Stress Management: What Is It, And How To Use It

Despite all the conveniences available to us in this technologically advanced
age, stress is still part of the overall scheme of our lives. Luckily, stress
management provides comfort and release from these problems that tends to
affect our physical, mental and emotional health.

What is Stress Management?

Stress management are tools, procedures and methods that allows us to take
control of our problems and make sure that they don't affect our daily routine.
Problems that leads to stress that are specific in nature have different stress
management techniques that can be applied to keep you in balance and harmony.

Breathing exercises helps big time!

Our body tends to react during times of stress; irregular breathing, sweating,
aches and pains, slow metabolism and so on. Since these are all physical in
nature, we have to deal with it in a physical way. One method is through
breathing exercises which can affect your body in a profound way. Simply
speaking, these exercises controls the flow of oxygen in your body, as well as
its distribution to different parts of your anatomy.

One way to do this is to count your breathing. Breath slow and deep, relax your
stomach as you do so. Try to keep a rhythm and follow it all throughout the
duration of the exercise. With enough practice, you can control your breathing
instantly during times of stress which can help you relax and alleviate some of
the negative effects in your body.

Relax your mind with meditation

Meditation is great way to achieve stress management, which deals more on the
mental than in the physical. This is where the old adage "Mind Over Body" kicks
in. Meditation allows your mind to relax and focus on a single thought and let
others drift away to nothing.

The art of meditation have been used for centuries that started off as an
offset of pagan religion. Nowadays, many people practice this method for
different areas in their life; coping with work, focusing on your tasks, or
simply to relax your mind to keep yourself in balance.

This can be quite hard at first but can be improved through practice. First
off, try to look for a quiet place where you will have the least amount of
distraction. Then you need to relax your body from your toes to your head. When
you feel heavy then you are already relaxed (this will change to a light feeling
when practiced often), you can now concentrate on your mind.

Try to focus on a single thought or imagine an inanimate object. You might
notice that you will be distracted by stray thoughts that seeps into your mind
during the course of the exercise. When this happen, try to imagine your a
watching movie. Observe these thoughts as if it was nothing and let it drift
away to the next one. After a while, all these stray scenes will cease then you
have achieved meditation.

Seek professional help

A psychiatrist can be a great help during times stress. The specialist will
help you accept your problems and in turn find possible solutions without
letting fear and worry seep into your mind. They can help find the trouble
areas and help your arrive at solutions which you might be hard-pressed to
realize on your own.

Dealing with stress can be stress in itself. But with a relaxed mind and the
proper techniques, you could take control of your life and not let stress
control you.

Stress? Deal With It!

Considering that we are living in a fast-paced world, stress is as common as
the air we breathe. We have to learn to manage our everyday routines and fight
off these problems that will eventually stress us out. But before we can cope
with it, we have to understand what stress really is and identify how it can
appear in our life.

What in the world is stress?

Stress can be easily defined as the imbalance in our physiological, biological
and social aspect in our life. There are many reasons why a person gets
stressed -- either family problems, financial difficulties, career obligations,
or quarrel between friends. Though how minor it may seems, these problems all
add up to turn into an inconvenience, and a big one at that.

Incidentally, stress can start from anywhere and can also end in yet another
way. Some may start from your body due to overwork or, build up mentally which
can affect that way you think which can practicallylead to negative results.
The first way to deal with stress is find out the cause and determine ways to
get rid of it.

Stress Management 101

When you already have an idea on how stress worked your way into your life,
there are plenty of solutions to make it go away. Just keep in mind that the
simplest solutions to your problems are always the best way in dealing with it.

When suffering from stress due to overwork then you can easily take some time
off and let your body rejuvenate. Treat yourself to a massage, or visit your
local spa and start pampering yourself. Another method in getting the stress
out of your system is to take some time off from your daily routine and take a
vacation. Visit friends and relative and have fun shopping or taking some
leisure walks around the mall.

A vacation with nature can be a great relief to stress; the serenity and
relaxing scenery can do wonders to your mental and emotional state. Camp out
and leave your thoughts about work at home, give yourself a break from all
those burdens.

Get in touch with your inner child

Indulging yourself with games and sports is a great way to dispel stress from
your system. When indulging in sports, you have to concentrate on what you are
doing in order to win. This is a great way to divert your mind from your mental
burdens and concentrate on the task at hand.

If you don't plan to go for sports then go for games. Visit your local game
shop and buy some game CDs to your liking, install it on your computer and
annihilate alien invaders as if it were your stress. If you have some financial
troubles and can't spare an extra buck on games CDs, then you can browse around
the Internet and play Flash games if you wish.

Traditional Stress Reliever

The ancients practices do provide solutions to your stress problems. You can
enroll for yoga classes and stretch those problems away, or go for meditation
classes that will train you in freeing your mind from the problems at hand, and
allowing you to focus on relaxation and peace of mind.

Other methods to help you relax and keep your mind at peace is through
aromatherapy. Inquire around shops for various scents that can help you relax.
You can go for scented candles or assorted incense that will help you in your
stress management.

Manage Your Health And Stress For A Better Life

We might not notice it but stress and your health are practically two sides of
the same coin. One exists with the other and never without. Considering that we
are living in a fast-paced generation, stress can be felt anywhere you go and
whatever you do. And since health and stress are related, you might feel
certain repercussion on your body that will slow you down.

Stress affects your bodies in different ways. While in throes of stress, you
might feel that you're emotionally, physically and mentally down. The three
imbalances might prove harmful to your health -- you could suffer from
depression, migraines, high-blood pressure, heart problems, and so on.

Take care of your health

If stress is part of your everyday routine, then it is only crucial that you
take care of your health to compensate for the pressure that you will feel when
stress lands on you feet. Try to carefully observe how your body reacts to
certain stimuli that produce stress so that you will know how to avoid negative
effects on your body.

Some might think that they're bodies will adapt to these stress and will
improve their performance. Well, this is wrong. This is not like some online
games that the more you get experience from fighting monster, the stronger you
become. Our bodies have limits, and it is very important to understand and
gauge our limits carefully before it's too late.

Certain stress, certain remedies

Since problems will affect your mental, emotional and biological health;
certain techniques can be applied to divert stress-related problems and give
your body time to rejuvenate to cope with it.

If you think that you are mentally and emotionally bothered by your problems.
You may use relaxation techniques to keep your balance. Meditation and music
therapy may prove to be beneficial when suffering from mental and emotional
stress. The rhythm the certain sounds like nature music or instrumental songs
can normalize your bio-rhythm and put your body at peace during bouts of stress.

When you feel that your body is getting worn out due to the stress of your
career or social routine, then you better take some much needed vacation and
put your body on the road to recovery. Try to give your body a break by taking
a much needed vacation -- visit friends and families, take a nature trip or
two, go to the beach and soak some much needed rays, or go socializing with
friends. Changing your mental focus from work to rest can do wonders on your
tired body.

You can also visit health spas and avail of body-pampering services that can
get rid of stress. This method is usually for those who can't leave their work
and must cope with its pressure everyday. Take a well needed massage and get
rid of those tight muscles, and various aches and pains.

Physical exercise improves your cardiovascular functions and improves the
circulation of healthy chemicals and oxygen in your body. This will help your
body fight the negative effects of stress and will strengthen your adaptability
on your workload.

It is crucial to recognize the signs and symptoms that stress can do to your
body. The secret to get rid of stress is to know what it can do to your body,
and what you can do to avoid it.

Stress Management And Health

Stress always goes hand in hand with health. Depending to the stress level of a
person, the impact of stress in the body can range from minor sweaty palms to
death. Letting stress build can slowly deteriorate health and can cause major
health risks. Managing stress and health are important ways to avoid health
risks in the future. In order to manage stress and health better, a person must
first be acquainted to the severe effects of stress in the body.

Physical And Behavioral Signs Of Stress

Stressors can be either external or internal. External stressors involve
situations in the workplace, death or illness in the family, or by simply
becoming angry. On the other hand, most of the stress that people experience is
self-generated or internal. A person usually creates his or her own stress but
this indicates that the person has the choice or doing nothing or something
about it.

Stress can affect major body systems. When a person feels stressed, there is an
increase in heart rate, elevation in the blood pressure. The continuous pressure
in the heart can make a person susceptible to cardiac arrest and other
heart-related problems.

The digestive system is also affected during stress. Some people can experience
diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, dryness of the mouth and the throat. Almost
every time stress can also cause sleeping disturbances, nausea, and in serious
cases tightness of the chest, neck, jaw and the back muscles.

Changes in behavioral patterns are also noticeable in a person experiencing the
duress of stress. Smokers experience increase in smoking pattern. Aggressive
behaviors and hostility towards others and even inanimate objects are sometimes
linked to a person being easily startled. A person's diet can also be affected
by the irregular eating habits caused by stress.

Some people who cannot handle stress usually resort to alcohol and drug use.
Additionally, compulsive behavior, impatience and carelessness are also the
behavioral effects of stress.

Long Term Implications

Exposure to stress in the long term can surely deteriorate a person's
well-being. During stress the body produces hormones that enable the body to
cope with the current situation. Short term effects of adrenaline,
noradrenaline, and corticosteroids include tense muscles, queasiness and an in
increase in breathing and heart rates.

The long term implications of these hormones include allergic reactions,
digestive disorder, heart disease, fatigue headaches and migraine. Impotence
and premature ejaculation can occur in men while erratic menstrual cycle for
women.

When the body continuously releases the hormones, sleeping patterns can also be
affected and can sometimes lead to insomnia. In severe cases, stress, in the
long run, can cause eczema, ulcerative colitis, mouth and peptic ulcers and
recurring muscular aches and pains.

Living Healthy

How a person identifies stress is important to overall health. When stress
becomes too huge to handle, the damage to a person's physical and mental
well-being can be irreversible. Living a healthy life can help a person cope
with stress easily.

Exercise is very important in stress and health management. Along with a
healthy diet, exercise is the most effective way to lower stress levels. It
improves sugar metabolism through efficient use of insulin. Exercise also aids
in putting a stop in the nasty cycles of stress-eating, indulgence to alcohol,
cigarettes and drugs.

A person can also consider taking herbs, and anti-stress supplements. Taking
vitamins and avoiding alcohol are successful methods in improving health and
help a person cope with stress better.

Activities That Will Help Relieve Stress

Some people think that it's almost impossible to find an outlet while under
stress. Most stressed individuals think that doing fun activities will not
reduce the effect of problems that they tackle under career, social or personal
pressure -- which is a very poor way to get cope or rid them of it.

Therapist around the world agree that certain activities like games, sports and
art can great affect a stressed persons physical and behavioral problems. Some
of them are even employed in stress management clinics and is part of the
routine treatment in helping individuals cope with their stress issue.

Mind games

Since stress will first affect the mental functions of an individual, it is
very important to teach the person focus his mind on positive thoughts rather
than dwelling on negative ones. Mind games offer an alternative which will
allow a stress person to divert this thought patterns to something more
productive. These clinics encourage their patients to tackle crossword puzzles
and sudoku to help them cope with stress.

Logical functions are put to the test by introducing the Rubik's Cube,
Scrabble, and Bridge, into their curriculum. If you have no plans of visiting
these centers to deal with stress, you can easily incorporate these games into
your daily routine to give your mind some diversion from problems.

Sports

Engaging in sports is a great way to relieve stress. The physical exercise that
your body needs to balance biological and muscular functions can rejuvenate
those muscles that are tight due to the effects of stress. Playing sports can
also provide an outlet for emotional problems like anxiety, depression,
irritation, anger, and so on.

There are two kinds of sports a person can engage on his or her own free time.
They can opt for team sports like basketball, soccer or volleyball which
provides socializing functions and exercise. Individual sports like badminton,
golf and tennis can also be a great help in focusing your mind to win the game
rather than feeling useless under all the extra problems.

Workout

A visit to the gym may prove to be beneficial to your emotional, mental and
physical health when under the influence of stress. The routine exercise your
gym instructor will give you can help your mind focus on the tasks at hand. The
strenuous activities can develop your muscles which improves your body's coping
mechanism to stress, and allows the body to release chemicals and hormones that
is beneficial to your physiological well-being.

Cardiovascular workout can improve your heart and strengthen it to avoid stress
related problems like strokes, high-blood pressure, chest pains and rapid heart
beat. Due to the steady circulation in your system will benefit your muscles
because of the fresh oxygen supply
provided by these hearty fluids.

Note however that working out at the gym needs proper diet as well since your
physical attributes will be worked to the limit to help fight off stress. Fresh
fruits and vegetables are necessary improves digestion and supplies the body
with the required nutrients it needs. Red meat devoid of fat can give your
muscles proteins that will strengthen muscle tissues for added flexibility.

A healthy dose of mental activities, physical exercise coupled with a balance
diet can help a person avoid the signs and symptom of stress and will be on the
road to recovery to a stress free life.

Knowing What Stress Can Do To Your Body

We might not know it but stress can actually do more damage to your body than
most people think. Most people take advantage of their body's limit and push it
to extreme just to get the job done, while thinking that their body will adapt
to the stress they impose upon it.

But truth to tell, our body have a certain capacity in which it can function;
exceed those capacities and you will end up in one of the rooms of the hospital
waiting for your body to recover. Stress can affect you in many ways --
physical, mental and emotional functions are disrupted gaining you the
inability to function properly whether social, personal or career work.

Stress effects on your body

There is a certain degree in which stress can affect your body. A stressed
person will complain of headaches and body pains here and there. If left
unchecked, this will lead to migraine and muscle tension that will eventually
lead to stiffness.

Major changes will affect the biochemical functions of your body. This involves
diarrhea, constipation, nausea and dizziness. You will find it hard to sleep at
nights even if you feel week and needs rest. People usually resort to
medications to counter this effect, but will only give temporary remedy.

To those who suffer from a weak heart, most often they will complain of chest
pains and rapid heartbeat -- the usual signs and symptoms that will eventually
lead to stroke or cardiac arrest. Note however that different physical
manifestations of stress can be seen for different people, it all depends on
your body's capacity.

Behavioral problems related to stress

Aside from physical manifestations of stress in your body, you might also
notice some behavioral changes while under the throes of stress. Changes in
sleeping patterns, lack of sleep or inability to sleep during normal slumber
hours is usually the initial reactions to stress -- these are usually caused by
heightened emotional and mental functions which is more into the negative aspect
rather than positive.

Self-pity and isolation is caused by the depressed mental state of the person
when certain problems crop up in their every day life. Irritability and anger
will start when the person is bereft of his or her natural ability to
rationalize which is usually the case when stressed or being burdened by heavy
problems.

How to cope

There are different techniques that a person can employ to avoid these
manifestations of stress in their life. The first technique, and the most
important one, is learning how to relax when stress pays you a visit. You an
employ techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, aromatherapy, or music
therapy to induce a state of relaxation to your mind. Once you have achieved
this step, you can proceed on how to deal with stress that affects your body.

Since most of your physiological functions are imbalanced due to stress, you
can start by pampering your body through various massages offered by health
spas within your neighborhood. Loosen those tight muscles to relieve assorted
aches and pains and increasing your flexibility.

Physical exercise can also help develop cardiovascular functions and
strengthening your heart to avoid stroke or rapid heart rate. Also, you need to
keep a close lookout on your diet, make sure you avoid taking in junk foods and
fast foods that will elevate harmful chemicals in your body.

Try to stick with fruits and vegetables and take in herbal supplements to help
rejuvenate your body.

Improve Your Health With Stress Management

Stress can be a factor that can deteriorate your health faster than any
disease. Many people have suffered physically when dealing with problems that
plague their lives. Since stress can affect you physically, mentally and
emotionally, we can say that you won't be safe until you get your problems
under control with the proper stress management technique.

Learn to read the signs

In most cases, stress usually start mentally rather than physically. Since both
are linked and work in tandem of your existence, we can say that the more
affected you are with your problems, the more negative effect you will feel on
your body.

To deal with this, you need to take extra care in observing your own body when
being under stressed. Signs of heavy breathing, sweating, having trouble
sleeping, or some aches and pains -- they are all signs that your body is
reaching its limit in coping with your stress.

There are plenty of techniques that you can take to help deal with stress and
reduce the effect on your health. Breathing exercise can help regulate your
oxygen intake and will help you relax. If you are having trouble sleeping,
meditation can help you relax to the point of putting you to sleep.

You can also take in sleeping pills or anti-depressant medicines to help you
along -- these might be hard to come by since these are addictive if you keep
taking it in. You might need to consult your doctor for prescriptions and if
its safe to take these in.

Music therapy can also help you relax if you want to get a good night sleep
after a stressful day at work. Since your mind is the problem when you are
having problem sleeping, you need to make sure that you focus on keeping your
thoughts in line and not get the better of you.

The adage "Music can soothe the savage beast" may very well work in your favor
in this case. Go for nature rhythms or instrumental ones since these have a
steady flow and can relax the mind and put you too sleep.

Eat well and eat right

Women tends to be more prone to eating than men when in the throes of stress.
You need to keep an eye out on your diet and make sure you don't go way past
the limits that your body can take. Dieting is part of stress management and is
routinely observed to keep your health as normal as possible.

Since eating habits tend to be erratice when you are having problems, you need
to be careful in what you take in. Stay abreast of your weight and girth to
determine if your eating habits are getting out of hand. Also, you need to be
more conscious on what foods you take, make sure that these are healthy ones
and stay away from fast foods or junk foods.

Start taking in vegetable salads with a healthy dose of some extra virgin olive
oil instead of burgers and fries. Fruits can be prepared in plenty of ways to
satisfy your cravings which is a healthy alternative to junk foods.

The secret to keep a healthy lifestyle during a time of stress to be more
sensitive to your body. Try to be aware of possible signs that will indicate
that your body is falling apart. The more you manage your stress, the more
healthy your body would be.

Workplace Stress Management

Stress is a regular part of life and any job. Without stress, workers cannot
meet deadlines, strive to achieve required sells required for the job, or meet
satisfaction of the clients. Meeting the demands of a job makes the work
interesting and satisfying and often allows people to develop their skills and
achieve promotion. People regularly experience stress-causing situations in the
workplace. They react to these events with tension and then come back to a more
relaxed condition when it is over.

Stressors In The Workplace

In the workplace, stress can usually cross from normal to excessive. Excessive
stress can activate physical and emotional reactions that can be detrimental to
employees and business alike.

Some jobs especially those that include physical strength like firefighting or
those involve in maintaining justice are very stressful. Other jobs like
teaching or social work that are physiologically demanding can also be
stressful and even people who crunch numbers or stamp metal can experience
stress.

Workplace stress can be caused by several factors, some of which may include:
unsupportive working environment, high demands of the job, or poor
organizational communication.

Sudden change in the workplace can cause employees develop a fear of being
fired. Frequent personnel turnover, poor chances of promotion, lack of
preparation for technological changes can also become the stress factor for the
employees.

Some work stress factors may include: too much workload, dull or worthless
tasks, lengthy hours of work and small pay, unreasonable performance demands
and rare rest breaks. However the physical environment of the workplace like
noise and overcrowding, poor air quality, health and safety risks can also
cause stress to the workers.

Supervisors that are distant and uncommunicative are walking stressors. Meager
performance from subordinates can also cause stress to supervisors. Staff
members also create their own stress by developing office politics,
competition, bullying or harassment.

Health Risks Of Stress In The Workplace

A link between workplace stress and physical or emotional problems exist. Early
signs of job stress include: sleep disturbances, stomach problems, trouble in
concentration, irritability, headache, low morale, and poor affairs with family
members and friends. These signs are simple to distinguish, but without proper
management, they can develop into severe health risks like cardiovascular
disease, musculoskeletal conditions and psychological disorders.

Work Stress Reduction

Managers and employers can reduce stress at work by providing stress management
programs and training for workers and improvement in the working conditions.
There are programs that are intended to aid employees with personal problems
that may be disturbing their job performance. Also, they may consist of
counseling, mental health assessments, workshops on managing their time, ways
of relaxing and assistance both legally and financially. The relief provided by
these programs may be shallow and brief if the roots of stress in the work
setting are not tackled.

Creating a healthy working environment can create a lasting stress relief of
the workers. Encouraging employee participation, implementation of policies
that includes the needs of the workers are some of the ways to provide a better
working environment.

Employees can also reduce their job stress by getting a job description. A
specific job description provided by the employer provides the basic guidelines
and expectations for the performance of the employee. If the is becoming too
stressful, maybe it is time for the employee to look for a more suitable job or
ask if the company could modify the job to suit the employee's skill.

Getting support from the local, state or federal agencies can lessen work
stress by providing the employees the backing they need to keep them from
hazardous situations in the workplace.

Workplace Stress Management Tips And Tricks

The source of all stress for a career person's life is their workplace. The
deadlines, paper works, irate clients and bosses, the details, and so on will
all add up to give you the worst problems that you can possibly experience in
your entire life. These problems will all add up and will affect the
productivity of your work -- your emotional, mental and physical factor will be
put to the test.

Stress management in your workplace involves a lot of factors, particularly in
dealing with these minute problems that tends to blow your mind off when put
all together. Here are some tips that will help you out to keep your work from
ruining your health, and your sanity.

Start small

The key to keeping a balanced career is not let anthill of a problem into a
mountain. If you keep attention to details, you can solve these problems
one-by-one before they pile up. Try to get rid of the habit of postponing your
problems for later since you won't know what will arrive on your desk tomorrow.

Irate and demanding clients can give you more problems than anything put
together. Since your life and career revolves around them, you need to thread
carefully on handling their problems. One tip in dealing with these people is
to keep your cool while listening to their rants and raves. Don't let their
anger affect you.

Take a break once in a while

It is important to know your limits while working. Human aren't built to work
24 hours a day so its best if you keep a close eye on your body before it gets
out of hand. If you think that the work is starting to affect your thinking or
when you start to get irritable, try to take some time off and listen to music
or get a cup of coffee to help you relax.

If you have your own cubicle at work then it's advisable to customize it to
make your workplace as comfortable as possible. A cushion on your chair to prop
your back, a foot stool to help your legs relax, or even some pictures that will
remind you of fun times to take your mind off your problems for a short period
of time.

Some techniques like breathing exercises will help you relax by keeping your
body rhythm at normal. If you start to feel some aches and pains, then you
better walk around or do a little stretching: loosen all those muscles first
before proceeding with your workload.

Pamper, pamper, pamper

Sometimes work can be so demanding that it's almost impossible to get a
vacation; or if you do, you get turned down flat. You need to find ways to take
some time off and pamper yourself before you continue with your work. If you
have some free time, try to hook up with some health clinics around the area
and get a massage.

Some massage techniques can help you relax and will leave you energize for work
afterwards; while some can relieve you of your aches and pains so that you can
proceed with your work without worries of annoying muscle cramps.

Stress management at your workplace will not only help your body cope with the
problems at work, but will also help you in maintaining the productivity that
your career needs.

Tips On Managing Your Stress

Not all stress is bad. Stress can start change, aid you in focusing the task at
hand, and in some cases can even save your life. Although a build up of stress
can result in major risks. Do not let stress accumulate otherwise the result
can be fatal.

There are tips and steps in managing your stress. The first thing you need to
do is determine and understand the cause of your stress or the stressors. By
recognizing the stressors, you can put each of them in place and deal with them
one by one.

Breathing And Relaxing

Oxygen is very important to the body. Taking a deep breath adds oxygen to the
system, which can help you relax. Learning how to breathe can help you maintain
your self-control in a stressful situation.

You can start by taking a deep breath. Stand up and stretch. Always remember
that the opposite of stress is relaxation. Take a short walk, get a glass a
glass of water and do something that can change your focus. Try smiling and
take a short moment focusing on something else other than your problem. By the
time you get back to your problem, it would not seem nearly as undefeatable.

Enjoy The Good Things Of Life And Be Positive

Sometimes you can forget to enjoy the good things of life if you let stressful
events build up. Remember that life offers more things other than work. Reserve
some time to actually recognize the good things in your life.

Every situation has both pros and cons. List them both, put them away and take
a second look tomorrow. Sleeping on a situation can sometimes changes
disadvantages to advantages.

Everything in this world exists in a balance. Negative can never occur without
the positive. Learn to find good in your stressful situation and try to change
every negative events into positive.

Know Yourself And Your Limitations

To manage stress effectively, it is very important to know yourself and your
limitations. Sometimes, learning to say "No" can spare you from stress build
up. If you are in a working environment, do not just accept work loads if you 
think you cannot manage them easily. By recognizing your limitations, you can 
evade situations that can usually lead to the piling of work.

Most situations can be out of control. Always be positive and refrain from
blaming yourself. If you continuously beat yourself with guilt, not only will
you not be able to manage your stress but worsen the situation.

People who unsuccessfully use and resort in drugs and alcohol to avoid facing
their problems usually find themselves in a twelve-step rehabilitation program.
A major stress management tip is asking for help from friends, family or
workmates. You are never alone and there are always people around you willing
to lend a helping hand. There are professionals and self-help books that can
aid you in relieving stress by giving you useful advice.

There are other several ways to help you manage your stress. If you are into
books, sometimes taking time by reading your favorite book can help you in
putting the problem away from your mind. Taking a warm bath and watching your
favorite show on TV can also help you.

By managing and planning your time and prioritizing the most important things
first can prevent stress from building up. Always remember that the keyword in
better stress management is Relaxation.

The Positive Effects of Exercise in Stress Management

Work is practically the center of our lives in this generation. Simply
speaking, if you don't work, you don't eat -- and that's the truth. But despite
our needs for basic commodities, too much work would often lead to stress that
will affect us physically, mentally and emotionally; an imbalance that will
render us incapable of making decision and will lessen our productivity whether
to our career or social life.

Stress relief

There are plenty of techniques that will help us cope with stress. Some goes to
their respective doctors and asks for medicines that gives temporary relief to
their anxiety or regulate blood pressure. Some would resort to meditation and
relaxation techniques to keep their mind in harmony using aromatherapy or music
therapy to help them along.

Sweat it out

The most advisable tip for stress management is through physical exercise.
Sweating it out with by doing something strenuous proves to be more beneficial
than taking in drugs or vitamins that might have some side effects on your
system.

Most therapist and stress management experts would agree that physical exercise
is considered as the best stress reliever during this time and age. Aside from
changing your focus from your problems to something productive, physical
exercise will help your body function at peak efficiency.

Benefits of physical exercise to your body

Since physical exercise involves a lot of body movements, this will improve
your cardiovascular functions and greatly strengthens your heart -- this will
practically free you from possible effects of stress like heart failure,
stroke, high-blood pressure, and so on.

When your heart is attuned to the exercise regime, blood circulation will also
improve which in turn increases oxygen throughout the body. Your cholesterol
level and other harmful bio-chemicals will be reduced and will lessen the
chance of your body breaking down due to the negative effect of these
substances.

Physical exercise also helps you mentally aside from keeping your body in
perfect shape. Indulging in various forms of physical exercise will provide an
outlet to stress-related emotions such as anger, fear, frustration, depression
and irritability. Since exercise improves the circulation of chemicals to your
body and brain, hormones that elevates certain responses to your body will be
reduces as well; keeping you relaxed and in control.

Tips in setting up an exercise program

Now that you know the positive benefits of physical exercise to your mind and
body, all you need to learn is how to set up an exercise program that will not
hinder your career or social life.

It is recommended by experts that a person should have a regular exercise 3 to
5 times a week, for at least an hour every session; try to budget your time to
include a healthy dose of exercise. Wake up extra early in the morning to jog
around the block, or do some stretching in your own backyard. The fresh air
will compliment your physical exercise since the fresh oxygen you breathe in
would be healthy to your body.

A visit to your local bookstore, gym and stress management seminar may prove to
be a treasure of information on different kinds of exercise you can do to take
away your stress.

Give yourself a break and start taking care of your body before it breaks down
-- if it does, then you're in big trouble. Avoid it!

Teenage Stress Management

Stress can affect anyone from children to adults. In between this age gap are
the adolescents or teenagers. The cause of teenage stress is different from
adult stress but the symptoms remain the same. Due to the difference of teen
stress from adult stress, a different approach in tackling their stress is
important.

The total population consists of an estimation of 20% teens. Yet teens are
sometimes that neglected group of the population. Teenage or adolescent is the
intermediate group between dependent childhood to independent adulthood and
this transition is never easy. The teenage group is very vulnerable to physical
and emotional stress.

Their stress may come from everywhere around them from their families, peers to
their education. They may be compelled to follow the footsteps of an elder
sibling to avoid comparison from their parents, or teens can be stressed from
determining their role and image to the society.

Molding And Stress

The teenage or adolescent stage of life can cause major changes both in the
physical and mental aspect of a person. These changes are significant in
molding and shaping a person.

Physical changes in a person during adolescence include; increase in weight and
height, change in voice, the development of secondary sexual characteristics,
and for girls the menarche or the beginning of menstruation. On the other hand
mental changes may involve; attraction towards the opposite sex, the feeling of
independence, aggressiveness, experimentation.

All of these changes can cause stress to teenagers. It was surveyed that one
third of teenagers undergo at least one episode of stress every week. The
stress factor or stressors are different for teens and it may be due to;
puberty, peer pressure, school demands, safety issues within the community,
family responsibilities, negative feelings or thoughts, divorce or separation
of parents, holidays, financial problems, or a death of a loved one.

The fact is that teenage girls are more affected or prone to stress than boys.
Teenage girls tends to seek help from others for help with their stress while
boys respond to stress by dealing with it alone and refuse help from others or
by engaging themselves in activities that would help them focus on things other
than the stressor.

The family members and friends are usually both the cause and support for
teens. Without proper guidance, teenagers use healthy and unhealthy ways to
cope with their stress.

Tackling Teenage Stress

Teenage stress can be handled both inside and outside of house. The first step
in tackling teenage stress is to identify what caused their stress. The notion
that there is no earthly reason for teenage stress should be avoided.

The teens should be allows to talk freely about their problems and they should
be supported. Older people around them should help and teach the teens by
teaching them stress relief methods and setting realistic goals for them in
both curricular and extra curricular activities.

Parents or teachers must ask the teenager to define stress taking an example of
an incident and ask them for their natural response to that stressful event.
Advice about normal stress response and ways of tackling stress must be
explained to the teens. Teach them that different stress can have different
responses to different persons. Also, advise the teens to avoid unhealthy
methods of relieving stress like aggression, alcohol or drug use.

During the time that a teenager feel stressed, full support must be given by the 
people around them. Teenagers, like children and some adults, are not ready to 
face major problems by themselves.

Strategies In Avoiding Stress Build Up

Stress, if you let it, can build up. There are several effects of stress in the
many aspects of life. Stress build up can pose major health risks. Often times,
people who cannot handle stress find themselves in rehabilitation facilities
that offer twelve-step programs that could help them recover.

Avoidance is always better than cure. Learn to avoid stress build up through
simple strategies that you could practice in your free time.

Learn To Have Fun

Having fun can provide a nice distraction from problems you have. Games are
designed to occupy your time. Look into yourself and find something that you
are into. Find the things that you enjoy the most. Hobbies are important parts
of the relaxation process.

Drawing and gardening are great stress relievers but you are not limited to
these two. You can practically put your hands on anything that you enjoy doing.
Learn that it is fine to have a little fun after hard days of work.

Taking Care Of Your Health

Stress can seriously become detrimental to your health. If you have a
predetermined health condition, stress can greatly aggravate that condition.
People who have poor diet are most vulnerable to stress. Maintaining a healthy
diet can help you in avoiding the health risks from stress.

Healthy eating at home can help you shed off some pounds since most people who
are stressed-out tend to gain more weight than others. Planning ahead is an
important step in eating healthy. Do weekly groceries, and plan your home meals
every week. This way you do not have to stress yourself in thinking what you
want to eat. Eating healthy does not mean that you need to prepare a
four-course meal. A simple balance meal with the combination of protein,
fruits, vegetables, bread and not too much fat is enough to get you going. You
can even find healthy recipes online.

Pampering yourself with healthy meals is not the only way you can live healthy.
Going to the spa and have a relaxing massage can avoid stress from building. You
can also enroll yourself in weekly gym classes depending on how much free time
you have. Exercising can help you cope with stress easily. Also, through
exercise, you body release endorphins that increase your feelings of wellbeing.

Ask For Support

When you are feeling stressed always remember that there are people around you
who can help. Friends can pick you up when you are feeling down. They can
provide insights when you are confused, and help you in having fun.

Family members can provide solid support since they already know who you are
and what you really want. If stress gets out of control, you can ask for
counsel from your psychiatrist.

Never blame yourself for the cause of stress as this will only worsen the
stress that you are feeling. Do not build a wall around you whenever you are
feeling stressed and never feel helpless. Stress is an enemy that you can
triumph upon with the help of loved ones.

Spiritual Practices For Avoiding Stress

Lifestyle with strong religious and spiritual foundations is generally a
healthier lifestyle. Seniors use prayers as stress reliever. Prayers can also
maintain emotional stability.

Practicing meditation can help you clear you mind in stressful situations.
Spiritual practice is a personal experience and can surely nurture your soul.

Self-Improvement For Stress Management

Stress is a part of life whether we like it or not. No matter how we try to get
rid of it, it will always come back and haunt you every single day of your life.
Stress can be expected as you go through your daily routine, or just come out
into the open and surprise you.

Problems, big or small, can affect us emotionally, mentally and physically.
Even if we keep smiling on the outside, stress usually troubles us from within.
Leaving us in doubt, desperate, anxious, or even irritable if we let if get out
of control. The best way to deal with stress is to not let it get a foot hold
in your life. You should control it before it even begins to grow -- and the
secret to that success depends on you.

Body self-improvement techniques

Taking care of your body is the initial step to self-improvement. We should be
sensitive to what our body needs by knowing how stress affects our physical
self to adapt to it. Here are some techniques that you can use to improve your
body and getting stress out of your system.

1. Give your body a break. It is very important to know the limits of our body
especially when it comes to dealing with stress. Some people would justify that
the more our body is exposed to stress, the stronger we become -- so not true.
Our body can only do so much and will deteriorate rapidly when we exceed our
capacity. If you feel some aches and pains while working, then you better take
some time off and relax before it turns to something serious

2. Relax and enjoy. To help your body relieve stress then you need to engage in
some activities that will push it along the road to recovery. A massage is
perfect for energizing your body while getting rid of those tight muscles that
will eventually lead pain and limit your body flexibility. Pamper yourself by
visiting a health at least once week; a few hours with professional hands can
do wonders.

3. Exercise and sweat it out. Indulging in physical exercise is a great way to
get rid of stress while keeping your body in top shape. Not many can allocate
the time and effort for a physical exercise, but if you really want a stress
free life then you better accommodate. Daily 1 hour exercise can do wonders to
your cardiovascular functions and keep your heart in proper working order.

Self-improvement for a stress free life

The tips above borders on the physical side of releasing stress, but your mind
is till vulnerable to its attacks. Physical exercise can provides an outlet for
emotional problems like anxiety, fear and depression. But your mind is something
else.

Before you can dispel any stress from your life, you need to improve your
coping mechanism first, and it all starts in your mind. Even if we feel the
physical and emotional backlash of the problems that we face, it will always
start with how you think and how you devise ways in dealing with it.

Before you can apply the tips above, you have to condition your mind by
focusing on the need to improve yourself in getting rid of stress.

Reducing Stress Through Time Management

Being disorganized is one of the common causes of stress. Time management is
the key to organize your work at home and at the workplace, thus lessening the
stress you may feel. Prioritizing the most important job and writing down you
duties and activities everyday is the proper way of managing you time.

Keeping a diary or journal, where you can list down your objectives, can help
you assess which duty must be done first and the estimated time you can
accomplish each activity. Having a schedule can also help you provide the
reason when your boss gives you unreasonable tasks.

Scheduling And Listing

If you feel you are going to have another busy day either at home or at work,
always write down you tasks. Will you do the grocery first? What time will you
pick up your kid at home? Sometimes, giving time even to tiniest task for the
day can provide you time allowance to perform your other task. You must learn
to prioritize to successfully beat stress.

Everyday pick the most important task you need to complete and finish it. If
you are new in making lists, never put more than five things in your list. That
way, you are more likely to finish all your tasks for the day, and provide you
the feeling of accomplishment and greater sense of control. Then, by the time
you are getting the hang of things, move on to making your second five-item
list.

Learn to delegate to lessen your work. Sometimes, there are days where you
think you have too many things to do but have so little time. During these
days, make a list of the things that you can delegate to family members or
co-workers. By delegating, you can surely avoid stress from building up.

In the workplace, learn to say no when you find yourself in the situation where
you cannot handle anymore task than you already have. There are others who
cannot fully assert their own capabilities and ends up being more stressed out
than others who know their limitations.

These people also often end up having even more things to do. If you are having
the trouble saying no, starting small is always the best choice. In events when
you have so many things to do and your boss asks you to perform even more
tasks, give your boss the choice of what thing he will allow you to do first.

Tell him that you cannot perform the task he asks you to do without giving up
your task at hand. Even bosses can take the hint. At home, ask your husband or
wife to make their own sandwich if you cannot find the time to do that for them
or ask your daughter if her friends can give her a ride home after soccer
practice. All these simple requests to others who ask so much of you can help
you in lessening the stress that you can encounter.

Other Time Management Tips

People who are perfectionists often cannot help it if they feel stress at the
end of each day. If you are a perfectionist, prioritize the task that needs
meticulous attention to detail and finish it first. Always accomplish the items
in your first list first before moving on to the second. This way you can avoid
jumping from one list to another.

Everyday, remember that you need time to rest and relax for a while. Include in
the list your work breaks and as much as possible, to things that would
physically and mentally take you away from you work. Lastly, try not to make
major decisions when you feel overworked or anxious.

Personal Stress Management: Relaxation Strategies

It's a plain fact that only you can help yourself overcome stress and the key
to that starts with your mind. Without knowing it, the mind is the initial
target of stress since everything that happens in our life is initially
perceived and processed by our brain. Learning to control your chain of
thoughts and a few relaxation tips can do wonder for your personal stress
management.

Relax and say goodbye to stress

The first method in dealing with stress in your own personal way is to learn
how to relax. It might not be much but professionals and therapists agree that
being relaxed while in the throes of stress can help you find solutions in
getting rid of it. There are plenty of methods that can help you relax, and you
can choose one that will suit you best.

Music and dancing

It is true that the music soothes the savage beast, and your mind is definitely
savage when under the influence of stress. Playing instrumental music or nature
sounds can ease your mind and help you relax. Some would even recommend dancing
to the melody of the music to release the tension that builds up in your body.
Loosening all those tight muscles can help you relax as well as increasing the
circulation of blood and oxygen into other areas of your body promoting a
healthy outlet to stress.

Massage

The body and the mind are connected. The mind can perceive what the body can
feel and vice versa. By pampering your body, you can help your mind relax and
put you in a calm mood. Getting a massage is a great way to give your body a
break, and your mind as well. Shiatsu can do wonders in getting those tired
muscles out of your system which will help you feel balanced and energized
afterwards.

Aromatherapy massage can also help you relax. Being rubbed with scented oils
like jasmine or lavender can help your mind relax while the soothing massage
gently caresses your body.

Meditation of mind and body

Meditation is a great way to reduce the tension that builds up in your mind
while under the influence of stress. Originally part of the pagan religion,
stress is now being incorporated by many professionals as a healthy resort to
stress and problems. Try to find a quiet place in your mind or in your office.
You may sit down or lie down. Focus on each and every single area of your body
and commanding them to relax with your mind. You might feel slightly heavy
afterwards since you are internally focused.

Try to visualize an object or phrase a question in your mind. Focus on it as
long as necessary. Fleeting thoughts and scenes will flash through but pay them
no heed. After a while, your mind will stop projecting images and you will feel
like as if you're floating in total nothingness. You will feel refreshed after
meditation and you will be ready to face stress in the face.

Physical exercise

One personal stress management technique that can dispel stress is to find an
outlet for your mental and emotional burdens. Physical exercise is a highly
recommended approach in dealing with stress and is incorporated by stress
management clinics and workouts worldwide.

Since the mind and the body are connected, keeping it healthy will have a
profound influence in your state of mind. Doing at least 4 times of physical
exercise a week can improve your cardiovascular functions and strengthen your
heart.

This will help you avoid effects of stress like stroke, high-blood pressure,
muscle pains, and so on.

Personal Stress Management: Get Rid Of Stress In Your Own Way

It is always to recognize the signs the symptoms when you are in the throes of
stress. Many people misunderstand the true definition of stress and would
resort to medications and herbal remedies just to get rid of it without even
trying to find out what started it in the first place. Being hasty will only
lead to temporary results and will return once the effect of the medication has
run its course.

Personal stress management involves making your own routines that will allow
you to cope with problems and avoiding a possible occurrence of stress in your
daily life. Here are some tips on how to get rid of stress in your own personal
way.

Understanding is the key to enlightenment

The first step in personal stress management is to know what stress really is
and how it can affect your life. For starters, stress is a scenario or events
in your life that will affect your emotional, mental and physical faculties in
a negative way. Most often, stress starts off with the mind, branches off and
affects your emotions, and if left uncontrolled will then begins to take its
toll on your body.

Try to take some time off to reflect on what problems in your life stresses you
out. You can write a diary and state all your problems there then try to analyze
it one-by-one. If you can narrow the cause of your stress then you can easily
find ways in getting rid of it. Talking with a close friend or a family member
about your problems is also a great way to deal with it. Since stress are
bottled up emotions, you better find ways to release it before it blows up
inside you -- which is never a pretty sight.

Help yourself

Now that you found out how stress affects your life, all that need to do is to
make it go away. Resorting to medications or tools will only lead to temporary
results, you need to choose a more permanent approach, and that is your mind.
Stress usually rears its ugly head when we start to think about it. If we let
our problems control you then you will the effects of it almost immediately.

You need to relax and face stress head on. Identify that causes it and find a
solution one at a time. You may use music therapy to help you relax, or
meditation to clear your mind for a fresh start.

Aromatherapy can also help in relaxing your mind. Certain scents like lavender
and jasmine are proven to have a calming effect and can help you keep a clear
head. This is practically useful if you plan to sort through all your concerns
and try to find a solution for each one.

Start small

Problems are usually a prelude to stress. The more the problems pile up, the
more stressed you will eventually become. If a certain event enters your life,
whether career or personal, try to take care of it as soon as possible. Don't
let your work pile up or they may become too much to handle later on.

The secret to success in personal stress management is to identify the causes
of stress in your life. Find a self-made routine that can help you deal with it
and cope with future problems that will surely give you a house call.

Pamper Your Body! Get Rid Of Stress!

Stress may prove to be disastrous to our everyday routine. If your body reaches
its limit, then you will probably break down in plenty of ways that will leave
you incapable of going about with whatever it is you're doing.

Before this can happen, take some time off and take care of your body before
it's too late. Here are some tips and tricks that will give your body the
perfect care it deserves and get rid of stress every time it rears it ugly head.

A massage can do wonders

If you can't spend a lot of time at the gym due to your hectic work schedule,
then you should let experts take care of your body for you. If you live within
the hustle-and-bustle of the city limits then get a massage in one of the local
spas. There are plenty of massages technique that will help you get rid of
stress and will keep you going for a whole week of hectic workload without
breaking down.

Take some time off during your lunch break and visit a health spa near you and
inquire on services that will help you decide on what kind of pampering you
will probably help you on your road for a stress relief. You may also like to
ask around on the duration of the massage if you are quite busy with your
career, budget your time wisely so that it wont affect your workload.

Kinds of massage

Before you indulge in pampering your body through massage therapy, you first
need to know the different kinds of services you can avail in various health
spas in your area. Knowing what the technique is and what it can do to you body
may prove to be beneficial in your choice of service:

1. Shiatsu. This technique originated in Japan and practiced even before
acupressure and acupuncture arrived in the country. Shiatsu involves the use of
fingers and palms to apply pressure in certain areas of your body to relieve
accumulation of imbalance in your anatomy. This massage is perfect for
stiffness and headaches caused by circulatory problems cause by stress.

2. Thai Massage. This kind of massage applies more pressure than the
traditional shiatsu. This therapy reduces stress and improves your range in
motion and flexibility. This involves a lot of stretching like yoga, but the
best part is, you will be subject to those positions without exerting effort --
the therapist will guide your body from one posture to another, heavenly.

3. Hot Stone Massage. If you are suffering from painful muscle aches and pains,
then this kind of massage is perfect for you. Heated rocks are placed in certain
points in your body to apply warmth and loosen tight muscles that inhibits
movements and causes aches and pains. The therapist will apply slow pressure
and apply friction to these areas to further loosen the muscles.

4. Aromatherapy. This massage technique uses scents of certain oils to provide
relaxation during the session. A person who suffers emotion-related stress
tends to choose aromatherapy compared to other massage techniques. The
procedure is done by using scented oils, usually lavender, on your body along
with soothing massage to loosen muscle build-up while putting you in a relaxed
state of mind. This kind of massage often leaves you sleepy but energizes you
after the session.

Choosing the best massage that will suit your needs is the first step in
getting rid of your stress. Since this doesn't involve a lot of time and
sweating as with physical exercises, this method leaves plenty of room to
pursue your career and social life stress-free!

Meditation: A Key To Stress Management

We often see people break down in depression, or incapable of thinking properly
in times of great need or problems. These are people who let stress rule their
lives, and its never a pretty sight to begin with. The only way for you to be
free from stress is to make sure that you don't let it rule you. Here are some
stress management tips on how to relax and rule the problems out of your system.

It's all in the mind

Our mind is the first to be affected in throes of stress. The harmony of your
thoughts can be disrupted if you let your worries and problems seep into your
conscious mind and control how you think. Financial burdens, quarrels or petty
fights can leave devastating effects on your mind -- if this does happen then
the first thing you should do is relax.

Relaxing your mind is a great way to control stress but not so easily done. It
needs a lot of concentration and willpower to achieve. There are ways to induce
your mind into a relaxed state; aromatherapy is a great way to induce a sense of
relaxation and can help you think straight. The scent of lavander or jasmine can
put you in a meditative state and help you relax almost immediately. You can
choose scented candles, incense or oils that will suit your preference.

Meditation is the key to stress free life

Its almost impossible to find a solution to your problems when you are deep in
stress, no matter how petty it is. Learning to focus all your energy in telling
your mind to relax can be done through the ancient art of meditation.

Meditation allows you to focus your mind to a single idea and letting other
sift away to nothing. Meditation classes will guide you through steps on how to
intiate your mind into meditation and keeping it there during times of need.
This will allow you to focus on a single thought, like finding a solution to
your problem, while letting the worries and anxiety float away to nothing.

Steps to meditation

The first step of meditation is to look for a place of peace. Stress management
always starts with serenity and solitude, so you better pick a location that
will help you start with meditation. You can pick a room in your house with the
least amount of noise or go camp out with nature.

Next, you need to relax by focusing your mind on specific parts of your body.
Start with your toes, legs, torso, stomach, hands, and chest. Its best if you
close your eyes and let your mind zero in on these areas. Tell each one to
relax. Be extra careful not to fall asleep since this will immediately cease
all meditative attempts.

Once you have relaxed each and every part of your body, you will feel a slight
heaviness. This usually happens during your first try at meditation. After a
while, you will no longer feel your body -- as if its a non-existent part of
yourself.

Focus on a question, like a solution to your problem, with your mind. You might
notice that some thoughts or scenes appear and dissapear like a fleeting memory
-- keep note of these in passing and don't focus on them too much since this
will defeat the practice of meditation. Imagine like your watching a movie.

When you encounter problems that will eventually lead to stress, you can invoke
meditation almost instantly. If you practice enough, your mind will
instantaneously clear itself of all cluttered nonsense and allow you to focus
on how to deal with your stress.

Managing Stress Through Enjoyable Games

Stress is the opposite of relaxation. It is not limited to the negative aspects
of our lives. Even the most positive events such as: promotion, jubilation, the
birth of a newborn, and the union of marriage, can be very stressful.
Thankfully, there are enjoyable games in which you can experiment to relieve
you of your stress.

Say Goodbye To Stress In A Flash

From shooting cows falling from the sky to fun word games, the possibilities
are seemingly endless with Flash games available in the Internet today. There
are thousands for flash games to relieve your stress and most are free to play.

The best way for you to fill your anti-stress game collection is by doing few
simple searches for "Flash Games" or "Free Flash Games" and saving these sites
in your bookmark folder. The next time you feel the urge to play, it will be
easy as pie. Just look into some of your bookmarked Flash games and you're
ready to go.

To Connect Or Not To Connect

If you do not want to connect to the Internet, there are a few built-in games
that Microsoft Windows had included in their operating system. Solitaire,
Minesweeper, Pinball, FreeCell, and Hearts are great ways to relieve you
stress. These games do not require search engines or bookmarks and they are
accessible anytime at your own disposal.

If you get tired of those games, several Internet sites offer computer games
that are free time-trial versions. These games are normally shareware and may
take a few minutes to download depending on your Internet connection. The
variety of these computer games is virtually endless. You can choose from
Puzzle Games, Word Games, Action Games, Shooting Games, Racing Games and many
more.

The advantage of computer games downloaded from the Internet is that once you
install them, they do not require Internet connection to play. Additionally, by
the time your free trial is over, you have the option to either purchase the
game or uninstall it to completely erase it from your computer by using the
uninstaller included in the game.

In the world of Internet gaming, there are also several different online games
called MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). They combine
enjoyable gaming experience and player interaction. This is a good stress
reliever for the extroverts and some of them offer free registration and play.
A few hours of monster-bashing and strategic questing will surely lessen the
stress that you feel.

Why Online If You Can Go Offline

If you are sitting all day at a computer, or if the stress you are feeling
comes from the computer, sometimes the best way is to get up and just walk
away. Poor Internet connection and computer crashes can become sources of
stress too. There are games that are fun, enjoyable and will not only relieve
your stress but also stretch you brain muscles.

Get a deck of cards and play a quick game of solitaire the old-fashioned way.
You might also consider purchasing a book about Solitaire Games or Card Games
along with your deck. There are several books published for Solitaire-loving
players and offers hundreds of game variations.

If you have a Slinky, use it and bounce it back and forth from hand to hand to
put you focus on the toy and feel the stress and problems slip away. Playing
darts can also be a good stress reliever. Hitting a target or even targeting a
photo of someone or something that caused your stress can reduce the stress
that you feel. Just make sure that you clear other furniture from the vicinity
because damaging them may add to your stress.

Brain exercises will not only relieve your stress but also practice your
spatial and non-verbal intelligence. The Rubik's Cube has been available for
decades. You only need to take a few minutes of your time to match the color on
one side since trying to match the colors of each side of the cube can be
stressful.

Crossword Puzzles are fun activities that can help you say goodbye to stress.
Many crossword puzzle books include mazes, word-find games and other pencil
puzzles. Purchase some that have puzzles ranging from easy to hard to engage in
them according to your mood and stress level. Some newspapers and magazines also
provide crosswords puzzles and sudoku games.

Learn To Play Around When in Stress

A more direct way in dealing with stress is to indulge in activities that can
take your mind off your problems. This stress management technique is
practically the most popular since this method promises a whole lot of fun and
a lot of positive results.

Engage in sports

One of the most recommended methods in reducing your stress is to engage in
sports. There are plenty of ways to find the peace of mind you need to release
yourself from problems that crop up during your daily routine.

Team sports is a great way to release your stress and improves your social
skills as well. You can gather your friends around for a round of basketball or
sweat it out in tennis or badmintion. These games helps you focus on your team
in winning the game rather than putting all your energy in worrying about your
problems.

Another sport is to go hiking out or do mountain climbing. This sport not only
improves your health with a good dose of exercise, you can also enjoy the
scenery by hiking out with nature. Fishing is also a good sport in relieving
stress. If the fish aren't biting, you can enjoy the scenery and reflect on
your life. Most people prefer this sport in dealing with their problems and
most confirm that the presence of nature plays an integral role in helping them
out.

Board games are well and good

An enjoyable way to relive stress without the need to sweat is a good bout of
board games. There are plenty of games that can divert your mind from stress
and leaves a lot of room to think on how to win.

Chess is a great way to relieve stress since you need to think of strategies on
how to outwit your oponent and not much on your problems. Board games like
scrabble and monopoly is a fun way to play especially when you're with your
friends and families.

Internet games

The information superhighway or the Internet can be a good source of games that
suites your taste. You can go for online crossword puzzle and sodoku if you
crave for intellectual activities which involves a lot of thinking. If you
prefer to release stress by blasting space alient then you look for Flash games
that is being features in some websites.

Its not all about the game

Despite all the sports and games that you can practically play on your free
time, you need to focus your mind on the game if you want a relief from your
stress. These activities would mean useless if you still think about the
problem. You might also go on a losing streak if you don't focus on teh game.

It might be quite possible to focus on the sport or the game if you have such
heavy burden plaguing your every thought. You need to practice focus and divert
your mind from the problems that results to stress.

One way to do this is to instruct your mind that you need to focus on the game
and on your teammates. You might get on the wrong side of your partners your
team keeps losing that match because your head isn't on the game. You need to
realize that the game is useless if you don't put your mind into doing it.

Exciting Stress Relieving Activities

Working requires long hours of concentration and complete dedication. You may
feel compelled to finish work to achieve the deadline, meet client
satisfaction, or attain quota. All these factors can be very stressful but they
are inevitable since they motive people to strive harder.

Even at home stress is present. Your child may be failing in her studies, or
you are getting late with your rent or bills. These can be stressful even to
think about. If you cannot prioritize what is important, you may feel stress
every single day. Sometimes, you have no choice but to remove yourself from a
stressful situation and just break away from everything.

Hobbies You Enjoy The Most

Hobbies and pastimes are very good stress relievers. You can put your mind away
from problems through concentrating on things that are enjoyable and fun. There
are several activities that you can enjoy depending on what suits you best.

If you are into singing, go out with your friends and enjoy sing-a-long and
karaoke bars. Even singing inside your bathroom is not a bad idea. You can
enjoy singing almost anywhere as long as you are not bothering anyone. If you
are not into singing but more into the artistic types, purchasing a sketchpad
and a pencil or any art materials you want can help you relieve stress.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to hobbies. Other people like to
tinker on things when they feel stressed. Find the things that you like doing
the most and use it to keep yourself away from stress. Hobbies do not need long
hours of attention and they can be done anywhere and are usually cheap.

Going Outdoors or Indoors

Sports are not only good for stress but also to your body. They require both
physical and mental ability. If you feel that you need to break away from all
the problems you have, invite a friend or group of friends to have a friendly
outdoor game. There are many activities that you can engage yourself into.
There is basketball, volleyball, badminton etc. All of these activities
do not require long attention and is a sure way to change your focus. Sweating
releases the tension in the body and provides long lasting relief.

There are also many indoor sports that you can try. Table tennis only takes up
a small amount of space and can be played by many. Board games like scrabble,
word factory and bridge are also sports. The only difference is they require
you to use your brain. Keep those brain cells alive by getting your hands on
board games.

Take A Break

Long hours of work or monthly monotonous activities can get you stressed.
Having a vacation and breaking yourself away from your work is absolutely not a
bad idea. If you think you deserve the break, ask for a vacation leave and go to
somewhere where there are things not related to your work. A change of scenery
can keep you from getting all stressed up.

Vacations offer a lot of things that you can try. There is fishing, kayaking,
even rock climbing if you are the extreme type. But if you are not into serene
or quiet hideaways and like bright lights and partying then you can take your
vacation on places that includes casino strips or long nights of partying. You
can take your vacation anywhere and they can always relieve you of your stress.

Body Exercises To Dispel Stress

Have you experience aches and pains while you work, or feel tired all of a
sudden even before you start with one? Well, this is practically the effect of
stress in your body. Most medicals experts agree that stress can be a profound
influence in the decline of your normal body functions -- tight muscles,
migraine, drowsiness, and so on.

Most medical experts agree that a healthy bout of physical exercise can improve
your health despite everyday bout of stress due to career, personal or social
problems. It's advisable that you should take some time off from work, or an
early good night sleep and wake up early in the morning to engage in some
physical exercise.

Physical exercise for stress management

Physical exercise can improve your body's adaptability to stress. This involves
routine movements that will improve your cardiovascular functions and strengthen
your heart. This in turn improves the circulation of your blood and other
bio-chemicals which your body needs to maintain a good health.

When your muscles are well supplied with oxygen, this will improve muscle
integrity which will improve endurance, stamina and flexibility. Also when
engaging in physical exercise, you can find an outlet for your mental stress --
release your depression, anxiety, anger, fear, and so on by focusing on your
workout and sweat it out.

Exercise tips

You must follow certain physical regime for your exercise to have the desired
result, simply jogging around the block or lifting some weight will not provide
the overall effect of a complete workout. Here are some tips that will start you
of in releasing stress through physical exercise:

1. Time. Before indulging your body to some serious sweating, you must set some
time so that you can have an uninterrupted workout. Early morning is the best
time for an exercise since the fresh air will help your body get the clean
oxygen that it needs to recover from those accumulated stress.

2. Warm-up exercise. It is very important to engage in light exercise to warm
your body up before engaging in heavy-duty workout. By doing some light
maneuvers from your feet to head will avoid cramps that will plague you for
days. Start off with some minor stretching. Start of with your ankles, legs,
hips, arms and neck. Make sure you do it slow and with set time intervals so
your body won't react negatively. The purpose of the warm-up is to let your
body adapt to the work-out that will follow afterwards.

3. Tools of the trade. If you plan to forgo going to the gym and do your
exercise at home, then it is necessary to be prepared for it. Try to purchase
some health books that features exercise routines for different parts of your
body. If you want to make a habit out of this then you might need to purchase
support equipments that will improve your body's performance.

4. Proper Diet. Practically the most important facet of the physical exercise
regime is your food intake. Make sure that you eat enough so that you're body
won't get tired from the physical exercise, but not too much to give you those
unwanted cholesterols and calories. Stay away from fast food goodies and junk
food and stick with healthy fruits and veggies that start you off.

Aside from improving your muscles, you also need to make sure that your organs
are in full working order for a perfect stress management.

Yoga: Stress Management From The Hindus

A lot of people turn to Yoga for several reasons, whether to cope with life's
ups and downs, enjoyment, or stress management. Yoga is a very good practice to
relieve your stress. It offers relaxation, proper breathing exercises, and
different kinds of positions for flexibility.

The techniques and practices of Yoga can help in relieving the physical and
psychological negative effects from stress. Yoga can cause positive effect to
the nervous system and aid in lowering blood pressure and heartbeat.

Knowing The Enemy And Understanding The Body

Before starting to practice Yoga, you must first be aware of the stressful
stimuli to determine what you are fighting. Understanding the enemy is a vital
factor in combat and in understanding the factors that caused your stress can
aid you decide on how it needs to be engaged.

Yoga enables and allows you to control the natural and instant reactions to the
cause of stress. This will soon lead to a situation wherein no matter what
challenges you encounter; you will be able to remain calm, composed and be
capable of battling the situation with a level head.

The practice of yoga includes different body postures, slow stretching
movements, and breathing exercises that can lead to relaxation and deep
contemplation. These techniques are designed for the purpose of higher
awareness of what is happening to you when you are stressed. You can develop a
deeper understanding of the body by paying attention to each and every part.

Who, Where, What And How

Even children experience stress but it is not advisable to introduce children
younger than 7 or 8 to yoga. Bodies of young children are still developing and
they should never be forced to yoga as it can damage their spine and other
joints. There is also no upper age limit and you can never be too old to learn
yoga.

Yoga practices can be done anywhere. Beginners are advised to attend as much
classes as possible to benefit advice from teachers. There are several gyms
that offer yoga practices. Although if you think you are ready to do basic yoga
practices at home, you must first gather some of the basic equipments to do so.

Yoga mats provide cushioning and traction. Many of these mats are made from
synthetic materials, although there are natural rubber mats available. Yoga
mats can cost as little as $20 and it is nice to have one since mats offered
from some yoga studios can get a bit dirty.

Another versatile yoga prop is the yoga blanket, which can be sat upon to
elevate hips above the knees in seated positions and can keep you warm during
last relaxation. The yoga blocks are great for standing poses in which one hand
is on the floor.

The yoga straps, also called yoga belts are helpful for bound postures if your
hands cannot reach each other. They are also useful for positions that require
you to cling onto your feet but cannot grasp them.

Additionally, you can learn yoga poses from videos and DVDs available for
purchase.

Yoga Compared With Other Stress Reduction Methods

Compared to other stress reduction methods, like taking pills or herbs, yoga
requires commitment and effort. Yoga combines several techniques used for
stress reduction. The practice of yoga can be said to give the combined
benefits of breathing and stretching exercises, fitness regimen, meditation,
and directed imagery in a single technique.

But if you think you are one of those with great physical restrictions, simple
meditation, breathing work outs and directed imagery might be a more preferable
alternative but can still provide the same benefits.

Yoga techniques work at an individual and collective level to endure that there
is significant relief from the condition of extreme stress.

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