I used to run about 5 miles a day, 5 or 6 days a week. I ran because it helped my cardio vascular system, but even more I ran because of the way it made me feel. I’ve actually heard it said that runners rarely see therapists. That’s because the “runner’s high” is real – and it’s extremely healthy. The good thing is that, if you have never experienced this, you don’t have to be a runner to get a stress-busting endorphin boost.
When you are in the place where endorphins are really kicking in, you are in what athletes call “the zone’. I can tell you from personal experience that there’s no question that once you’re “in the zone,” you feel more powerful, more energetic and more positive than you ever knew was possible.
The question is how do you find your endorphin zone? Most people get into the zone as they engage in a physical activity that gives them a sense of mastery over their body. This can be as you run, walk, dance do aerobics, martial arts, yoga or anything else. It’s when your body is doing what you direct it to do – causing you to feel good.
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Do you find that your negative emotions get the better of you? Does the stress of everyday life get you down? Do you find yourself tense and anxious? Does this happen to you a lot? If you find that stress and anxiety are bottling up inside of you there are ways to relieve them so they don’t cause you any harm.
One method you can use to relieve your stress and anxiety is by expressing your gratitude. This can help you to control of your thoughts and feelings. By expressing your gratitude you are refocus your thoughts on the good things in your life. This can help you to relieve your stress and anxiety and achieve more happiness in your life.
Right this moment you might be saying “I really don’t have a lot to be thankful for right now.” While this may be true try asking, “If I did have something to be thankful for what could it be? Who matters in my life? What good is going on in my life right now?” Even though your life may not be going as planned, there still are many things to be grateful for, if you look for them.
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Stress is a natural and normal part of everyday life. In fact, if you’ve read my blog before you already understand that there are certain types of stress that are actually motivating and good for you. However, there is also stress that isn’t good for you and if you let it build up it can take over your life and make you feel miserable.
Although there are many medical treatment options for stress reduction, there are also natural methods of relieving stress that are healthier and help you get to the root of what is causing your stress. When you understand what is causing your stress, you’ll be better able to prevent it from happening again in the future.
Here are 7 natural ways to relieve stress that you can put to use right away:
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The one constant in life is change. In fact, change is happening around us, in us, through us, and about us all the time. Some changes will be good, some bad, and some won’t make any difference at all. Some changes you like, some you hate, and others just don’t matter.
Changes you like you’ll deal with easily. You’ll probably look forward to them. But what about the changes in life that aren’t so great? How do you handle those?
Let’s take a look at the stress and anxiety caused by some of these common changes and the best stress coping skills to deal with them.
Job Loss
Right now job loss is on the forefront of almost every American’s mind. This type of change can produce a lit of anxiety and be very stressful, if you allow it to be. However, there are ways to look at the situation so job loss doesn’t have to be so stressful.
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We experience stress every day in our lives. It doesn’t matter if you are at work or at home, with so many tasks to do and so many people to take care of, it can be easy to forget to slow down and take care of yourself.
Deep breathing and meditation are extremely beneficial ways to relieve the stress you face on an on-going basis. They are used by millions of people around the world. These methods are also one of the easiest and most effective treatments for anxiety, they can lower your blood pressure, and can help to improve your immune system. Deep breathing and meditation have been used successfully help people stop smoking as well as get rid themselves of other bad habits.
I have used deep breathing and meditation as a quick way to relieve stress for many years. In fact, I found that it was when I didn’t meditate and exercise daily that I experienced the greatest amount of stress.
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It seems like the whole world has been really stressful lately. Stressful news, stress events in the world, everything seems to moving faster and faster. Modern life is permeated with stress. Families are now typically spread out all over the country. Most require two incomes just to get by and day care for children has become the standard. Salaried people are working longer hours, bringing additional work home, hoping that they’re not next in line to be laid off. We rush here and there, trying to take care of household errands and maintenance. This is certainly a recipe for chronic stress, so it’s no wonder that most of us are in a constant state of being stressed out, drinking gallons of coffee or 3 or 4 energy drinks a day just to get everything we need to do done.
So let me ask, do you eat lots of sweets to feel better during the day or drink 3 or 4 glasses of wine to relax at night? Are you experiencing tension headaches or pains in the neck, back face or stomach? Do you wake up tired and become exhausted during the day? Does it feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Are you on edge? Do you regularly worry about the past or the future? If you are suffering some or all of these symptoms then you are experiencing anxiety and may be even suffering from chronic stress.
The problem with chronic stress is that it opens you up to developing a wide variety of severe health conditions. It’s an established medical fact that constantly being under chronic stress compromises your immune system and leads to heart and circulatory conditions. Psychologically it can lead to anxiety and depression. So to get your life in balance a good strategy would be to analyze the sources of your stress and learn how to deal with them. While all stressful situations cannot be eliminated, you can take steps to reduce or relieve your stress and anxiety.
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Right now financial stress seems to be affecting everybody. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. If you somehow managed to meet your financial obligations this month, your car’s probably ready to break down but it doesn’t qualify for the clunker credit.
You know what they say, when it rains, it pours. Most of us can relate to this sentiment. We know that stress is a fact of life, but knowing this doesn’t make it any easier. What you do need to know are the tricks and techniques of relieving stress effectively. Once you get a handle on dealing with stress, you can ease the daily grind of stressful situations. The less stressed out you are, the better able you are to make good decisions and make the best use of what you’ve got to work with.
Just in case you need convincing, let’s take a moment to look at just a few of the common outcomes of stress, in terms of your physical and mental responses. When you’re under stress, your body responds with an adrenalin rush, triggered by the fight or flight syndrome. Many of us are under pressure from some outside stimulus on a more or less regular basis. Finances, health, family issues, job concerns and just plain worry can keep you on edge and stressed out. This is a toxic recipe for anxiety, insomnia and high blood pressure. Living in a constant state of stress will result in having health problems while reducing your ability to relieve stress effectively. It’s a vicious cycle.
Today I want to give you a few stress relief tips that you can take in small steps that will add up to a healthier, more relaxed perspective on life. This will allow you to make better, more considered decisions, which result in less stress!
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Does stress makes you feel like you’re all tied up in knots? The interesting thing is that, in a way, you are. When you are under stress, your muscles get tense which reduces the blood flow to your head, causing it to throb. You really want to make the stress go away, but you feel like if you move at all it will only make you feel worse.
The facts are that this is just not true! Moving around is one of the best natural ways to relieve stress. It works almost immediately and can help make you look and feel great. Any expert with tell you that exercise is an excellent, natural way to relieve the harmful effects of stress.
Some people turn to food, drugs or alcohol to deal with stress, but this is no way of overcoming stress. When it comes to food, not only is stress eating fattening, it can grow into an eating disorder. This is particularly true when your stress is compounded by a depressed mood.
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I’ve had a few bouts with depression. All of these were as a result of me being stressed over one thing or another, from losing a girlfriend to not being able to make my business succeed. Fortunately I got over them.
If you are like me, when you are in a depressed mood, you just want to lie on the sofa and stare at the television. You don’t want to watch anything that takes too much energy. You don’t even feel like reaching for the remote to change channels. It’s like your mind has super-glued you to the couch.
The last thing you want to do get up and go outside, but believe me, in order to fight depression, that’s exactly what you need to do. The cure for depression is almost always acting against what you feel like doing. Getting up and moving is one of the best ways to relieve stress and depression that can literally choke the life out of you.
According to studies by mental health professionals I’ve read, exercise is a necessary for overcoming stress and regaining a sense of self-control. The great thing is that, at least while you exercise, you’re thinking of something besides what is stressing you out. It can also provide you with a better night’s sleep, which will help your immune system better defend you against stress factors like colds and the flu.
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Why is it that some people seem to get angry at the drop of a pin? Well I don’t know about you, but when I’ve been experiencing stress for days in a row I can become easily angered and snap at my daughter. It’s also even easier for me to yell at the guy in the next lane that doesn’t know how to drive. Most people find that when they have been under acute or chronic stress for a period of time they get angry fast!
The problem with anger is that it affects our health and physical well being. Symptoms from being angry include feeling light headed, having chest pains or an upset stomach. You may experience heart palpitations or have difficulty breathing. If you experience chronic stress and remain in an “angry mode” long enough, your anger can give you high blood pressure and other health problems.
If you find that you are angry a lot then you probably need to find ways to relieve stress effectively. By relieving stress you relive your anger. Here are 5 simple steps that can help you control your stress and anger.
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