Stress Management

What is stress? It is nothing but losing control of events. The body registers stress by means of the hypothalamus interacting with the pituitary gland and by an incredible relay system of stress hormones' produced by the adrenal glands called epinephrine or adrenaline, orchestrate the body's reaction to stress.

Stress can be broadly classified into five different categories which can be interlinked and effect mental and emotional human behavior to a great extent. Some of the noticeable responses may include smoking, consuming inappropriate levels of alcohol, excessive eating of sugary food and substance abuse.

Stress effects circulation and digestive systems, symptoms may include muscle spasms, nausea, ulcers, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, acne, eczema, psoriasis, shortness of breath, palpitations, clammy hands and cold feet.

Stress related habits may include grinding of teeth, pacing, fidgeting, wringing of hands, crying, over spending, compulsive eating, and resulting weight gain. Others are insomnia, hyperventilation, lethargy and loss of attention to work.

Instances are when stress can develop due to unexpected events beyond one's control, such as meeting with an accident, delays in meeting deadlines caused by external factors. Pressure of work, travel, mental trauma, family pressures, marriage related issues and any number of domestic or economic causes can trigger stress buildup.

As stress can differ from person to person, it is important to observe and understand the underlying causes.

Yoga is an effective stress management tool made up of poses and postures and is an ancient tradition combining exercise and meditation practice dating back to a few thousand years. Some of the types of Yoga are Yuma, Niamey, Asana, Panorama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. Practicing Pranayama will largely help in managing daily stress. Pranayama is nothing but breathing exercises. It helps you keep your body and mind in harmony. It will help in developing a strong and calm mind. However, the techniques of yoga need to learned under the guidance of a qualified professional to get best results. There are many Yoga institutes scattered all over the world and their resources are available to those interested in pursuing or practicing the subject.

Meditation is an excellent technique to relax the restlessness of the mind from anxiety and stress. It is usual that a selection of soothing music is played in the background while meditating contributing to being a calming factor. Experts can select the right kind of music.

Tai Chi Chuan, a combination of Chinese philosophy and exercise in slow harmonious movements is an excellent method to practice relaxation and alleviate stress.

By applying manual pressure to muscles, joints and bones particularly the spine, head and neck, Chiropractors are able to relieve specific stress related tensions that cause nerve compression.

Having sex with your spouse is a natural way of removing daily stress.

Favorite hobbies may prove to be the right tools of stress management. However it may differ from person to person. If gardening is a favorite hobby, it will help in managing daily stress.

Food habits play a vital role in stress management. Certain food and beverages have a calming effect, Vitamin B-6, also Vitamin C rich food,herbal teas such as peppermint, chamomile. Cultivate the habit of consuming natural foods in the form of fruit and vegetables more often as part of your food intake and avoid junk food. A balanced diet is very essential for building your body and mind.

Smoking enhances heartbeats and contributes to stress and should be avoided.

Laughter is another method of stress management. Watch comedy programs, read books on humor. Try to be around people who are humorous and entertaining.

The main objective is to adept to stressful situations, keeping our bodies and minds clean and calm, learning to live by coping with the factors that cause stress and avoid being a victim of it.

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