Stress Relief Techniques … If you don’t do them will you get fat? When doing a little research on the subject I have come to believe there is a solid link between the 2.

You see, our body contains a system called the neuroendocrine system which activates a series of hormones whenever we feel threatened or stressed.  Many years ago this system was useful to assist us in fleeing when there was danger near. 

The Hormones released include adrenalin (for the burst of energy), corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and Cortisol (helps us to replenish our bodies after the stress has passed).  The downside is Cortisol can hang around in our system for a while after the stress and cause your appetite to increase.

This system is great when you’re under physical danger but isn’t so good on the everyday stress that we all face like paying the bills, work pressure and family pressures.  In other words your neuro-endocrine system can’t tell the difference between non-physical stresses and still responds with the need to replenish your system – or eat.

By listening to the messages from the neuro-endocrine system can not only lead to weight gain, but also leads to visceral fat which is fat that lies around the stomach area of the body and increases the rate of heart disease and diabetes.

What does that all mean?  Put simply, if you experience stress you are more likely to gain weight.  This is interesting when you consider more people are under stress today than 30 years ago and we currently have a record obesity rate.  Interesting.

It all comes back to Stress Relief Techniques and playing a part in learning how to

a) Release built up Stress

b) Developing new methods for handling Stress

There are many forms of Natural Stress Relief available to show you how to handle stress more effectively and release built up stress.  There options available include: Stress Relief CD’s, Relaxation Programs, Stress Management Activities and Relaxation Breathing Techniques.  Whether you like it or not stress is in everyone’s life. It’s more a question of how you handle it.

A report compiled by NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) shows indisputable facts that Work Related Stress is the highest cause of stress in today’s society.  The survey shows that one in four people view their jobs as the number one stressor in their life.  It also shows that three quarters of people believe workers have more on the job stress than a generation ago.

The report is a compilation of surveys by several key players in stress reduction and stress management including Northwestern National Life and Yale University. 

The causes of Stress at Work and Work Related Stress were:

—> Working conditions – The location, people you work with, environment, culture and terms of employment.

—> Worker characteristics - Individuals outlook, abilities, personality and coping style.

The NIOSH approach to Stress at Work is to find a balanced approach to the working lifestyle.  It can be defined in 3 basic categories:

—> A balance between work and family/personal life

—> A support network of friends and co-workers

—> A relaxed and positive outlook

Generally, focusing on third strategy will have a massive impact on the first two.  A good method to tackle stress is through relaxation techniques conducted on a daily basis as a method to release built up stress and anxiety accumulated during the day.  Different relaxation techniques including stress relief CD’s, relaxation breathing techniques, stress relief exercises, keeping a journal and physical activity are excellent methods for creating a more relaxed and positive outlook.  The greatest step you could take would be to complete a stress relief program.  An excellent stress relief program should gives specific methods of relaxation, a way of setting and recording relaxation goals and specific stress management techniques to learn and implement.  This combined with a greater respect for work related stress would decrease the overall instances of stress and help to develop a more focused, happy workforce.

Many of us dream to have a lot of it and very few of us have more than we think we need.  It’s one of the 3 main stressors that keep many people awake at night.  Whether you’re living beyond your means or wondering how you’re going to have enough income for retirement all comes down to Money.

When you’re feeling financial pressure it can affect so many other areas of your life.  It can cause stress at work, anxiety attacks, insomnia, arguments, alcoholism, gambling and relationship break-ups just to name a few.

But there has to be something you can do about it, to manage your money and experience real natural stress relief.

With that in mind, here are 5 money management tips for Stress Relief:

—> Understand your worth – before you can live within your means you need to understand what your means are.  Gather a record of all your money, assets, investments and current cash (N.B. although credit cards and lines of credit are additional resources to make purchases, when we tap into them we decrease our spending power over the long haul with bank charges etc.)

—> Track your income – Really take a look at your income.  Measure it over the last 4 weeks or even better the last 13 weeks (the number of weeks in a quarter). Average it out by totaling your overall income and dividing by the number of weeks.  (N.B. Don’t just take 1 weeks wage as an average as you may miss out on overtime, sick days, etc.)

—> Measure your expenses – Once you understand what you are worth and what your income is begin to measure where you money goes.  Carry a small notebook you can pop in your pocket or handbag and make a record of every purchase you make.  Do this for a month to get a real understanding of where you’re spending your money.  Record everything including bills, repayments, where you shopped and the amount you spent.  After the month prioritize your expenses into different categories; essential (food, shelter, rent or mortgage), utilities (heat, water, electricity), loans and leases (car loans), insurances ( home insurance, car insurance, life insurance) and discretionary expenses (other loans, credit card repayments and low priority expenses)

—> Manage Money – Calculating your average monthly income (13 weeks wages divided by 3) and minus your different expenses (if some of your expenses are yearly, then divide the amount by 12 to calculate monthly payments).  This will give you your disposable income.  Use this figure as a baseline for spending.  Ensure you keep at least this much of your wage aside each month (multiply it by 12 and divide by 52 to understand it weekly) and try to put aside a little more each week for that rainy day.

—> Learn to Relax – Financial stress can be a result of the feeling of discomfort over using other people’s money, being in debt, or concerned you may not be able to grow your wealth.  Whatever the case it is important to improve how you can handle money stress.  A good stress relief CD or other relaxation techniques like exercise, relaxation breathing techniques or stress relief programs can help build that threshold and show you how to release and handle unnecessary stress.

Remember, even if you’re stuck in financial stress and your living beyond your means you have the power to change it.  After all, money comes and goes but your health is important.

I remember when I was a child.  Days seemed to go on forever, there was always something to do and I was always getting up to some sort of mischief.

As I grew up, things definitely change.  I took on extra responsibilities, got a job, strived for direction in life and more of my life became about time, money and relationships. Everything starts to speed up and I seemed to have less time than before.

The stress monster can easily creep up on you and you can begin to feel the pressure of everyday life with deadlines, responsibilities, family pressures and stress at work. 

You know stress is always there though, in everyone’s life, but it’s a question of how you handle it.  Some of us deal with it by becoming aggressive and snappy at those around them or other negative responses.  If you handle it this way then your stress will continue to build up with really bad side effects.

There is another way.  By investing just 20 minutes a day using Natural stress relief techniques like Meditation, stress relief CD’s, relaxation breathing techniques, Yoga and Relaxation Programs will offer natural relief from any stress that builds up in your day.  The benefits of using different natural stress relief techniques are countless.  Some of the immediate benefits include:

—> Feeling happier

—> Improvement in Immune system

—> Lowering of blood pressure

—> Release of built up stress

—> Improved concentration

—> Feeling calmer and more energetic

—> Enjoying a more restful sleep

Natural Stress Relief has no negative side effects and makes you feel good.  Remember, there are different stressors in everybody’s life (in other words, things that push your buttons) but by using natural stress relief for 20 minutes a day they won’t affect you the same way and you’ll be able to tackle them head on.

The person that created the saying – “There’s only a few things to be sure of in life; death and taxes” needs to add traffic to it.   With roads filling up more and more, traveling to and from work can be really stressful. Many of us need some sort of stress relief just to cope.

Being late, feeling claustrophobic, or simply frustrated being stuck in traffic means some of us aren’t the most polite people to be around.  Have you ever been guilty of cursing at another person, cutting someone off or making impolite gestures? From impolite behavior right up to physical aggression, road rage works at several different levels which result in stress, anxiety and often poses a significant threat to the health and safety of everyone on the road. 

If you’re driving to work in the morning and you experience road rage on your way it can have an impact on your work and cause unnecessary stress at work.  If you experience road rage on the way home you may end up taking it out on your family and create a stressful environment in your home.

It may surprise many people but if you use effective relaxation techniques you can overcome the road rage associated with stress and anxiety which will help you to become a more polite and defensive driver.

Here are a few relaxation techniques to help make that drive bearable:

—> Listen to a Stress Relief CD – Listening to a good stress relief CD everyday will help you to stay calm and focused when you would normally feel quite stressed.  It will help you to release your stress in a safe manner.

—> Listen to Music, audio books or talk back radio – This helps you to take your mind off the congestion and frustration of traffic and makes it a little more bearable

—> Relaxation Breathing Techniques – This will help you to become more focused and centered when you are experiencing stress or frustration in traffic.

—> Time Management – If you find one of the reasons you’re experiencing frustration in traffic is because you’re late then focus on methods to improve time management

It’s important to find stress management techniques that provide natural stress relief before, during and after your stressful drive in traffic. You can do this by investing about 20 minutes a day to release and de-stress. After all, with our ever increasing population, traffic is here to stay.  How you handle it is up to you. As I said in the beginning – “There’s only a few things to be sure of in life; death, taxes and traffic.”

A great new trend is beginning to form in forward thinking companies in an effort to tackle stress at work head on.  Several independent studies showed when people followed another passion other than work that they were more focused, handled work pressure better, were more balanced and had less time off sick.  This was first targeted by several H.R. Departments looking for strategies to reduce stress related illnesses in the workplace. They discovered by encouraging people to have a secondary focus other than work not only improved productivity but also gave their workers a way of venting stress.

It’s understandable when you understand the concept of a hobby as a relaxation technique.  With so much pressure everyday to perform and with work related stress on the rise it can be really hard to switch off at the end of each day. A hobby helps you to take your mind elsewhere, where you can focus on something different for a while.  There are many different hobbies you can try from dancing to writing in a journal.  The key is in finding one that you feel passion for.  Combined with other strategies like stress relief CD’s, relaxation breathing techniques and stress relaxation techniques will ensure you will have a happy less stressful lifestyle.

Work related stress is constantly on the rise.  Our big planet is not so big anymore and the amount of pressure to perform is always going up.  Although we have had so many technological advances to make our life easier, in actual fact some of them are the root cause for Stress and Anxiety.

Take for instance E-mail.  Email is a great way of staying in touch with people anywhere around the world, yet at the same time it means you can work from home late at night, on weekends, literally anywhere.

With another weekend coming up, I think it’s time to de-stress and take a break.  What can you do to take a break? 

Well I’ve prepared my ten tips you use to relax, rejuvenate and have a good weekend.  Please note, these are all natural stress relief exercises and have been approved by the Great Life and Health Foundation, in other words, US.

Here they are: 

1.      Read a good book – Sit, relax in bed and find yourself a good book to read.  This is a great relaxation technique as it gives your mind a break and helps it to focus on something different for a while.

2.      Take a long, hot bath – The benefits of a hot bath are endless.  It’s great for your body and your mind.  Try combining this tip with some music and relaxation breathing techniques to gain the maximum benefits.

3.      Visit friends – Social Interaction is a great way to relieve stress.  Talking with others about your week can help you to get it off your chest rather than letting it build up.

4.      Listen to a good Stress Relief CD – This Stress Relief Technique will help you to address and get rid of your stress instantly rather than letting it build up.  If you combine it with a hot bath you can sit and let you troubles float away.

5.      Do some stress relief exercises – Similar to a Stress Relief CD, Stress relief exercises will help you to get rid of any built up stress.  This is a great way to ensure you keep your stress levels down.

6.      Pamper yourself – Try a massage, a pedicure, manicure or some aromatherapy.  Take some time for you to do what you want.

7.      Go for a long walk – Walking is great for the body and it’s great for your health.  It can help you manage your weight, lower your cholesterol, lengthen your life, strengthen muscles and of course, it lowers stress.

8.      Do Some Relaxation breathing techniques – Take out a few minutes to do some simple relaxation breathing exercises. It’s a great way to release that tension from your week and help you to start your weekend fresh and relaxed.

9.      Start a hobby or put aside time for your hobby – Hobbies help us to express ourselves in ways we normally can’t.  They are a great way to release tension and do something we really enjoy.

10. Play some sport – Team sports are very social and are an excellent method of stress relief.  Choose a sport you are passionate about.  Join a club or form a team.  The good thing about sport is you’re being social and getting fit.  Just stay away from the after game drinks

 

So that concludes the list.  Remember the weekend is a time away from work where you can relax and take time for you before you get back into it next week.

A recent article by CBS News shows the better you cope with stress and more often you use stress relief techniques, the better your cholesterol level is likely to be.

The Study was released at the 115^th annual convention of the American Psychological Association and discussed the 716 men that took part in the Normative Aging Study.  The average age of most participants were 65 and were evenly spilt between white collar and blue collar workers.

The study asked them to rate 26 different coping strategies they used as stress relief techniques.  Some were unhealthy like blaming themselves for stress or isolating themselves from others.  But there were also other positive stress relief strategies like planning how to overcome it and seeking help.

It has been known for years that stress affects your cholesterol levels and the more you experience stress the worse bad cholesterol (LDL) is present.  Stress basically raises total cholesterol and also raises LDL Levels. 

What does LDL have to do with Cholesterol and Stress Relief? To give you the really short version of a long story there are two different types of Cholesterol, HDL (High-density lipoproteins) and LDL (Low-density lipoproteins).  HDL is composed mainly of proteins and only a small amount of cholesterol and is known as good protein .  LDL is mainly composed of cholesterol, has very little protein and is known as bad cholesterol. LDL is primarily responsible for depositing cholesterol within arteries that can cause heart disease.

So you now understand the importance of reducing your LDL levels but how does that stop stress?

We all experience stress everyday, and it’s about eliminating stress but more important it’s about is your ability to handle stress.  If you use effective stress relaxation techniques like a stress relief CD, stress relief program or other stress relief exercises you can change how you’re body handles the stress.  Interesting the strategies that show the greatest result are generally forms of natural stress relief The key is to find positive ways to reduce and handle your stress at work, with your family and other areas of your life.  If left unattended you may suffer a heart attack or even worse. 

After a really stressful day there’s something strangely appealing to running a hot bath and soaking your troubles away.  But few people understand the true benefits on your body of this simple yet satisfying Stress Relief Technique. 

Water after all, is nature’s healer as it has positive effects on your skin and muscles. It helps to stimulate nerve reflexes and it calms your internal organs.

Combined with a stress relief CD a hot bath is the perfect Natural Stress Relief technique to release that built up tension.

But wait there’s more. A recent study from the Mayo Clinic found soaking in a hot bath provides similar benefits to exercising without all the extra strain on the heart.  Soaking in a hot bath increases your heart rate while it lowers your blood pressure. How does this work?  When you first get into a hot bath it speeds up your heart to send blood to the surface and disperse extra body heat into the air.  After a couple of minutes the warm blood causes your blood vessels to dilate, which decreases the resistance to blood flow and lowers your blood pressure.

A few other benefits of a hot bath include:

—> Overcoming Insomnia

—> It stimulates sweating and the release of toxins

—> With the addition of Epsom salts it helps arthritis and rheumatism

—> With sea salt it promotes healing and prevents infection

—> Promotes Stress Relief and Relaxation

When you’re feeling really stressed give a hot bath a go. It will release your built up tension.  While soaking you can read a book, meditate to a stress relief CD, listen to music, or simply just sit and relax.

A Journal (or Stress Diary) is a great Stress Relaxation Technique that many people had amazing success with.  It is a set method to record the thoughts and situations that stress you and is a way of putting your stress into perspective. 

It is used to identify, record and resolve any parts of your life that you feel stress. 

More about that in a moment.

Here are a few reasons a journal is a great Relaxation Technique:

—> It helps you to put your thoughts into perspective

—> You may see the things that were worrying you aren’t as big as what you thought

—> It can be used in the future for you to look back on

—> It transfers the stress from your mind to another place for you to reflect on

—> You can use it as a way to identify solutions to your problems

—> It is major step to stop your stress controlling you.

As a big fan of Natural Stress Relief keeping a journal is designed for you to record the areas of your life that stress you and to establish a plan going forward. 

A few of the points you should record in your journal include: 

—> A list of situations where you feel stress in your life (eg. Moving home, person you work with, driving home in the afternoon, high demand in one area of your life, etc.).  Be as specific as possible.

—> List how you handle the stressful situation/s

—> Evaluate whether these responses are healthy, unhealthy, appropriate or inappropriate.

—> List plan of resolution.  You would normally find this by exploring different Stress Management Techniques or Relaxation Techniques.

Used in combination with a Stress Relief CD and other Stress Relief Techniques  can give great results.  For instance after you listen to the Stress Relief CD or learn a new Stress Relief Technique you can record your thoughts in your journal.  Remember, it’s your own personal space so keep it in a safe place.  Finally, be honest with yourself and it can become useful to overcoming the different areas of your life you experience stress.