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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Four Ways To Reduce Stress, Naturally And Easily

Posted by patrick

By Russell Stubbs

Our lives are filled with many sources of external stress. The amount of information that we receive and the increased level of communication helps to elevate stress levels. The media consistently remind us that there is lots for us to fear in such uncertain times. For people of all ages, children included, stress has become commonplace.

Stress is known to be a major factor in the development of ill health and disease. Most bodily systems are adversely affected by the chemistry we produce when under stress. This altered biochemistry compromises our immune systems after prolonged exposure. in America, over 75% of visits to the doctor are due to stress related conditions, stress is proven to age people prematurely.

The positive news is, we can learn techniques that are simple to use on a daily basis for bringing balance to the system and reducing stress. We need to learn to initiate the relaxation response by triggering the opposite branch of the nervous system. After practicing these techniques regularly, we can reduce stress and calm the system at any time. We all have the inbuilt ability to heal ourselves and this works at its best when we are stress-free.

Deeply relaxing the mind and body is a healthy habit to form, this can also be known as meditation. The recent research into relaxation/meditation shows that regular practice can cause positive changes to the brain and genes. The type of rest that we achieve using these practices is different to what we experience during sleep. There are various techniques that can be learned and practiced.

Another way of triggering the relaxation response is through the use of breathing techniques. For thousands of years the practices of Yoga, Tai Chi and Chi Gong have all included breathing exercises. The many physiological benefits of focused breathing techniques have been confirmed by Western medical research. It appears that we can directly influence the nervous system through the use of breathing techniques.

Acupuncture has proven itself to be an excellent approach at stress relief. Acupressure has shown to be even more effective than the use of needles for the relief of stress and anxiety according to some research. For the reduction of stress, self-applied forms of acupressure can easily be learnt and used. Acupressure can be applied as tapping techniques which are easy to master. The results are felt straight away from this quick and convenient technique.

A great deal of stress can be generated from fearing the future or dwelling on the past. The best antidote to this form of stress is to practice consistently bringing yourself back into the present moment. There are a number of ways to achieve this and it becomes easier and more natural with practice. An effective technique is to use your senses whilst spending time in nature. Whilst taking a walk in a park or in the countryside try to smell, touch, hear and actually look at what you are experiencing.

Stress is likely to be a part of our lives and it's hard to avoid it completely. The secret is to make time in our busy schedules to practice calming and relaxing our systems. As with anything we practice, these techniques get better the more we use them. Triggering the relaxation response becomes easier and more natural. More health benefits from reducing stress are being discovered all the time, so it's a good idea to try harder at doing less.

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