Reduce Your Stress Levels and Learn to Relax

Today’s hectic lifestyles mean that it’s not uncommon to experience stress on a regular basis and it’s now almost the norm to admit to being stressed.

However the body reacts to everyday stress in the same way that it would if we were faced with a real danger such as a tiger.  It adopts what’s known as the ‘fight or flight’ response where the heart rate is increased, breathing is quicker, digestive activity is decreased and glucose is released by the liver (for energy).  Whilst useful in a dangerous situation, it isn’t healthy to experience this on a regular or ongoing basis.

So What Causes Stress?

·         Life Changes – significant life changes such as getting married, moving house or changing jobs are all stressful events.  

·         Work – this might include difficult commutes, work overload, challenging deadlines, job insecurity and disagreements at work.

·         Relationship Difficulties – emotional conflict, poor communication or feeling unsupported.

·         Family Problems – demands from other family members or disputes.

·         Financial Problems – debt problems, or simply trying to make ends meet, especially if you are unable to work for any reason. 

How To Reduce Stress

Whilst it’s difficult to eliminate some of these sources of stress there are ways to help reduce the amount of stress in your life. 

·         Exercise – not only does exercise produce endorphins which make us feel happy and energised, regular physical exercise also reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) and gets rid of toxins from the body.

 ·         Reduce sugars and caffeine – whilst we all love our daily fix, sugars and caffeine aggravate the nervous system causing it to increase your blood pressure.  Caffeine also hinders sleep therefore depriving you of a good night’s rest which is key to dealing with stress.

·         Eat plenty of fresh fruit & vegetables – these provide a range of vitamins and minerals that are great for reducing stress.

·         Get a massage – this not only helps to ease muscle tension, it can impact your hormones in a positive way too.

·         Get plenty of sleep – getting enough sleep improves your overall health, reduces your stress levels and helps you to look better.

 ·         Talk therapy – simply talking things through with a trained specialist or close friend can help to reduce your stress and / or anxiety. There are various options such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which help to deal with negative thought patterns.

Incorporate Relaxation Into Your Life

Whilst we are all so busy juggling various commitments it can be difficult to relax.  Yet finding just a short amount of time each day to unwind can be very beneficial and is essential to our wellbeing.  Adopting any one of these simple coping mechanisms can make a world of difference. Relaxation can lower blood pressure, increase blood flow to major muscles, reduce anger and frustration, improve concentration and mood, reduce stress hormones, reduce muscle tension, improve your immune system and boost your memory!  Here are a few tips on how to incorporate relaxation into your life.

·         Meditate – benefits of meditation include stress reduction, lowered blood pressure and easing feelings of pain. You don’t need to take mediation to extremes; just sitting in a quiet, dark room with scented candles can be equally effective at creating tranquillity. 

·         Practice breathing techniques – this will slow you down and also reduce your heart rate.

·         Spend time doing activities you enjoy – whether it’s gardening, swimming, walking, reading, painting or whatever it is you like doing; this will take your focus off your problems or worries and help you to focus on something positive.

·         Plan more ‘You’ time – spending time alone just to unwind can be extremely beneficial.  Take a long bath, phone a friend, read a book, listen to music, play a game or bake a cake. 

·         Laughter – often referred to as the best medicine, a light hearted chat with friends that make you laugh or watching your favourite stand up DVD, sit com or comedy show can quickly take your mind off the things causing you worry.

·         Pamper yourself – schedule some time to give yourself some regular pamper treatment at home such as painting your nails, body moisturising, fake tanning, exfoliating, giving yourself a foot massage or pedicure, applying a face mask or simply a long hot soak in the bath.  There are a wide range of products available to help you with this such as eye masks, face masks, and a variety of reflexology products many of which are available at http://www.club-cleo.com/wellbeing-spa/. For more information call 0871 2211340.