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Effective Ways to Reduce Stress

Post a new topicby TotalWellness on Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:28 pm

Stress begins in different moments and ways. It attacks us from multiple angles, and finding its sources can be a tedious job that ends up increasing it (since stress itself becomes a problem we're aware of, one we don't have time to solve). And it doesn't get any better when we're told that the very cause of stress lies at the core of modern life: what are we supposed to do? Move out of town; start a new life in a farm? I bet farmers suffer from stress, too. Besides, we're so used to living in the city that we would probably run away from the country in less than a minute.

So, instead of trying to find the causes of stress, go for a practical solution, something that neutralizes it without paying too much attention to it. Here's a quick guide to hit stress back:

1) Exercise

Walk for twenty minutes each day. Feel the pavement under your feet. Breath calmly while you let the vision of your hands strangling your boss fade away for a moment. It is scientifically proven. It changes body chemistry, the nervous system clears, the inner electrical storm goes away, and neurons go out and dance in the streets of your brain. Aerobic exercise is especially good for producing endorphins in the body.

2) Correct your poor posture

Poor posture when you're sitting can result in tension, headaches, back pain, or lack of focus. Try to be aware of your posture and correct it. How? Align your ears over your shoulders. Raise both arms straight up, along side your ears. Remember to keep your ears aligned! Bend forearms toward shoulders to touch your shoulder blades. Do 10 repetitions with both arms, then alternate 10 reps for each arm separately. Align ears with shoulders. Raise both arms out to sides at shoulder length. Hold for a slow count of ten. Slowly lower arms to sides, counting ten as you lower. Slowly raise arms back to shoulder height, counting to ten as you raise arms. Do ten reps, constantly checking your alignment! If ten reps are too many to start, do as many as you can. You should at least feel a slight fatigue in the shoulder muscles.

3) Take some time to do what you like

Do it alone, and away from everything. Don't let every day issues and their noise interfere in your moment of relaxation. Only you can decide what this activity is: reading, painting; it can be any hobby in the world.

4) Get a professional massage

This is a great and natural way to reduce stress. It's been practiced for thousands of years, and different cultures have treated it as a science and have developed their own disciplines around it. If you live near Ontario, asking an Ontario chiropractor for a referral to a great registered massage therapist can lead you to a healthier, and more relaxed, life.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day!

Carri Drzyzga
[moderator note: website address has been removed]
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TotalWellness
 
Posts: 2 | Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:54 pm | Location: Ontario CA

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