[DaleD]

We've talked a lot about stress in this forum and the following was on my work's intranet this morning and wanted to share it with you.

Stress is a fact of life, but being stressed out is not. We don't always have control over what happens to us and yet, that doesn't mean we have to react to a difficult, challenging situation by becoming frazzled or feeling overwhelmed or distraught. Being overly anxious is not just a mental hazard; it's a physical one too. The more stressed out we are the more vulnerable we are to colds, flu, and a host of chronic or life-threatening illnesses. And the less open we are to the beauty and pleasure of life. For your emotional and bodily benefit, we've come up with these easy, natural alternatives to anxiety. Enjoy!

1. Breathe Easily
Breathing from your diaphragm oxygenates your blood, which helps you relax almost instantly. Shallow chest breathing, by contrast, can cause your heart to beat faster and your muscles to tense up, exacerbating feelings of stress. To breathe deeply, begin by putting your hand on your abdomen just below the navel. Inhale slowly through your nose and watch your hand move out as your belly expands. Hold the breath for a few seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times.

2. Visualize Calm
It sounds New Age-y, but at least one study, done at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, has found that it's highly effective in reducing stress. Dr. Cooper recommends imagining you're in a hot shower and a wave of relaxation is washing your stress down the drain. You can also close your eyes, take three long, slow breaths, and spend a few seconds picturing a relaxing scene, such as walking in a meadow, kneeling by a brook, or lying on the beach. Focus on the details -- the sights, the sounds, the smells.

3. Say Cheese
Smiling is a two-way mechanism. We do it when we're relaxed and happy, but doing it can also make us feel relaxed and happy. Smiling transmits nerve impulses from the facial muscles to the limbic system, a key emotional center in the brain, tilting the neurochemical balance toward calm. Go ahead and grin. Don't you feel better already?

4. Do Some Math
Using a scale of one to 10, with one being the equivalent of a minor hassle and 10 being a true catastrophe, assign a number to whatever it is that's making you feel anxious. You'll find that most problems we encounter rate somewhere in the two to five range -- in other words, they're really not such a big deal.

5. Stop Gritting Your Teeth
Stress tends to settle in certain parts of our bodies, the jaw being one of them. When things get hectic, try this tip : Place your index fingertips on your jaw joints, just in front of your ears; clench your teeth and inhale deeply. Hold the breath for a moment, and as you exhale say, "Ah-h-h-h," then unclench your teeth. Repeat a few times.

6. Compose a Mantra
Devise an affirmation -- a short, clear, positive statement that focuses on your coping abilities. Affirmations are a good way to silence the self-critical voice we all carry with us that only adds to our stress. The next time you feel as if your life is one disaster after

7. Take a Whiff
Oils of anise, basil, bay, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rose, and thyme are all soothing, say Kathy Keville and Mindy Green, coauthors of Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art (Crossing Press, 1995). Place a few pieces of rock salt in a small vial, then add a couple of drops of the oil of your choice (the rock salt absorbs the oil and is much less risky to carry around in your purse than a bottle of oil). Open the vial and breathe in the scent whenever you need a quick stress release.

8. Schedule Worry Time
Some stressors demand immediate attention -- a smoke alarm siren or a police car's whirling red light. But many low-grade stressors can be dealt with at a later time, when it's more convenient. File them away in a little mental compartment, or make a note then deal with them when the time is right. Don't let them control you.

9. Shake It Up
This quick exercise helps loosen the muscles in your neck and upper back: Stand or sit, stretch your arms out from your sides and shake your hands vigorously for about 10 seconds. Combine this with a little deep breathing, Dr. Sobel says, and you'll do yourself twice as much good.

10. Space Out
Look out the window and find something natural that captures your imagination. Notice the clouds rolling by or the wind in the trees.

[lou_lou]

Breathe Easily
Breathing from your diaphragm oxygenates your blood, which helps you relax almost instantly. Shallow chest breathing, by contrast, can cause your heart to beat faster and your muscles to tense up, exacerbating feelings of stress. To breathe deeply, begin by putting your hand on your abdomen just below the navel. Inhale slowly through your nose and watch your hand move out as your belly expands. Hold the breath for a few seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times.

2. Visualize Calm
It sounds New Age-y, but at least one study, done at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, has found that it's highly effective in reducing stress. Dr. Cooper recommends imagining you're in a hot shower and a wave of relaxation is washing your stress down the drain. You can also close your eyes, take three long, slow breaths, and spend a few seconds picturing a relaxing scene, such as walking in a meadow, kneeling by a brook, or lying on the beach. Focus on the details -- the sights, the sounds, the smells.

Thank you Dale...

[proudest_mama]

Wonderful suggestions but I can't help but wonder how difficult it is for some people and easier for others.

Case in point ... our daughter tends to take what's said about her too personally. So, during a car ride, when we had her undivided attention, we talked to her about it. She agreed and understood where we were coming from.

Low and behold, a few days later she went off the deep end again over something fairly mild.

The point is that she's aware that it should be addressed. She just can't seem to get out of her funk and not react. So now I'll take a different angle and will print these out and see if it helps. I imagine that having something concrete to read, process, or whatnot has to be easier than just mentally trying to convince yourself.

Thanks for the info. Stress is my worst enemy ... and in a lot of ways hers, too!

[GregD]

Thanks for this Dale. I'm always looking for ways to beat stress.

You might want to add this to the list. Get a BIG hammer and beat the **** out of something. It sounds violent but it really works for me. Actually, I think it works better than most of the remedies for stress.

GregD