Expert Talks About How to Crush Your Stress Level Today
Holidays Can Add to Stress Levels
Many of you have been feeling stressed lately. While stress is pervasive and can affect us anytime, the holiday season can be particularly stressful. You may not be sure how to deal with your stress or the methods you have been using may have been less than optimal. The suggestions in this article can help.
Feelings of stress are common in today's increasingly complex world. Fortunately, there are ways to help. This mini-training will teach you some easy ways to overcome your stress.
Minimize Stress Factors
Start by minimizing stressful factors in your life. Can you lay out your work clothing for the next day? Might that avoid you running about looking for the special outfit you want to wear? Might it avoid figuring out what outfit to wear or finding those shoes. Would this give you a head start on your work day? What would you do with those few extra minutes in the morning? Maybe you could relax, do a few minutes of meditation eve even walk down the block to get the juices flowing.
How about giving yourself a mini-massage? Take the palm of your hand and massage it with the thumb of the other hand. Move in a circular motion can help to relieve your stress. Or maybe you will use a massage tool to do this. Massage is an excellent resource at getting rid of stress. If you can afford it treat yourself to a professional massage.
I am a big fan of the Heart Rate Coherence Technique that I use with my biofeedback clients. Here are the steps:
1. Imagine you are moving from the top of your head to the center of your chest where you heart is located. Now focus on your heart.
2. Allow yourself to breathe little more deeply. Remember to allow your belly to expand when you are breathing. The action should be in the abdominal area and not the chest.
3. Now add a positive feeling thought. This could be a special moment in time or a special place. It could be a person or pet. Just so the thought gives you a positive feeling.
Now do the Heart Rate Coherence Technique six times a day for 3 three minutes. That is only 18 minutes a day for stress reduction, stress build up and your overall health and wellness.
How About Imagery
Imagery can also be great. Imagine yourself at home, in the shower, with the water carrying calmness. Calm water flows over you and carries the stress of the day away with it. Add deep belly breathing while closing your eyes and envisioning a peaceful place. This could be a spring meadow, the sun rising over the ocean, a green mountain valley, or any other scene.
To keep your stress level managed, you can choose a hobby that you can engage yourself. This is important. If you are unable to do so you might wish to see, professional help due to an anxiety a or mood disorder.
What About Nutrition?
Nutritious Foods Can Help With Stress Levels
Have you been eating a lot of junk food lately? The holiday season is one of the most problematic times of the year for that. Consider cooking some healthy meals that you could freeze. Many people find this a relaxing activity itself over the weekend.
How about adding a salad to your lunchtime routine once or twice a week? This will help to refresh your body by reducing the fat content in your body. Be careful to watch the dressing as this could add a lot of sugar or unnecessary calories to the salad.
Remember to also slow down your eating. Enjoy the texture of your food by eating more slowly. This has been termed “mindful eating.” Not only is the food more enjoyable, but you will realize you have had enough sooner if you avoid shoveling it in quickly.
How About Some Exercise?
If you are under time pressure you can contract your muscles. I keep two very light weights by my favorite chair and sometimes by my computer. I take a brief break and do ten curls or arm movements with the weights.
Dumbbell flies work your pectoral muscles. Hold the light weight above your chest with your palms facing each other and lower the weights down to your sides. It’s easy to do and can really help reduce stress. Of course, you may wish to make exercise more formal by going to a gym.
You can shake your stress away with this quick exercise. Sit or stand, stretch your arms out to your side. Now shake your hands vigorously for around ten seconds. Do some deep breathing while shaking the hands I have found that this short little exercise relieves any tension in the back and neck.
Reduce Stress in Nature
How about planning a picnic with someone or people that you care about? Reflect on when you might have done that in the past, even as a child. Growing up my parents would lakes us on picnics in the summer, often with our relatives. Going on a picnic is great. You are outdoors in nature, eat wonderful food and spend some quality time with that special person or your family and friends. What a great way to fight stress.
What About Sleep?
Stress is a fact of our lives. You can reduce your body's negative reactions to stress by getting an adequate amount of sleep. Use the techniques above to distract from racing thoughts that might be keeping you awake. Follow expert sleep hygiene methods noted in my book on Amazon. It is so important to minimize the impacts of a stressful day by getting a sufficient night's sleep the night before the anticipated stressful event(s).
No matter how large or small your stress may be, the time tested and proven techniques above will help deal with it. Avoid letting your stress take over your life. Please remember what you have learned from this mini-training article. You will have less stress, increase your wellness and be happier ore days than not.