Relaxation Techniques to Help Reduce Stress

In today's fast paced society most of us don't even have time to recognize stress in our lives, not to mention actually taking action to do something about reducing it. Until that day we go for our annual physical checkup and find our doctor writing prescriptions for high blood pressure medication and high cholesterol medication and writing a referral to the heart doctor for a stress test! What a wake up call.

As a single parent raising two children, and after 27 years working in a fast paced position of Financial Resources Manager; that is exactly where I found myself. Had I taken time to incorporate all of, or maybe just a few of the following techniques into my daily routine, chances are my blood pressure would be lower, my cholesterol levels would be better and I would be a healthier person.

Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health show that stress contributes to half of all illnesses reported in the US. The bad news is that 70% of all visits to doctor offices today are stress related. The good news is that there are simple ways to reduce and prevent stress. For example, if you are feeling a little tense at this very moment, inhale deeply for about two seconds and exhale slowly for four seconds while saying to yourself, "I am relaxing." As you exhale let your shoulders drop and you should instantly feel a wave of relaxation flow downward. Go ahead, try it.

Laughter is the best medicine to reduce stress and you don't need a prescription for it. When we laugh, blood flow to the brain is increased, endorphins (hormones that give a sense of well-being) are increased and levels of stress hormones drop drastically.

One research study conducted by Loma Linda University revealed that watching comedy actually lowered blood pressure and reduced the risk of heart disease. One man decided to put this study and it's findings to the test. The late author, Norman Cousins , who was battling a crippling form of arthritis, decided to rent funny movies every day so that he would laugh as much as possible. His disease went into remission and he outlived all medical expectations.

The worst thing we can do when we are feeling stressed is to withdraw and isolate ourselves. This only gives us the opportunity to concentrate more on our problems and create all kinds of negative thoughts about our situation, which intensifies stress levels. So be more sociable. Get involved in an outside activity, besides your work. Volunteer work is good. Volunteer a few nights or evenings a week on the children's ward at the hospital. Just being around children has a way of making you forget about your worries. The University of Michigan conducted a 10 year study on volunteer work and found that men and women who did not do volunteer work had twice the death rate than those who volunteered at least once a week.

Develop a regular bedtime routine. Do something calming before going to bed and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco. All these have a negative effect on sleep patterns. Do not watch TV in your bedroom and do not use your bedroom for anything except sleeping and sex.

Once you have spent an evening doing some volunteer work, laughing at a funny movie, and relaxing before going to sleep and you wake up to a new day, try moving, talking and behaving in a more relaxed manner. Simply slow things down a bit. Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD, co founder and chairman of the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, offers the following tips for slowing things down.

Drive 10 miles per hour slower than you usually do. You may have to allow more time to reach your destination.

Pause at the table before you start eating. Chew your food more slowly and reap the added benefit of actually tasting the food.

When you first get home in the evening after work, sit in the car for just a few minutes before rushing into the house. Listen to your favorite song or just sit in the quiet for a while.

Take a shower when you get home. This will help you relax and unwind from the day.

When the phone starts ringing, let it ring a few times before answering it. Racing across the room to the phone or digging in your bag or pockets to get to the phone only triggers more stress.

Reduce the amount of stress in your life. Do not sweat the little things, laugh more, get out often, rest well, and slow down a bit. This could just possible add years to your life.

Resource: The Worlds Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets/Bottom Line Publications