Stress Busting Strategies
Learn to have healthy relationships: This subject could fill an entire book. In the limited space of this newsletter, let's look at the key components of this stress-reducing strategy. 1. Identify the sources of stress in your relationships. Write about them in a journal. Make a list of people who cause you stress and explore what the issues are. 2. Resolve the underlying issues. For each of the situations identified in step 1, assess what needs to happen to resolve it. Make a list and design a plan to improve the situation. 3. Learn skills to improve relationships. Relationship skills are learned. We are not born knowing how to get along well with others, and most of us learned only limited skills from our parents. Identify the skills you need to develop, and make a plan for yourself. You can learn these skills by reading books, taking classes, or working with a therapist. 4. Avoid toxic people and situations. Some people have a toxic effect on you. If you can, limit the amount of time you spend with them. Look for opportunities to decline their invitations. When these people are family members, remind yourself that you don't have to feel guilty about avoiding anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself. In work situations, look for ways to rearrange your schedule or your workspace to avoid interacting with such people. 5. Seek out positive people and situations. This step is the reverse of the previous step. Look for opportunities to spend more time with people and in situations that make you feel good. Think about people who make you feel good about yourself and look for ways to increase time with them. 6. Watch what you eat. Some substances amplify the stress response. These include: ? Caffeine stimulates the release of stress hormones. This increases heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen to the heart. Ongoing exposure to caffeine can harm the tissue of the heart. ? Refined sugar and processed flour are depleted of needed vitamins. In times of stress, certain vitamins help the body maintain the nervous and endocrine systems. ? Too much salt can lead to excessive fluid retention. This can lead to nervous tension and higher blood pressure. Stress often adds to the problem by causing increased blood pressure.
? Smoking not only causes disease and shortens life, it leads to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration.
? Alcohol robs the body of nutrition that it might otherwise use for cell growth and repair. It also harms the liver and adds empty calories to the body.
During times of high stress, eat more complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, whole breads, cereals, and beans). 7. Get moving. The human body was designed to be physically active. However, in most jobs today, people are sitting down most of the time. They hardly move at all except when it is time for coffee break or lunch. When faced with stressors, we respond with our minds, not our bodies. It is no wonder that many of us have a difficult time responding to stressful events. Exercise is one of the simplest and most effective ways to respond to stress. Activity provides a natural release for the body during its fight-or-flight state of arousal. After exercising, the body returns to its normal state of equilibrium, and one feels relaxed and refreshed. 8. Look for ways to let go of tension and anxiety. Meditation and progressive relaxation are two valuable ways to regenerate and refresh yourself. You can purchase meditation and relaxation audiotapes or record your own. This is especially important because your health and long life depend on minimizing stress and achieving a sense of balance and well-being. Garrett Coan is a professional therapist,coach and psychotherapist. His two Northern New Jersey office locations are accessible to individuals who reside in Bergen County, Essex County, Passaic County, Rockland County, and Manhattan. Garrett also offers online and telephone coaching and counseling services for those who live at a distance. He can be accessed through http://www.creativecounselors.com or at 201-303-4303.
MORE RESOURCES:
The medicinal powers of yogaCBC.ca, Canada - 19 hours agoBut medical research that's been accumulating over the past 10 to 15 years is showing that yoga can provide health benefits that many people may not realize ... |
Higher education, with yogaGlobe and Mail, Canada - 9 hours ago... a gymnasium and a 1700-seat varsity centre that can host convocation ceremonies, as well as dozens of dance, fitness and yoga studios. ... |
Yoga At Cranberry Lake PreserveWestchester.com, NY - 13 hours agoThen join certified Kripalu Yoga instructor Franklin Shire for an outdoor morning session, Saturday, September 13, 9:30 am at Cranberry Lake Preserve in ... |
Kundalini Yoga ‘Awakens’ Cancer PatientsCancerWise - 20 hours agoBy Darcy De Leon Kundalini yoga is a practice that uses a series of postures, movement, sound, breathing and meditation to free energy starting from the ... |
Princess Offers In-Room Fitness, Yoga for KidsCruise Critic, NJ - 20 hours agoPrincess Offers In-Room Fitness, Yoga for Kids Princess Cruises is expanding its onboard spa and fitness offerings. Among them: In an industry first-ever, ... |
Yoga - Google News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Say No and Let Go of Stress
It was one of the first words you learned to say and you used it at every opportunity. Until someone convinced you that you couldn't, or shouldn't.
Stress And How To Avoid It
Everyone knows that stress isn't good - that it can get on
top of us and effect our wellbeing. What most people don't
realise is that stress can effect much more than just our
mood or mental state.
Overwhelm: Love It or Leave It!
Amazing thing, overwhelm!You don't usually see it coming. It just kind of creeps up on you, doesn't it?Even those of us who love juggling a million projects at a time get overwhelmed once in a while.
7 Successful Stress Management Techniques
Everyone needs successful stress management techniques. Easy to learn and easy to implement, you can use them for your own stress management or teach them to help others manage theirs.
Social Phobia
Imagine going through your whole life in the constant fear of worrying about the others' opinion for you, saying only such things which might approve you in the peer group and scared to go out in the public to escape the scrutinizing eyes of the people.There are people who would rather prefer to stay at home for an endless time period than going out of their homes.
Stress & Burnout: The Adrenal Factor
I was a psychotherapist for years before I got involved in the holistic movements..
3 Kinds of Workplace Stress
Workers across America will tell you that stresslevels are increasing. The demand for anti-depressants is up.
Be Yourself And Zap Stress!
Ask a hundred different people how to deal with stress and you'll probably get the same amount of different answers..
Stress Managment and Mastery: Too Much to Do Stress - Write it Down, Break it Down, Knock it Down
"I've got too much to do, I've just got too much to do!"We have all said it and we have all lived it. I call this particular kind of stress Too Much To Do stress, or TMTD stress.
What is Stress?
Stress is an interpretation of an event or circumstance which is understood to be a threat. It can be any force or pressure put on a system (living or nonliving) which may result in a need for the system to adapt or change.
Five Easy Ways To Bring Family Time Into Your Day; Balancing Work And Family Stresses
The pace of life seems to quicken every year. More and more time is spent rushing from job to after school activities or evening meetings.
Stress Management: How to Avoid the Ruts and Holes of Life
Have you ever noticed how we keep falling into the same holes and ruts in life? We know something doesn't work and yet we keep doing the same things over and over again.Have you ever wondered why we do this? And more importantly, how do we stop doing it, how do we stop "digging"? And how do we get out?As I've studied and searched over the years for ways to help people get the changes they want, quickly, gently and effectively, I've stumbled across a poem that seems to capture well the process of change.
The Underlying Cause of Nervous Breakdowns
Life can offer us many challenges having to do with loss. When we are faced with relationship loss, financial loss, loss of health, loss of limb, loss of regard, or loss of love, we can feel overwhelmingly anxious, depressed and stressed.
10 Tips To Reduce Stress
1. Determine your "unique ability" and capitalize on itDelegate the tasks that detract from allowing you to shine--doing what you do best.
Stress Buster Tip: Relax From The Weekday Stack!
Everyday can be full of stress but we all deserve a break from life's daily deadlines. Whether you're at home or work we all need to take the time to unwind.
Stress Management: 9 Universal Laws for Problem Solving
1. The Law of GiftsRichard Bach, author of "Illusions" says "There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in it's hands.
How To Reduce Stress and Ease Worries in Just 3 Minutes
Meditation, relaxation and visualisation are the standard recommendations for reducing stress, and they are all beneficial and useful to us in many ways, however, they are not so easy to put into use when stress strikes with it's disruptive companions frustration, overwhelm, confusion, anxiety etc in full attendance.Here's something simple you can try to diffuse stress quickly and easily, anytime
and anywhere.
Myth Busting: What Causes Mental Breakdown?
I came out of a nightmare 5-year period of anxiety and depression and I did it without taking any drugs. What frustrated me is that despite advances in understanding as to why people become stressed, depressed and anxious, sufferers are still told numerous myths about what causes their illness.
Entertaining Without Stress
Let's face it. If you are stressed, agitated and flitting about, your guests will be uncomfortable and won't be able to relax.
Stress Management and Mastery: 3 Steps to Loving What You Do
My first real job (schedule, time clock, paycheck, boss) was as a bag boy with a chain grocery store in Winter Park, Fla. I had worked before, cutting lawns, etc.
|
