away. You could try it."

Seriously I have heard many people saying that music therapy is one of the greatest medications for stress and tension. Many of us know that seeing is believing and I for sure was convinced. Music has this irresistible characteristic that it just eases your mind. It stimulates our brain cells, making us relaxed and refreshed. Do you know that music has been used to promote healing since ancient time? Most of the physicians and doctors used to prescribe music as a stress reliever to their patients. They never gave any medications and always told to their patients to listen to soft and melodious music.

Music therapy not only involves listening to music but also playing as well. Just imagine a room filled with people who work together. They are using different percussioninstruments and playing a song. You need to notice that most of them may have a friendship that strays outside the office. Still their rhythm and flow of music is proper and precise. How is that possible? Most of them may be non musicians and not great friends. Some could be even bitter enemies. So how is that they are able to produce a wonderful music.

This is the quality of music. No matter what kind of music people play or listen, it just mesmerizes you. From a corporate point of view the above example shows success and teamwork. Even though they were amateur and unprofessional musicians, they had the thirst of achieving success. To quench this thirst of success, each of them cooperated and showed the effect of teamwork.

In short, music is a never aging medication for people suffering from stress and tension. Hear or watch some music on your TV channel offered by cable services like Dish TV Packages and feel relaxed and happy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Mark is a freelance writer and columnist. He has written many articles on topics like news, current events, entertainment and cable TV packages like Dish TV Packages. He is a hardcore fan of comedy sitcoms and watches most of them in his free time.

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Improve Your Health By Fighting Stress

By: Brent Cullen

Photo: img.webmd.com

One thing that we all know is that we live in an ever changing- world that is filled with stress. There is no way that we can escape it no matter what we do or where we go, there are pressures in life that we all must learn to deal with. These things can raise your blood pressure, increase your heart rate and cause you to lose your cool. Stress will affect you in one way or another, but it doesnt have to conquer you and take a toll on your health.

Recent studies that have been conducted by scientists have shown that stress is the root cause of most of the deadly diseases that are killing men and women. The good news is that even though stress is unavoidable, there are steps that you can take to put it at a level that will not affect your health in a negative way. There are some unusual ways that you can use to control stress so you can carry on with your everyday life.

One of the main causes of stress is lack of sleep. When you do not get a good nights sleep, you wake up cranky and grumpy and that is because while you are sleeping, your body is repairing itself. If you cheat yourself on sleep there is a good chance that your bodily organs will not function properly and your head will become clouded and you will lose your focus and you will easily get stressed. You can easily avoid this by getting to bed early. It is a proven fact that the best times for your body to repair damaged tissues and cells is between the hours of 10pm and 6am. Make a habit of being in bed by 10pm so your body will get enough sleep and rest.

Diet is another factor that affects how you deal with stress. There are certain foods that can help ease stress. Having an omelet for breakfast can help clear your brain so you can focus and concentrate better. The reason for this being that these foods are high in tyrosine which is an amino acid that helps to improve focus and alertness along with helping you with the ability to do multiple tasks at the same time. Sesame seeds are another food that helps to fight stress because they contain a form of amino acid called L-arginine. This type of acid works to help the blood vessels to relax, so if you are not having a good day, try some sesame seeds or some other type of nuts such as cashews, soybeans or peanuts as all of these also contain L-arginine.

Apples are another way to fight stress and keep it away. They are not only a healthy food that will boost your bodys health, they will also combat stress and fatigue. They are very rich in antioxidants and they can help to jump- start your system when you are feeling tired and stressed and best of all, they taste good!

Along with getting the proper amount of sleep and eating a nutritious diet, perhaps the most important way of fighting stress is through exercise. Even though exercising is not a pleasing thing to do, it has many benefits besides burning fat and building muscles. Most important of all, it is the quickest way to improve your mood and to eliminate your stress. When you exercise, your brain releases a form of chemical called endorphins. They have the ability to give your mood a boost so you will remain positive throughout the day.

The best thing that you can do is to not let stress rule your life and by applying these methods, you can achieve the upper hand and live a healthier life.

I hope that you enjoyed this article and if you would like some great free tips on eating healthy, than please visit my site where you will find some great information to help you live a long and healthy life.

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About the Author:
I am a 54 year old retired mill worker from Northern Maine. I am happily married with 3 wonderful boys. My main interests are my family and God. I own a eating healthy web site with great tips and information that is designed to help you live a healthier and longer life.
www.eatinghealthyhub.com

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The Problem Of Burnout For Nurses And Social Workers

By: Jill Cohen

Photo: nursinglink.monster.com

Nurses and social workers experiences burnout when they are stressed because they take on more than they can bear either physically, psychologically or emotionally. It also varies according to individuals. Stress has been viewed as an occupational hazard. Nurses have the tendency of being anxious over decisions that need to be made, the number of patients who need to be attended to and the different responsibilities that are required in terms of the job description. Many nurses work twelve hour shifts which can be very demanding.

The term burnout was used by Freudenberger in 1974 and it refers to the type of chronic stress that people experience in the helping profession. This can apply to those working in home health care, social work, nursing as well as family members that are caregivers. Ironically, many caregivers do not take care of themselves. There is a level of exhaustion that occurs that often makes it hard to replenish one's own energy.

Sometimes this stress results from not been able to balance work, family and children. This stress could lead to sickness when it is not properly managed. People that are stressed out can also end up calling in sick often and jeapordizing their job. However, due to the level of compassion that many nurses and social workers have, they often feel guilty if they do call in sick.

If adequate attention is paid to the environment where nurses and social workers work, it would go a long way in reducing the stress such as people go through. There is often a lot of pressure for completing documentation that adds to the stress of client care.

It has also been discovered that the length of hours worked to also go a long way in making the job stressful. Nurses who work for 8hours undergo less stress than those who work for 12 hours. However, many people like the idea of having an extra day off during the week so this is a mixed situation.

Being able to do some chair yoga or meditation can be helpful during the day to reduce stress and focus inwards. This can work for many therapists that have their own offices, but for nurses can be more challenging due to lack of privacy.

Another area to look at is that many times nurses and social workers are also involved in being a caregiver in their personal lives. This can be with a parent or may be with a spouse that has physical or mental health issues. Having counseling oneself is an excellent way to help to find out about the ways one handles stress and work on new solutions.

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Learn more about Social Work Programs and Social Work Job Interviews.

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How To Teach Your Children To Beat Stress

By: Art Turner

We are sending our children into a future filled with stress and conflict. Parents and teachers have the responsibility to model behaviors and teach skills that will enable our children to be productive, accepting, healthy, and above all, resilient.

1. Self-understanding and acceptance

Self-esteem is a realistic estimate of your own capabilities and worth. People with high self-esteem are productive, responsive, imaginative, and attentive to the needs of others. Encourage your children to develop their natural aptitudes and interests. Set them up for success. Empower them to be more responsible.

2. Adults' understanding and acceptance

Give your children regular, focused, undivided attention. This, more than anything else, communicates your unconditional love.

3. Constructive thinking

We are what we think. Fill your language with statements that help your children see change in a positive way, to view adversity as manageable, to persist until they are successful, and to become more oriented to the needs of others. Prepare your children for the reality that others may not think or believe like they do. Teach your children to identify positive and negative feelings in themselves and others. Replacing destructive thinking with constructive thinking increases self-esteem and improves coping skills.

4. Good decision-making strategies

Making a good decision requires the ability to generate alternative solutions to a problem, predict consequences, view the problem from the perspective of others, and consider how to implement alternatives to reach a solution. Children as young as four or five can usually generate alternatives and predict consequences, but advanced decision making skills come later. Model good decision making for your children. Show children how characters in stories make decisions. Let your children make their own decisions whenever possible.

5. Stress-coping strategies

It's not too early to teach children physical relaxation exercises like breathing techniques, some forms of meditation, imagery, and muscle relaxation exercises. Help your children learn to recognize their own stress triggers and responses, and identify which relaxation methods work best for them. And help your kids laugh--read funny stories, watch age-appropriate comedies, and laugh at their jokes.

6. Good nutrition and exercise

Good nutrition optimizes the way your mind and body works. A well-functioning mind and healthy body increase our self-esteem and resiliency. Make aerobic exercise and recreation a family affair. If your children see you exercise, they are more likely to take it up themselves and develop a lifelong positive habit.

7. A sense of purpose and commitment to personal and social goals

Commitment to goals gives meaning and value to life, and a reason for existence. Children should have more than one goal, and their goals should be realistic. Teach them to be flexible in how they achieve their goals, and help them learn persistence when progress is slow.

8. Social skills and social supports

Healthy relationships build self-esteem and protect from the negative effects of stress. Help your children to build self-awareness skills and to see situations from another's point of view. Teach them to positively manage conflict and disagreement.

Resilient children grow up to be adults who have a sense of control, a positive view of change, and an ability to find meaning and value in life. Now doesn't that describe the kind of people you want to have running the world when you retire?Art Turner is a writer, musician, and creator of Relaxation Emporium, where you can learn more about stress, stress management, and relaxation techniques. Visit www.relaxationemporium.com

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Panic and Anxiety Attacks Can Be Treated Effectively

By Laine Tunnesen
Panic, or anxiety, attacks are not just in your imagination. Millions of people will experience these potentially debilitating episodes at least once. Panic attacks can start without warning. They can transform your life and not in a positive way. The good news is that panic attacks can be treated - they do not have to create havoc and desperation.
Panic episodes can last from several minutes to several hours, and can vary greatly in intensity. It helps tremendously to gain understanding about anxiety attacks - how and why they occur and how they can be treated. The truth is that in most cases there is effective treatment for panic attacks. The operative word in the last sentence is 'effective'. There have been ineffective suggestions for the treatment of panic and anxiety attacks. Among them:

• Avoid stress and situations that can cause anxiety. Well, sure. I've got news for whoever gives that advice. We live in a stressful world. And there are many situations, such as a simple traffic jam or a boss's unreasonable demand, that can lead to stress overload and acute anxiety.
• Keep a daily journal. I have nothing against journalling; in fact, I think journalling is a great way to clarify one's thoughts and identify emotional reactions to those thoughts and the various events of the day. But in the throes of an acute episode of panic, I don't think you will have the capacity to calmly sit down and journal your way out of it.

Because some suggestions are misguided doesn't mean there are not legitimate strategies and techniques to stop panic from disrupting your life. There are effective treatments, and in fact there are effective treatments which use natural solutions and are not based on pharmaceuticals.
And there is more good news. Panic and anxiety attacks can be effectively treated whether you've only endured one mild episode or you've been struggling with extremely intense episodes for years.
There are many things about our lives, and about the times and circumstances in which we live, which we cannot somehow change by wishing they were different. But there are successful strategies, techniques and treatments that can provide a good and lasting remedy against panic and anxiety attacks.

Do you want to learn more about stopping anxiety and panic attacks? If so, download my free ebook, "Stop Anxiety Dead In Its Tracks", here: http://Overcoming-Anxiety-And-Panic.com

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How To Help Fight Stress With Healthy Eating

Whenever we get too busy or stressed, we all tend to make poor food choices that will actually increase stress and cause other problems. To get the most of your healthy eating and avoid stress, follow these simple tips.Always eat breakfast - Even though you may think you aren't hungry, you need to eat something. Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain the proper blood and sugar levels during the day, so you should always eat something.Carry a snack - Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car, office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood sugar level dips, the accompanying mood swings, and the fatigue. Trail mix, granola bars, and energy bars all have the nutrients you need.Healthy munchies - If you like to munch when you're stressed out, you can replace chips or other non healthy foods with carrot sticks, celery sticks, or even sunflower seeds.Bring your lunch - Although a lot of people prefer to eat fast food for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack a lunch at home. Even if you only do this a few times a week, you'll see a much better improvement over eating out.Stock your home - As important as it is to get the bad food out of your house, it's even more important to get the good food in! The best way to do this is to plan a menu of healthy meals at snacks at the beginning of the week, list the ingedients you need, then go shop for it. This way, you'll know what you want when you need it and you won't have to stress over what to eat.
This free article is provided by the FreeArticles.com Free Articles Directory for educational purposes ONLY! It cannot be reprinted or redistributed under any circumstances.

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Beating Anxiety & Stress With Golden Root

First and foremost, anyone who feels they show any type of symptoms of anxiety or depression must always check with a healthcare professional before treatment.

An herbal remedy that was first recorded for its medicinal applications is called Rhodiola Rosea. This herbal remedy has been used extensively in Russian medicine since 1969.

Rhodiola Rosea is a natural remedy and the latest to join the ever-growing arsenal of natural stress and anxiety reducers.

Rhodiola Rosea is a native plant of Arctic Siberia and commonly known as Golden Root. Eastern European and Asian cultures have used this herb for centuries for work productivity and longevity, physical endurance, resistance to high altitude sickness, to treat fatigue, anemia, depression, impotence, infections, nervous system disorders and gastrointestinal ailments.

Considered an adaptogen, which means it has an overall stabilizing effect on one's body without disrupting any other functions. Because of its ability to normalize the hormones, it may well be an effective treatment for people that suffer from anxiety and depression.

Westerners have only begun to become aware of the health benefits of Rhodiola Rosea in spite of its long history. Because of studies, which tested its effect on combating stress and anxiety, natural health care practitioners, have started paying more attention to this herbal remedy.

Studies have been conducted to identify its effects on chemical, biological and physical stress. Adaptogen's have been shown to improve the body's overall ability to handle stress.

Studies have been performed to test the effects of Rhodiola Rosea when stress is caused by some sort of intense mental work such as a final exam. These tests resulted in an increase in mental clarity and a reduction in the affects of fatigue, which in turn produced much improved quality of work.

In a report by the American botanical Council Rhodiola Rosea was tested on both anxiety and stress from a physical and emotional standpoint. The report showed most of the users found that their mood had improved, as well as their mental clarity and their energy level. Another study has shown the possibility thatRhodiola Rosea could increase one's stress tolerance at the same time protecting the heart and brain from physical effects of stress.

Consumers need to be aware that Rhodiola can also be sold using a species that do not share the common properties of Rhodiola Rosea or could possibly be ineffective for treatment. The properties should be a minimum 0.8% salidroside and 3% rosavin.

Always remember to fully investigate any herbal remedy and check with your health care professional to be sure it is the right remedy for you.

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About the Author:

Carlie Edwards publishes articles & useful information on Today's Issues & Topics. For more information on Anxiety Panic Attack visit: http://anxiety-and-panic-attack.com. To find a variety of topics & issues visit: http://health-and-beauty-worx.com

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5 Things To Do To Reduce Your Stress Today

The word is such a fast paced world that is constantly evolving and changing. With change we feel a loss of control over our lives and we start to see situations presenting themselves throughout the day that become stressful. Stress is a characteristic of many peoples daily lives, whether it be stress brought on through work, through commuting to work or from your interactions throughout the day with other people. You can never predict when your bout ofstress is going to hit you, what is clear is that stress is not a good thing for your health. Certainly if you want to live a happy and fulfilled life stress shouldn't be apart of that equation. It is difficult to comprehend a enlightened Buddhist monk who just reach enlightenment being stressed.

So if stress is largely a condition of our environment we live then there is certainly things that we can do to reduce or even eliminate thestress in our life by adjusting the way we experience within the environment. After all we may not be able to control our external environment but we do have control over the way we react to it.

Here are 5 simple tips that may help you reduce your stress today. 1. Exercise every day. If you want to reduce the stress in your life find a way to give it an outlet physiologically. After all, if you think about the toll stress has on your body you would want to also increase your physical health so that your bodies tolerance is also improved. The added bonus of exercising is that it also releases chemicals to your body that gives you a feeling of well-being and happiness.

2. Listen to music. This doesn't mean you listen to just any type of music. While you may be a rock and roll fan when it comes time for stress relief you want to find soft soothing music. You want to calm the mind and release the tension. A good type of music is that of nature sounds, why not pick up a cd from your local store today.

3. Consume water throughout the day. Your body is made up of roughly 90% water, drinking water daily is a good source to replenish your bodies fluids. Nutritionists suggest drinking 8 glasses of water a day for good health. Not only is water good for you but it is also good for your body and therefore helpful to reduce yourstress. What you don't want to be doing is drinking coffee or alcohol throughout your day.

4. Take a nap during the afternoon. A sure sign of stress is when you are overworked and tired. A good habit to introduce into your daily routine is to take what some call a power nap. This is a short 30 min nap sometime during the afternoon to recharge your batteries. Not only will youfeel better and re-energized you will also feel less stressed. While not everyone is going to be in a position to take a nap during the afternoon without their boss looking at them with a frown, what you can do instead is to take a short brisk walk out of your normal environment to take your mind off things. This might be to walk around the block or even around your office.

5. Relax, it's not urgent. I know we feel that everything these days is urgent and time sensitive but remember the world is not going to fall apart because you didn't get a chance to reply to someone's email within 30 mins. A fast way to give yourself unnecessarystress is creating urgency when there really isn't any reason to. So instead of responding to emails throughout the day, why not instead set aside 1 or 2 hours daily to respond to them all at once. Instead of picking up the phone while your in the middle of doing something let it go to voice mail. Let you colleagues know when you aren't to be disturbed. You will find that most people will be accommodating and understand. In return you get tofeel more control over your daily routine and therefore feel less stressed.

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For more personal growth articles visit: http://www.personalgrowthunlimited.com

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Tips For Combating Stress

By: Dimi Petrova

Stress is a natural response to any stimuli that affects our normal state of mind. While some amount of stress is normal, even beneficial, extreme or prolonged stress can be the root of many physical and emotional conditions including anxiety, depression, elevated blood pressure and eating or sleeping disorders.

Perhaps the best definition of stress comes from this unknown philosopher who once said Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't fallen asleep yet.

And while that definition might be stretching it a bit for some, for many people it comes close to the truth, according to Alix Needham B.ED Adv Dip E Hyp NLP, who is credited with pioneering the concept of Lifestyle Management over 15 years ago.

Alix, specialist advisor on stress to the NCH, has spent an enormous amount of time studying the causes of stress and the effect that stress has on our lives. Her clients include people from all walks of life who are struggling under the physical and emotional burdens of living a stressful life.

Different situations can trigger stress in different people, and not everyone experiences the same symptoms. What makes stress even more difficult to diagnose is the fact that it shares the symptoms of many other disorders and diseases. Thats why it is important to seek medical advice first if you are experiencing any of the following physical symptoms either alone or in tandem with others:

* Trouble Sleeping
* Chronic Pain in the Back, Shoulder Or Neck
* Frequent Tension Or Migraine Headaches
* Frequent Upset Or Acid Stomach
* Heartburn, Gas, or Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
* Unexplained Cramps
* Frequent Constipation or Diarrhea
* Unexplained Weight Gain Or Loss
* Eating Disorders
* Unexplained Hair Loss
* Excessive Muscle Tension
* Unexplained Fatigue
* High Blood Pressure

* Irregular Heartbeat
* Chronic Asthma
* Frequent Shortness of Breath
* Mild or Severe Chest Pain
* Unexplained Sweaty Palms Or Hands
* Chronic Cold Hands Or Feet
* Excessive Skin Problems
* Tooth or Jaw Pain

Stress can also create a number of emotional responses including:

* Nervousness, Anxiety, Panic
* Depression or Moodiness
* Butterflies in the Stomach
* Irritability, Frustration, Unexplained Anger
* Memory Problems and Lack Of Concentration

* Difficulty Thinking Clearly
* Feeling of Being Out Of Control
* Phobias
* Overreaction to Common Situations

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, and your doctor has ruled out any medical conditions, theres a good chance that youre suffering from stress.

Stress is a common reaction to lifes problems, and an occasional bout of short-lived stress is usually nothing to be concerned about according to Alix. Everyone suffers through stressful situations throughout life. The important issue is that youre able to distinguish between temporary stress that is related to a specific occurrence or event in your life, and chronic stress which does not go away all by itself.

Chronic stress almost always leads to health-related problems as well as creating the opportunity to spiral down into depression. Stress also impacts relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Left unresolved, stress can lead to heart attack or stroke and can even result in suicide in extreme cases. More typically, many medical conditions can be brought on by stress as it has a tendency to repress our immune system leaving us more susceptible to common colds, flu and other infections.

Alix advises anyone who believes that they are suffering from stress to seek help at once. She believes that the average person can learn how to control their stress without resorting to prescription medicine or psychiatric treatment. In fact, she has a list of stress-controlling solutions on her web site that she recommends that all of her clients work thorough before thinking about scheduling an appointment to visit with her for more in-depth stress treatment.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Hypnotherapy London, Lifestyle Management, counselling and life coaching from Alix Needham. She runs a successful practice in Central London using her unique skills and expertise to help people improve their relationships and lead more fulfilling lives. Her hands on approach has given her a prominent media profile on TV, radio, and in the national press.

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Role Of Sauna As A Major Stress Reliever

By: LesleyLyon

A sauna is a small room specially designed to experience wet or dry heat sessions. This has been derived from the Finnish. Finnish Sauna is a part of the Finnish culture. For Finnish people it is a place to spend time with family and friends and they also use sauna as a place for body and mind relaxation. They don't think sauna as a luxury, but as essential. The word sauna is a Finnish word, it refers to traditional Finnish bath and it is meant to describe a hot or moist environment. The people use sauna as a social affair, where people participate in it and temperature set will be over eighty degree centigrade. This helps them in relaxing.

The Finnish used the sauna to cleanse, revitalize or refresh body and mind on daily basis. When the Finns migrated to other places in the world, they introduced their sauna designs and health benefits to others. This helped in development of sauna and this became very popular in recent decades. Many physical education centers, gyms, private and public swimming pools have started including sauna facility. A sauna has different temperature for different seating levels. The temperature will be hotter in higher level bench and moderate in lower level bench. Keeping the sauna door open slightly even or for a few seconds will reduce the temperature and make the place cool. So the door must be closed properly.

Saunas help in stress relief. This is done in two ways, the first one is the natural relaxation experienced at the time of using sauna. The second one that it helps reduce the level of creation of chemicals in the body to keep the stress at bay.

The toxin leaves the skin through the pores while sweating. This happens when the heat is more or less but the sweating is more.

Sauna helps in reducing the body weight. As the sweating is more automatically the body weight will reduce compared to other exercises which help to burn unnecessary fat.

People with some skin problems like acne, skin irritations, scrapes, cuts etc benefits by spending time in the sauna. Due to increase in blood flow, more oxygen and nutrients help to refresh the skin.

When a person is sick or suffering from fever, his body begins to produce white blood cells to fight the sickness. Same course of action will happen; when a person spends his time in a sauna as the body temperature increases.

It provides relief to people who suffer from asthma and chronic bronchitis and also helps to improve joint mobility. It is effective for appetite loss and mild depression. It also helps to produce the hormones in men and boost the production of oestrogen in women. Thus usage of sauna benefits in many ways to all human beings.

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Read more on http://www.saunashome.info which is a comprehensive resource guide on saunas and spas. http://www.infraredspa.info is a complete online guide on infrared spa.

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Laughter Recipe For Stress Life

By: Mark Richard

Stress is basically and simply a fact of nature, forces from the outside world affecting and disturbing the individual. Lots of people have made a livelihood of getting stressed up! The whole world knows that laughter is beneficial and healing because a good giggle and laugh makes you feel better, instantly.

Benefits of Laughter Recipe:
?Lower blood pressure
?It cost nothing
?Stimulates the release of endorphins and act as body's natural pain killing medicine
?Provide a offer of feeling well-being
?Boost immune system functions and help to raises the level of infection-battling T-cells
?Reduces the levels of stress
?No side effects
?Brings down barriers and help people get along
?Makes you look more attractive even if you are not so physically attractive
?It make tense muscles relaxed
?Delay the aging process

Most hospitals have decided to add funniness and humor therapy to their healing treatment and programs. We all know humor is a universal language or you heard ever that anyone laugh in a different language before?

Even if you are going through trying times in your life, humor can you a positive insight towards your present problem if we face it with the "humor eye". Laughing make you feel better, safe and secure in your daily busy life and it makes your stressed life relax. It is noticed that it is easy to smile and laugh? It doesnt take a lot of effort to smile and don't forget that scowling automatically adds ten years to your real age and not to mention that it makes you look strike ugly!

How Stress is released through Humor:
?Blow your most annoying problems way out of proportion, because there are times that you just don't feel like laughing at the situation you have found yourself but this is the time that you need to laugh. The best way to laugh at your problems is to blow it way out of proportion because when you are relaying the absurd details to your friends and the story reaches a certain point where it becomes funny to you, for instance, you could say "how could I have been so stupid to have trusted that man? He had shifty eyes, I should have known that he was a thief, I could have sworn that I saw smoke come out of his ass when he was running away with my purse"

?Share funny stories with your family members, partner and friends; by doing this there is no doubts, relieve your stress and tension and strengthen your relationship with your family and friends. It can also improve your communication skills as well, because it takes a good story teller to communicate funny story and make other people laugh in the process.

?Watch funny programs on television or read books and magazines that are guaranteed to make you laugh.

?If you can afford it, go to places like comedy clubs or shows. Going to these places can help you to deal with your stress and tension life.

The majority people admit that life under stress condition can be difficult to maintain. It is unmanageable, random & unpredictable, steady constant stress has far reaching consequences on our physical & mental health and life. So laughter recipe acts as medicine in your stress and busy life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
You may be interested in reading Ashwagandha as Natural Stress Reliever and Brahmi to Relieve Stress. Also visit Ashwagandha for Stress Reduction.

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Three Effective Ways To Reduce Stress And Depressed Mood During The Holidays

By: Mark Lakewood, CEO

The holiday season is quickly approaching and many of us are preparing for this joyous time of the year. Some may embrace the holidays with cheer, hope, and thanksgiving while others may embrace the season with burden, anxiety, and personal failure. This article addresses three ways you can overcome anxiety and depressed mood during the holidays.

The first and most effective way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to recognize unachievable and unrealistic expectations (unhealthy thoughts) that you may subscribe to. Our thoughts have a direct bearing over our emotional disposition and the consequences that occur in the aftermath. We often cannot change circumstances (situations, events, and the behavior of others) that occur in our lives but we do have the power to alter the way we feel and react to them by simply changing the way we think. If we would like to avoid experiencing anxiety and depressed mood during the holidays, we must take ownership and control over our own thoughts by identifying unhealthy thoughts that we may subscribe to that might be contributing to a negative emotional disposition and replace them with healthier ones.

Some may fear social rejection and judgment from others. Though others may choose to judge negatively, pondering on this thought can ultimately rob you of experiencing joy and happiness. The following are six common unachievable and unrealistic expectations (unhealthy thoughts) that are often pondered on during the holidays:

1. "I need to spend a lot of money on gifts otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - It is a shame that so much worry is attributed from the issue of money especially during the holidays. We should not feel or be made to feel that the holidays are all about external/physical gifts. The most precious gift that we can give to one another is our fellowship and love (internal gifts). No external/physical gift can replace this. Internal gifts have a longer shelf life and increase our self-esteem more than external/physical gifts. We must keep this issue in the proper perspective otherwise we can inadvertently teach others that external/physical gifts are more precious and desirable than our fellowship and love.

2. "For gatherings, my home must always be clean and tidy otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - It is never okay to invite guests to a filthy home. But expecting your home to be constantly tidy might be an unrealistic expectation, especially when children are present. Expecting such would only cause you anxiety and depressed mood. Do not worry about the cleanliness of your home but rather focus on fellowship as this is much more important and significant.

3. "I must prepare a flawless meal for my gathering otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - The quality of meals should not be the main focus of the holidays. If food preparation is an issue, there is nothing wrong with purchasing meals from a restaurant. To go one step further, having a potluck might be a better and less expensive idea as your guests would be directly involved with the food preparation by offering a variety of foods at your gathering freeing up time for fellowship.

4. "My physical appearance must be acceptable and appropriate otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - Aside from daily hygiene, do not worry about your physical appearance. The fellowship that you can give to one another is much more important than your physical appearance. More times than not, our own anxiety over our physical appearance has more to do with how we feel about ourselves rather than how others may perceive us.

5. "I need to bring a mate to the gathering otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - If you are single, sometimes attending a gathering by yourself where couples are present might make you feel uncomfortable as you might feel that you do not fit in. Keep in mind that you are not alone as there are many people that are divorced, separated, or single. If having a mate was a prerequisite for gatherings, I guarantee you that there would be a lot less gatherings! In addition, avoiding gatherings would only rob you of the experience of possibly meeting a potential mate.

6. "I need to pretend that I am happy during gatherings otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - Experiencing happiness is not a prerequisite for attending gatherings. Oftentimes, life events and experiences that have nothing to do with the holidays may play a direct role in your emotional disposition. The wonderful thing about gatherings is that there are plenty of people that you can talk with. If someone asks you how you are doing or feeling, be honest with them and let them know. Do not tell them that everything is fine when it is not. Oftentimes, having someone to discuss your problems with might actually help you resolve them as well as make you feel better. Take advantage of this opportunity.

If there are any other unhealthy thoughts that you might be dealing with that are not discussed in this article, I encourage you to write those thoughts down on a piece of paper writing a healthier thought (one that you would like to subscribe to) next to it. It would also be a good idea for you to review these thoughts daily so that it becomes easier to recognize and replace unhealthy thoughts.

The second way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to establish personal and professional goals for yourself. There is a lot to be said for New Year's resolutions. Establishing short and long-term goals is a healthy idea because they can provide you with structure by giving you something to look forward to. Goals oftentimes give meaning to our lives. Those who do not have goals often feel hopeless and helpless. Just make sure that the goals that you establish are significant and achievable otherwise they will not be effective or worth your while to achieve.

And finally, the third way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to work at giving to others. Sometimes we are fooled into believing that happiness is achieved through the gifts that we receive or the items that we purchase. Just the opposite is true. You can achieve true happiness by helping others in need, volunteering your services, holding the hand of one in despair, or just simply being there when one experiences a low moment in his/her life. Oftentimes, it is not the words that we say that lifts one's spirit or gives one hope. But rather, it is just being there that makes all the difference in the world. At times, we feel uncomfortable because we do not know the right words to say to those who are hurting. Words are not always important. The fellowship and the love that you can provide is what the holidays are all about. Let's not lose this perspective and let's not give unhealthy thoughts, with all the anxiety and depressed mood that goes along with them, the ability to rob us from experiencing the joy and the happiness that we all deserve to experience during the holidays. Happy holidays to all!

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Mark Lakewood, CEO of Building Strong Families National Seminars, is an author, and speaker with over 20 years of clinical experience as a family therapist. He facilitates national seminars on family and school-related issues. He facilitates The "Standing Up To Bullying" Conference and The Sudden Compliance Program Webinar Series.

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Beat economy-induced stress with massage therapists' secrets

(ARA) - Your shoulders are tight, your head throbs, your heart pounds and you don't recall the last night you slept peacefully. Whether it's because your 401(k) statement just arrived or you're dreading the up-coming holiday shopping season, you - like millions of other Americans these days - are probably feeling economy-induced stress.

Whatever its source, prolonged stress can have serious health consequences - a well-known fact that may contribute to Americans' willingness to spend money on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), like massage therapy. In 2007, Americans spent $33.9 billion on CAM, according to a study by the National Center for Health Statistics. And that was at least a year before most of us realized just how bad the economy had become.

"Even during these tough economic times, massage is thriving because more and more it is seen as a cost-effective way to influence your overall health," says Grant Lessard, director of education for Cortiva Institute in Scottsdale. "For some who have had to make other sacrifices, massage is seen as an inexpensive substitute for more costly stress relievers such as vacations or extended time off from work."



"Not enough has been written about the benefits of laying down and doing nothing for an hour in the day," says Lisa Santoro, an instructor at Cortiva Institute - Boston. "Having someone work lotion or oil into the largest organ of the body, the skin, while relieving muscle tension at the same time, is an added bonus to just laying down."

The professionals of Cortiva Institute, a network of massage therapy schools across the country, offer some helpful hints for easing your economy-induced stress:

Start with your eyes

"Many people are on computers during the day, whether for doing a job or trying to find a job," Santoro says. "The eyes endure a lot of stress from staying focused on such a small area (the computer screen) for long periods of time."

Santoro recommends giving your eyes a two-minute break every few hours. "Place your palms over your eyes to block out all light. If possible, lean back so the eyes can sink into the socket, which can be even more restful," she says. "Do this for two minutes, breathing deeply. Just this simple two-minute rest can do wonders for increasing comfort and decreasing stress on the eyes."

A getaway without going away

"Massage provides a positive and relaxing sensory experience," says William Ensminger, co-director of the student clinic at Cortiva Institute - Pennsylvania School of Muscle Therapy. "The rest of the world goes away and you get a mini vacation."

"Massage therapy has been found to elicit an energy-conserving state and decrease the levels of pain and stress chemicals in the body, as well as decrease blood pressure," says Deanna Sylvester, education director at Cortiva Institute - Tucson. "Your time with a massage therapist feels good because you are slowing down, and you continue to feel good afterward because of the physiological changes that occur due to the treatment."

Make time in your day

Don't have time or resources to get a massage? "Take a few deep breaths, grab your foot and start to massage," Ensminger suggests. "Your feet take a beating. Give them a treat and pamper them yourself. Feet don't care who massages them, and you will reap the rewards."

If you're at work and massaging your feet isn't an option, you can relax by massaging your hands for a few minutes, he adds. "Concentrate on slow, deep breaths. Massage the whole hand - the palm, the fingers and thumb, even between the fingers."

A professional massage might be more affordable than you think, and there are good reasons to invest in one. "Allowing yourself to get a massage regularly is not only physically and mentally beneficial, it will give you something to look forward to and motivation for completing whatever tasks daunt you," says Kathy Lee, graduate resources coordinator of Cortiva Institute - Tucson.

To find an affordable massage therapist, check with massage schools in your area to find out if they offer a student clinic, Ensminger suggests. "It's a great way to try different therapies and therapists to see what style you like best. You can also check with your chiropractor's office. Many now have a massage therapist on staff."

Another way massage can help you relieve economy-induced stress is by providing a challenging, meaningful and financially rewarding career, the Cortiva staff agree. If you're out of work or just looking for a career change, you can achieve a professional credential and be prepared for a job in massage with as little as six months of training.

"Many people have taken mandatory salary cuts, and massage can be a versatile alternative to make up the difference in income," says Jeff Mann, president of Cortiva Institute - Pennsylvania School of Muscle Therapy. "They can ease their stress because massage therapy can provide the flexibility they need with a minimal investment. It works as a full-time or part-time career option."

"Massage is a career that fits around your life, versus life fitting around your career," Santoro says. "It is very flexible, every day is different, every person is different."

To learn more about a career in massage therapy, visit www.cortiva.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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The Curse of Work

by: Mark J

The next time you say that your job is killing you, you may just be on to something.

The UK currently has the longest average working week in Europe and there is mounting evidence that overwork is taking its toll on the British workforce. For example:

• Approximately 106 million working days are lost through back pain, costing the UK economy £5.2 billion
• Approximately 90 million working days are lost across the UK as a result of stress-related absence.
• Stress experts state that consistently working more than 45 hours a week can damage your health, physically and psychologically.

The irony of us becoming a nation of workaholics is that in long term it has adverse effects on businesses. Recent research has indicated that lower and not higher working hours relate directly to higher productivity.

One of the sacrifices of over-working is that less time is devoted to leisure or recreational activities, the very thing that can combat stress and give increased welfare that would allow us to work harder and for longer.

One such leisure activity is exercise. The benefits of exercise are long established. It has a direct effect on preventing or helping a range of illnesses including diabetes, heart disease and osteoarthritis. For the young it is an important means in helping build healthy bones, muscles, and joints. For the old it is a vital means in reducing the risk of major illness and premature death. For everyone in between, regular activity reduces the risk of disease, controls weight gain, slows ageing and increases psychological well-being.

For those who prefer activities a little more daring than an hour on the treadmill, there are a range of extreme sports and activities that are a fantastic means of expelling all that pent up work-related stress. An extreme sport is any activity that has an element of danger attached to it. Apart from the risk element, many of these sports have a positive effect on your well-being and are great for shaping up physically.

So what is stopping us? There are countless organisations and clubs out there with ideas and activities from the easy to the extreme. All of us need to find the time to relax and unwind after a long day’s work. We live in such a fast paced society. Our world is one filled with endless tasks and demands. If we are feeling overwhelmed with too much stress and pressure, we will not be able to cope with all that life presents before us. These factors make it extremely important for all of us to find time for leisure.

For more information about a selection of leisure opportunities that are open to you see:

http://www.gymworld.co.uk
http://www.flightacademyscotland.com
http://www.intensegames.co.uk
http://www.castrolxv.com

About the author:
Mark loves travelling and partying hard, along with relaxing to some inspiring music.
Mark is a freelance health and fitness writer and has published work on behalf of a number of blue-chip clients.

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The Social Web of Stress - Simple Solutions

by: Bill Douglas

Could simple stress reducing solutions be the answers to our myriad modern problems?

Urban sprawl and suburban flight are causing massive traffic jams on freeways nationwide, as individuals are working longer and longer hours. The invisible effect is a nation buckling under accumulating stress that affects parents, children, and society in budget busting and heart wrenching ways.

70% of all illness is due to unmanaged stress according to the National Institute of Mental Health (US). Longer work hours and thickening traffic are part of the problem, but it goes deeper. Family stresses are piled onto this work/traffic stress. Children are often left on their own between 3 PM and 7 PM, after they get out of school and while their parents are working or fighting traffic. Tragically, and not coincidentally, this is when most crime is committed.

Our national crime costs are near $500 billion per year, while our health care costs are $1 trillion per year. Our system's buckling from trying to repair damage that is already done to our bodies, our children, and our society, through backend spending on health problems and prison/court/enforcement costs. How can we deal with the front end, before these problems occur?

What if we went to the root of these stress related problems. Many children turn to the drugs and alcohol, which is behind most youth crime, for "stress management." Their lives are increasingly stressful in a rapidly changing world, and their parents are unavailable, battling their own stress issues and the lives that cause them. So, how could we affect the root problem, or stress? Government can play a powerful role in affecting this deteriorating situation, by affecting the direction of our economic development.

Tens of millions of Americans could begin working several days a week at home, telecommuting via the Internet. The technology is there, yet companies and employees do not utilize it. Government could provide tax incentives to companies to establish telecommuting days for employees. Dollars would be saved immediately on traffic costs, road wear, and emergency care as millions are taken off the hi ways daily. Air would immediately become cleaner, reducing the alarming increase in asthma problems nationwide. But, the most important benefit would be a national sigh of relief as parents and children can relax more around the demands of job and family. A parent who works 8 hours from home, rather than fighting an hour or two of freeway traffic, working 8 hours, and then fighting the same traffic to get home too late to truly relax, brings an entirely different parent home to the children. This may help a parent be one who has time to "be there" to help with the challenges of life our children face.

This would not only affect telecommuting parents, but others who must drive or bus to work will find the roadways much clearer and less polluted, leaving them healthier and less stressed when they get home much earlier than before. However, the other issue affecting all is the one of hours worked. Too many Americans are skipping breaks, and working way past the 8 hour work day that our ancestors sometimes fought and died for. Breaks and 8 hour work days were not fought for because our forefathers and mothers had nothing better to do. They were established because this limitation of work to find balance in life is "essential" to our quality of life. Again, when most crime is committed between the time school lets out and the time parents get home and we are building and filling prisons faster than ever before in our history, it is time to "take a deep breath." It is time to reevaluate how we are living.

We must decide whether human beings should be squeezed into a matrix that does not nurture us or our children, or whether we use the emerging technology to redefine our lives to flow around us like a soothing healing balm. We are entering an age of technological miracles that can provide an extraordinary quality of life -- if we choose to use these tools for that. However, right now the opposite is occurring, as stress overwhelms us and 70% of illness and the six leading causes of death are the result of stress. With the dawn of the information/computer age the average worker is many times more productive than their counterparts decades ago, yet we are working longer hours for little more money. How do we change this? First of all by lifting our heads up to see beyond "what is" -- to see what "could be."

There is an extraordinary book called Flatland. The main character is a one-dimensional worm who crawls through a groove seeing only the butt of the one-dimensional worm in front of him. This is his world. But, then one day he suddenly on impulse turns to the side, and finds a whole new two dimensional world expanding outward, left, right, front and back. This blows his mind and he goes wild and discovers that he can "lift up" off the two dimensional plane his expanded world had become into a "three-dimensional" reality. He can look DOWN, and look UP, and see LEFT, and RIGHT, and a whole new world expands all around him. But, when he goes back to his one-dimensional world, his peers think he's gone crazy dreaming up these ridiculous possibilities of an "expanded world."

Our society is at a point with the level of technological development to lift up from "the way we are doing things." We can literally redefine our society to fit human needs. A compassionate economy can unfold within, throughout and all about us, until we see crime and health care costs whither, and surpluses growing, effortlessly and simply by learning to live in ways that "feel good."


About the author:
Bill Douglas is the Tai Chi Expert at DrWeil.com , Founder of World T'ai Chi & Qigong Day (held in 50 nations each year), and has authored and co-authored several books including a ##1 best selling Tai Chi book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi & Qigong.” Bill’s been a Tai Chi source for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc. You can learn more about Tai Chi & Qigong, and also contact Bill Douglas at http://www.worldtaichiday.org

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A Simple Tip For When You're Stressed

by: Jane Thurnell-Read

This is a fantastic tip from Touch For Health to help you when you're stressed, angry, anxious or upset. Try holding your frontal eminences. These are bumps on your forehead that many people hold instinctively when they're upset.

For those of you who don't do this naturally, let me help you locate them. Feel up from the middle of your eyebrows going towards your hairline. Your forehead comes outwards before it curves back in towards the hairline. Hold your forehead at the points where it is furthest out - about 3cms (1.25 inches) above the middle of each eyebrow.

While you hold these points think about the stressful event. It can be something that has already happened, something that is about to happen, or something you fear may never happen! Gradually you should find that the stress lessens.

You can use it for small things, but you can also use it for more traumatic events too. If the thoughts/images are too overwhelming initially, imagine you are watching it on a TV - you can always switch it off if becomes too stressful - you're the one in charge. You can watch it in black and white if that feels easier too. Use it to defuse anything that you feel anxious, stressed, angry or fearful about.

You may want to do it several times covering different aspects of the problem. You can do them one after the other, or at different times, whichever feels best for you.

As you hold the points and think about/imagine the event, you will probably start to feel calmer - you may even find that you start to feel a little bored thinking about this scenario that previously stressed or angered you so much.

Why does it work?

These particular points on the forehead, known as frontal eminences, are reflex points with connections to the central meridian (involved with the brain), the stomach meridian (and your stomach often churns when you're anxious or angry), and the bladder meridian (trips to the loo/bathroom are often necessary when we're apprehensive).

I recently explained this self-help technique to a business colleague - a keen mountain biker who'd had a serious bike accident at 30 miles an hour and had broken his skull and collar bone. His bones had mended, but he was now sometimes fearful of the sport he loved.

This is what he wrote to me later:

"I don't know how to thank you enough for the technique you described to me over the phone the other day, it helped me enormously!"

The following week he sent me this message:

"Your tip worked once again last night - went out (in the pitch black with my Light&Motion 'daylighter' light) and did some serious single-tracking and downhilling!!! I never thought I'd be doing that again - ever! Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was brilliant!!!!!!!"

It may be hard to believe that something this simple could be effective in removing anxiety and stress, but try it and see.

About the author:
Life should be simple - do you agree? Then take a look at Jane Thurnell-Read's web site (http://www.healthandgoodness.com) for more self-help tips and information. Here's a direct link to that section: http://www.healthandgoodness.com/topics/Self-Help/index.htm

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10 Unusual Ways to Reduce Stress

by: Dr. Nancy Olthoff

You may think some of the ideas below are pretty far out and perhaps downright Weird...

But that's okay. These are ways Real people have used to cope with Stress.

Here's the thing...just read through these and choose one or two and see how they work for you. You know what they say. Different strokes for different folks. So just pick a couple to start with, and see how they help you.

They're not in any particular order. Simply read through the list. See what "jumps out" at you. Don't try to do too many at once. (You may stress yourself out even more.)

1. Hide a Toy in Your Pocket

What? How will that help you say?

It will remind you each time you stick your hand in your pocket, not to take life too seriously.

Remember how you felt when you were a child and life was carefree? Grab on to that feeling each time your fingers touch that toy.


2. Schedule Your Worry

If you have stress that comes from worrying, do this:

When you start to worry, tell yourself you're not going to worry about it now, that you've set a time to worry. Say, each day between 7 and 7:30 pm, you've scheduled as Worry Time.

When it's 7, then sit down. Better yet ---- Pace the floor! Then WORRY!

Really get into it! Worry BIG! Catastrophize!

Awfulize! (I don't think that's a word, but you get the picture.)

Worry like you've never worried before!

You'll feel really odd doing this, but go at it.

I know it sounds crazy, but trust me. I've recommended people do this and it helped them.

No kidding!


3. Do Something Silly :0)

Eat Twinkies for breakfast or something.

I know, Twinkies are junk food, but break your routine once in a while. It's good for you.


4. Curl Your Toes

Huh? Yes, tighten your toes for 15" as tightly as you can, then relax. Do this with all muscle groups up through your body. All the way up. Finish with wrinkling up your face. It works.


5. Grab Your Pillow and Beat the Heck out of the Bed

(If you've got a feather pillow, be sure to check for holes first!)

Beating on the bed is good for releasing stress that comes from anger.

I knew a lady who actually put a punching bag in her basement just for getting out her anger!

She swore by it.


6. Don't Answer the Phone/Door/Cell Phone/ Pager...

(Say, Does anybody out there still have a pager?)

Sometimes you don't feel like talking to anyone, right?

Give yourself a break and don't.


7. Nuts -- Eat Nuts!

Good for "anger stress" to crunch on something.

Go ahead. Take out all your aggression on the Nuts. They won't mind!

You could eat crunchy raw veggies, but the nuts are better.


8. Get good at Procrastinating

Egad! Heresy? Sometimes it's the very best thing you can do for yourself.

Ask yourself, "Will something Awful happen if I put this off til later, to cut myself some slack?"

If you answer No, then put it off, as long as possible.


9. Act Like a 2 Year Old

They're Real Good at saying No, aren't they?

You gotta take care of yourself.

If you don't, who will?

Say No more often to the demands others want to heap on you.


10. Act Like an 84 Year Old

Now wait a minute!

You just told me to act like a 2 year old.

Now you're saying act like an 84 year old?

What's up with that?

Well, here's it is.

When you're in stressful situation, ask yourself...

"How would my 84 year old future self handle this or say about this?"

See what wisdom surfaces from within you.


So there you have it, the 10 unusual stress tips.

I sincerely hope these ideas will be helpful to you.


To Your Health,

Dr. Nancy Olthoff

About the author:

Dr. Nancy Olthoff lives in Apache Junction, AZ, with her husband and 2 mini dachshunds. Mini dachshunds are great stress reducers! :0) For years she practiced as a psychologist. Now she is helping people reduce their stress in an entirely different way...... http://im-services.com/cgi-bin/r/go/1

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How To Stress Less and Smile More

by: Lisa Branigan

Stress has become an epidemic in our modern society with more than two-thirds of visits to doctors’ surgeries being for stress-related illnesses. While a certain amount of stress is needed to motivate individuals into action, prolonged stress can have a huge impact on overall health. Stress has been linked to headaches, backaches, insomnia, anger, cramps, elevated blood pressure, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and lowered resistance to infection. For women, stress is a key factor in hormonal imbalances resulting in menstrual irregularities, PMS, fibroids, endometriosis and fertility problems. Stress can also be a factor in the development of almost all disease states including cancer and heart disease; the leading cause of death in Australian women.


More often than not stress is a result of letting our life get out of balance. This happens by putting all our energy into only one or two areas of our life (usually work) and ignoring the rest. We overload our plate of life that high, things begin to drop off and these are usually the things that are important to us like time for our own interests and time we spend with our family. We take on too much, over promise, don’t delegate and push our own wants and needs into the background.


So what can you do? How can you restore your balance so as to stress less and smile more?


Step One: Practice extreme self-care
Most people suffering stress have become quite good at practising extreme self-neglect! They don’t eat well, rarely exercise or take timeout and probably can’t remember the last time they had a holiday. The first thing that needs to be done is to become ‘extreme’ about your self-care. I’m not talking about jumping of cliffs or skydiving (unless this is what you consider timeout) but I am talking about the principle of extreme, that of taking your self-care to new heights, above and beyond ‘your’ normal limit. When we truly care for our own needs first, we build a reserve of energy and resources that enables us to sustain extreme self-care in our own life with enough left over to care for others.


A great place to start is by creating ten delightful daily habits. These habits include all the things that bring us enjoyment and delight. What are some daily habits that we could perform? Here are some suggestions.


• Stretch for 2 minutes.
• Laugh for 5 minutes
• Floss your teeth
• Read to your children
• Hug a loved one
• Go for a 10 minute walk in the park
• Listen to your favourite song
• Write in a journal
• Eat 3 fruit and 5 veg
• Read a chapter of your favourite book
• Drink 2 litres of water
• Going to bed early


The key to benefiting from your daily habits and practising extreme self-care is to do just that, make them “daily” habits. Start with one of your habits and commit to practicing it for seven days then add another habit and practice them both for another seven days. Continue this way until you are practicing all ten items on your list daily.



Step Two: Eliminate your tolerations.
Tolerations are things you are putting up with that drain you physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. They include things like crossed boundaries, unfinished business or projects, others bad behaviour, frustrations, unwanted commitments as well as things like clutter, mess, broken items, being over weight, weeds in the garden, debt and so on. Start by making a list of 5 things that are driving you nuts about your job, life, health, home etc and then devise a plan to get rid of the first thing on your list this week. Notice how this makes you feel, how it lifts a weight off your shoulders. Now think about how much better you will feel when you get rid of the other 4 things on your list!! When you’ve completed your list, start a new one and keep working until you have zero tolerations in your life.


Step Three: Get your needs met!
We all have personal needs that when met make us feel satisfied and complete. Unmet needs cause us to become upset, angry, stressed and depressed. The key to satisfying our personal needs is to identify them. Identify needs that feel true, not ones that look good or are superficial. You need to be careful that what you consider to be a need (e.g. to be loved) is not covering a true need (self-esteem). Ideas of personal needs are:


• Calmness
• Freedom
• Be listened to
• Independence
• Feel valued
• Stability
• Respect
• A life purpose
• Satisfying work
• Honesty
• Loyalty
• Be busy
• Security
• Be loved
• Balance
• Responsibility
• A career
• Children


You may need to tell others what your needs are and learn to ask for support.


Step Four: Smile often and laugh more!
Scientists have found that laughter stimulates the release of beneficial brain neurotransmitters and hormones, which can reduce stress, improve our immune system and give us a general sense of wellbeing. Some doctors are using laughter therapy to replace anti-depressants and to reduce the use of painkillers. According to researchers faking laughter will also produce the same health and wellbeing results as real laughter.


Do you need to improve your ability to laugh more?
Well here are some tips from Family Scientist, Herbert G. Lingren to help all of you, who are humour impaired, to add laughter and humour to your everyday life.
1. Hang around funny friends, or better yet, marry a funny partner. 2. Start looking for the absurd, silly, incongruous activities that go on around you each day. 3. Take a 5-10 minute humour break each day. Read jokes, add to a humour notebook, and listen to a funny tape. 4. Rent a comedy video, go to a funny movie, and watch humorous programs on television. 5. If you hear a joke you really like, write it down, or tell it to someone else to help you remember it.


Step Five: Set Goals
Without goals we have no direction in life. We are lost! When we are lost we get stressed and overwhelmed. Goals are a tool we can use to have what we want and need in our personal and professional life.


When you set a goal, it tells your subconscious mind what is important to you and to be on the lookout for things, people, opportunities or situations that will enable you to move towards your goal. Goals help us navigate our life with greater ease and reaching goals can make our life more fulfilling and happier.
One way to find out what your real goals are is to write a list of 100 things you’d like to accomplish before you die and then start working on your list today!


Step Six: Create a supportive environment
Our surroundings can be supportive and give us energy or drag us down and leave us stressed and tired. Surrounding ourself with inspiring, fun, positive things and people can energize us and add joy to our life. We need good support structures to effortlessly flow through life and remain balanced.


We can break our life support structures into five basic categories:


1. People-family, friends, life coach, accountant, doctor, housekeeper etc.
2. Places-your office, desk, car, home
3. Things-your phone, computer, home decor
4. Processes-filing system, record keeping, time management program,
5. Inner Environment- your outlook on life, self-esteem level, thought processes


Examine the above five categories and look at who or what you use to support you in each area. Are you truly being supported? What do you need to change to feel more supported in all areas of your life? Start making the easiest changes first.


Just as it can take to time end up stressed, overwhelmed and out of balance, it also takes time to make positive changes in your life. Sometimes trying to implement change (even for the better) can itself cause stress and prevent a person remaining motivated.


Work on one step at a time until you master that step in your life and then move on to the next area you need to change. If you can’t do it on your own get support from a counsellor, doctor, naturopath, friend, peer or life coach who specializes in stress issues.


Above all remember the benefits you will feel when you’ve mastered the steps to stress less and smile more!

About the author:
"Lisa Branigan is a certified Life Coach helping successful women create a less pressured, more enjoyable lifestyle" She is a speaker, writer, regular radio guest and contributor to magazines and newspapers.
Email: lisa@quantumcoaching.comau
Website: http://www.quantumcoaching.comau/

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