Stress management for better living

One of the greatest sources of stress is trying to find the time to do everything. You have to do this and you have to do that and don’t forget that other thing you were supposed to do. If you life is divided up minute by minute with all the tasks that have to be done, then you are probably have a lot of stress to deal with. So how do you deal with it all? You need time management tips.

 Through organization and thoughtful planning you can manage your time and help elevate the stress that comes with worrying if you are going to get everything done.

 Make a list of all the things that need to be done. Don’t analyze them at this step. Just write them down.

1. What really needs to be done? Make sure that only the most important things are kept on the list
2. Can you enlist volunteers to help with your list? Look for help.
3. stay focused on the tasks at hand, don’t let anyone disturb you from finishing your chores
4. Limit the amount of time you spend on each item on the list. You don’t want one task to bog you down.
5. Get plenty of rest and exercise. Healthier folks get more things done.

Your heart starts to pound and your hands are moist with sweat. Your breathing becomes rapid and you are filled with anxiety. Some people may think that they are having a heart attack but instead they are having a panic attack. It could be brought on by extreme worry or by terror or just by the thought that something terrible is going to happen.  Physically you aren’t in danger but your emotional state is in turmoil.

 Phobias are a major cause of panic attacks. An irrational fear such as a fear of heights or a fear of close places or even a fear of certain animals can lead to panic attacks. Agoraphobia is a common phobia where the individual is afraid of being in certain situations like being in public, being alone and other situations that are quite normal for most people.

 Some people may only have one or two panic attacks in a lifetime but for others it is a common occurrence. For those with reoccurring panic attacks cognitive behavior treatment and medicine are options for treatment.

 A lack of serotonin in the brain is believed to be the cause of panic attacks. That is why Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors became popular medications beginning with Prozac in the eighties. Not only is Prozac prescribed for depression it is also used for anxiety and panic attacks. Those with depression have also been found to be low in serotonin.

 Cognitive Behavior therapy attempts to change the thinking of the panic victim. Replacing negative thinking with positive thinking and relaxation techniques are just 2 of many CBT’s tools for treatment.

Meditation can be an effective tool in controlling stress. Meditation helps to clear the mind of extraneous thoughts that clutter the mind and prevents clear and focused thought.

When the subject of meditation is discussed the image of a lone monk in the wilderness sitting in a trance for hours on end comes to some minds. But meditation is used by millions of peoples through out the world. Meditation comes in many different forms but all with the same purpose to open the mind and clear it of negativity and stress.

Some of the different forms of meditation are:

1. Buddhist meditation, which concentrates on exploring the mind and seeking enlightenment.
2. Hinduism strives for relaxed contemplation and reflection where the mind is cleared of all thought.
3. Taoism meditation is reaching a state of stillness and of emptying the mind of all thought
4. New Age is mix of eastern philosophies and new ideas. Transcendental Meditation is probably the most popular form of new age meditation

 
Since stress seems to occur on a daily basis then you must be prepared to deal with on a daily basis.  With practice you can control stress before it controls you. There are many things that you can do to reduce stress, here are just a few of them.

• Talk out your situations with friends. Sometimes it helps just to communicate your problems with some one who will listen.
• Stop negative thoughts from your mind. It takes a lot of practice to stop being negative especially if you have been someone who doesn’t see the positive in anything. Start now and eliminate negative thoughts.
• use deep breathing techniques
• use guided imagery techniques
• Exercise is great for the body in general and definitely great for the mind!
• music therapy
• Get a massage 
• rent your favorite movie and watch it again
• Watch what you eat and cut back on the sugar.
• simple meditation can be included with tip numbers 3, 4 and 6
• manage your time more wisely and always include time for yourself
• Join a support group where you will find people with similar situations.

The idea that music helps us calm down is as old as music itself. Whether it is a pop song or a symphony, the sounds seem to go through our brains like waves that washes our stress out to sea. After a hard day of work the sound of a car radio almost seems therapeutic since our bodies are winding down and the music complements our natural relaxation response.

There have been studies that have shown that music does help relieve tension and anxiety. It lowers blood pressure, relaxes muscles and can help with depression.

Is it the music or is it the emotions that it stirs that makes it so relaxing to hear a favorite song? It is probably both. And it doesn’t have to be sounds of music that can soothe you, it can also be recordings of nature sounds that puts you in a mood, almost hypnotic, where the days problems can be forgotten or at least be better understood.

You don’t have to stay at home in your easy chair, combining a good walk with great tunes can lift your spirit and refresh you like few things can. Especially if the music has a quick beat that you can keep pace with.

Music therapy can also be used in conjunction with deep breathing exercises, where you on a sound of nature tape and breath. You will definitely reach a relaxed state that you will look forward to returning to in the future.

Progressive muscle relaxation is an easy technique that can be used along with other stress management techniques or it can be used by itself.

 The main idea behind this type of procedure is to control each muscle in the body by recognizing the muscle, making the muscle tense then relaxing the muscle. With practice this will enable you to release stress throughout your body muscle by muscle. This particular exercise is great in conjunction with self-hypnosis, self-imagery and deep breathing techniques.

 Make sure the place that you do this exercise is quiet and you won’t be interrupted.

Use the following progressive muscle relaxation steps:

1. Start with your feet, concentrate on your feet then tense the muscles of the feet. Say out loud or to your self. “My feet are tense”
2. Relax your feet and say out loud or to your self. “My feet are relaxed”
3. Move on to your calf muscles, tense the calf muscles “My calf muscles are tense”
4. Relax your calf muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My calf muscles are relaxed.”
5. Tense your thigh muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My thigh muscles are tense.”
6. Relax your thigh muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My thigh muscles are relaxed.”
7. Tense your stomach muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My stomach muscles are tense.”
8. Relax your stomach muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My stomach muscles are relaxed.”
9. Tense your hand muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My hand muscles are tense.”
10. Relax your hand muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My hand muscles are relaxed.”
11. Tense your forearm muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My forearm muscles are tense.”
12. Relax your forearm muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My forearm muscles are relaxed.”
13.  Tense your biceps and say out loud or to your self. “My biceps are tense.”
14.  Relax your biceps and say out loud or to your self. “My biceps are relaxed.”
15.  Tense your shoulders and say out loud or to your self. “My shoulders are tense.”
16.  Relax your shoulders and say out loud or to your self. “My shoulders are relaxed.”
17. Tense your neck muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My neck muscles are tense.”
18. Relax your neck muscles and say out loud or to your self. “My neck muscles are relaxed.”

 At this point your body should be relaxed, if not repeat the steps. It is important to practice this and take time to concentrate on each set of muscles. Don’t forget any of the muscles.

Everyone has been in a stressful and anxiety filled situation. How did you handle it? Did you do nothing and hoped that it would be over soon? Did you have a plan ready when the stressful moment occurred, and they always seem to occur, don’t they, usually at the wrong time. Maybe you counted to ten or twenty or keep counting till you forgot what you were worried about. That doesn’t work does it? There are some folks who close their eyes and imagine they are in a peaceful place away from stress and strain. Their image of this place is so strong that the stress is controlled as well as the anxiety filled situation.

Do you think that you could do that? You sure could.

Before you get into that bad situation where you feel that your head is going to explode. You need to practice for a few minutes everyday Guided imagery meditation.

1. Find a quiet spot where you will be alone for a few minutes without interruption.
2. Sit in a comfortable position.
3. Starting at your feet, think about each part of the body and how relaxed it is till you reach the top of your head. This takes practice so don’t get discouraged.
4. After going through step 3 at least one time, close your eyes and think about the most peaceful place on the earth. It doesn’t have to be a place that you have been. It just has to a perception of yours that it is peaceful and tranquil.
5. As you mind moves around this tranquil place, be aware of your breathing. Is it steady? It should be.
6. Give yourself a few minutes to engulf your emotions into this place in your mind. You should feel light and relaxed, maybe not right away, but with practice it will come.

Now when that stressful moment arrives and you feel like everything is going wrong, you should step away from the situation for just a moment. Find a quiet location where you can close your eyes and visit your ‘place’. With practice stress wouldn’t have a chance.

Stress is a part of everyday life. Some people can handle without any problem. They have a certain mindset that nothing will bother them and they can get through anything. But for the rest of us, stress presents a challenge that we are not always up to.  Relieving stress can be done in many ways. One of the best ways is to do deep breathing exercises.

The function of breathing is to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide from the body. This process happens automatically. The oxygen is delivered into the Respiratory system where it eventually goes through the bronchial tubes which lead into the lungs. Small sacs called alveoli pass the oxygen to the capillaries which in turn send the blood to the heart. The diaphragm does the work of pumping out the carbon dioxide and bringing in the oxygen.

Since oxygen is vital to the system, without this process the body would die. When the body is feeling stressful breathing becomes shallow and forced. This results in lightheadedness, panic, increased heart rate and headaches among other things.

 By doing breathing exercises stress can be managed and breathing related side effects can be relieved.

Deep breathing techniques can be done in a matter of a few minutes or longer.

• In order to have complete concentration, find a place that is quiet where you won’t be disturbed.
• Sit in a relaxed position.
• Clear your mind of all things that are troubling you (I know that is difficult but with practice this can be achieved)
• Slowly Exhale first through your mouth
• Slowly Inhale through your nose holding the breathe for a few seconds
• Repeat these steps for a few minutes

Some people when they are beginning these breathing exercises put a hand on their stomach to ensure that are exhaling through the stomach. Try it and see if it works for you.

While you are breathing and exhaling keep your mind clear.

In order for deep breathing to work it must be done a few times on a daily basis. Increasing the amount of time spent on each session while increase the effectiveness of the exercise.