Methods to Reducing Stress

Methods to Reducing Stress.

Not sure if there are any secrets to reducing stress, but there are many methods for strengthening ones emotional and physical core to be able to handle stress more effectively on an daily basis.

When one is naturally balanced in mind and body, then one is able to deal with stress wisely and maturely. It is only when one is triggered by stress that one is effected by it. If the mind is not relaxed then it is easier to be affected by stress and this causes dis-ease in the mind and therefore the body.

So what can you do to reduce stress? It is a matter of re-creating your life so that stress does not become the main factor dominating your life. Make YOU the most important part of your life, pay attention to yourself and what you manifest in your life. Look at how you look after yourself and how you behave in the world. Here are some methods to strengthen your inner qualities and thus your ability to handle stress.

Meditation – This is hugely beneficial, it really helps to lessen the noise we face in the world and helps to quiet down the mind. Concentrate on the breath; build awareness of your inner and outer body. Learn to bring the relaxation and gifts of meditation in your everyday life. There are many kinds of meditation, but to start off with, simply concentrate on the breath at the tips of your noses and breath in and out, slowly and calmly. Try not to think and try not to stop thinking, if thoughts come up, let them come and quicly let them go and concentrate on the breath again and again. Do this in short intense sessions, so that you don’t dull the mind.

Exercise – Try and do some form of exercise each day, whether it be walking, gym, yoga, swimming etc... You need to increase your heart rate as this helps to increase oxygen intake in the body and brings more awareness to your body. During a work day, walk during your lunch break, it helps to get away from the office, it will help you be more productive and less overwhelmed.

Diet – Eat clean healthy, organic, natural food, lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts, pulses, fish, chicken etc… Avoid too much diary, yeast, sugar, wheat, red meat, spicy food and reduce alcohol. Cook your own food and eat out less.

Alternative Therapies – If your body is out of whack, see a Chiropractor, Osteopath, Naturopath or Acupuncturist to get re-adjusted.

Massage – Try if possible to have some form of massage, be it Swedish, Deep Tissue, Shiatsu or Rolfing, it is important to aid the body to deeply relax.

Sleep – Create a cozy and quiet environment in your bedroom. Have a hot bath and a hot drink before going to sleep. Burn some scented candles, allow yourself to de-compress from the day, don’t watch TV, it is too stimulating. Keep to a regular bedtime, so that your internal clock learns to quiet down at the same time each night to prepare itself for sleep.

Friends and Family – Spend quality time with good friends and family. It is good to laugh and get a good hug. Intimacy helps to reduce stress.

Relaxation – When you are not working, allow yourself to relax, avoid that busy syndrome spilling over in your life after your workday. Allow yourself to rest, be quiet after your work day, come back inside yourself, listen to music or read a book.

Nature – Spend time in nature whenever you can. Take a walk or a hike, go to the beach, local park or woods, listen to the sounds of nature, breath the fresh air, allow yourself to be immersed and leave the technology world behind for a little while.

Vacations – Make time to take time off. This is very important to spend time away from your normal schedule, as it helps re-focus your values and your goals in life. I know that this is more difficult living in the US, so try and be clever and build your vacation plans around state holidays so that you have more time off.

Self-awareness – Take time to get to know yourself. Keep a journal; spend quality time to check in with yourself to find out what you are feeling. Are you uncomfortable, unhappy or stressed? Learn to understand where you are in any moment, learn about your coping mechanisms, your patterns, and dysfunctional behavior, so that you can change it.

There are more detailed methods, but for the time being, if you can integrate some of the above into your schedule then this can make a huge impact in your life. We can in our society become attached to feeling stressed, but this is a dysfunction of our society, being busy is not healthy. Being smart and taking care of ourselves is key to being of benefit to others.