Some people can set their clock by their stress levels. Everyone battles with the occasional blues, but must all be condemned to bouts of paranoia, fearful moods, and days of despondency? Severe stress is not normal, nor is it invincible. You can wrangle with it, control it, manage it so it doesn’t gain the upper hand. Here are three simple, easy techniques to manage stress in your life.
1. Exercise.
The greatest threat to health and wellbeing is not cancer, is not HIV, is not Alzheimer’s Disease. It is sitting. Martha Grogan, a cardiologist at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, says, “For people who sit most of the day, their risk of heart attack is about the same as smoking.” Why not move? Why not dance, clean, run, swim or garden?
Cardiovascular exercise releases endorphins, hormones that act like natural painkillers to mute pain and ease tension. A healthy body allows you to do the things you love, be it kayaking or gardening. Physicians recommend exercising for at least 30 minutes daily, but remember, as Genevieve Healy says, “30 minutes a day at the gym may not counteract the detrimental effects of 8, 9 or 10 hours of sitting.” So power down the screens, and power up your life.
2. Get a massage.
Seriously. Who doesn’t want a massage? But not just any masseuse will do. For maximum stress relief, look for a licensed therapist with proficiency and experience in stress relief. These therapists use their physical legerdemain to unlock your peace and relax your mind as well as your muscles. According to the Mayo Clinic, massage has been shown to help:
• Improve sleep habits;
• Relieve digestive disorders;
• Fix nerve pain;
• Decrease headaches;
• Improve muscle recovery.
So try out a sweet Swedish massage or a thorough deep-tissue massage. Talk to your doctor if you have questions.
- Meditate.
Meditation, contrary to popular thought, is natural. Watching football on television, playing smartphone games, and otherwise spending all free time engaged is most certainly not natural. So unplug. Unwind. Meditation is not the sole domain of Tibetan Buddhist monks. Focused or transcendental meditation has been shown to increase focus, decrease stress, improve memory recall and bolster creativity. Scientific studies have linked meditation to decreased heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen consumption and respiration. All it takes is 5-10 minutes a day of tai chi, yoga, relaxation exercises or focused meditation.
Stress need not be your god. But not everyone knows how to actively and successfully manage stress. Guidance and from an experienced professional can help you cope with, even eliminate, your stress. Check out The Inside Out Effect. It’s a holistic therapy practice helping people find happiness and health. Tools, courses and healing meditation classes in Canberra are given to empower others to find relaxation and success in their daily lives. Learn more by visiting http://theinsideouteffect.com.au/about-us/.