Three Stress Relief Techniques

There is good stress, and there is bad stress. Good stress is the type that propels a person to excel, to reach new heights or to complete a big project on time.

And there is bad stress. Stress that comes from conflict or worries. Stress that keeps a person from sleeping and happiness. Stress that calls for relief. Here are three stress-relief tips you can follow.

Meditation for stress relief.

Can there be a more obvious stress relief strategy than to bring your entire physical being to a calm? Meditation techniques often involve visualization of something calm, like a blank screen or clouds. Or it can mean clearing your mind entirely.

If stress is caused by how we allow our minds to captured by worries and fears, then replacing those worries and fears with calmer images is the obvious way to reduce stress.

You can sign up for a free course on meditation techniques to reduce stress at my website.

Exercise to reduce stress.

If relaxing to a state where even your blood vessels are almost still is the ultimate in stress relief, surely exercise, which gets even your blood pumping at breakneck speed, must be the ultimate stress demon.

Not so. Exercise is a big stress reliever. In fact, the bigger the muscles you exercise, the more less stress you will bear. That's because exercise releases physical tension in the muscles.

Here's another tip: exercise in water to reduce stress even more. Why? Because you are more buoyant on water; gravity takes a much gentler toll on your body, so the tension created in your muscles just by holding you up gets released. For the ultimate stress release, exercise in water. Or meditate in water. Or laugh in water.

Laughter reduces stress, too.

Yes, laughter also relieves stress. The muscles we use to laugh are those tense ones in our faces. When we loosen them, we release tension from our faces. We also allow more blood to flow to the pleasure centers of the brain (which might be why someone with a 'good sense of humor' is considered more attractive).

I think I will close with this excerpt from my newsletter, A Daily Dose of Happiness, which shows the value of a little creative humor:

"Little Lady was guarding the space between the trees, as I tried to kick her little ball past her.

"Then an idea struck me. Off to the side lay a large, purple fit ball that the kids like to be bounced on. A rushed over, rolled it into the clearing and kicked it toward Little Lady. 'Giant Blueberry Soccer!' I shouted. She laughed.

"For the next ten or fifteen minutes, we rolled and licked and laughed and shouted, "Giant Blueberry Soccer!"

"What a great family moment, stress relief, joy-injector, fun and more. My formula was simple, and you can do it too. Look around and find something that just would not belong, like a too-big ball. Then imagine what it might be, like a blueberry. Then thrust it into your situation with all the gusto you can apply.

"Have fun."

David Leonhardt is a Canadian freelance writer and a self-help books author.

---

Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home

Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home1. Create... Read More

Strategies for Eliminating and Managing Stress

To combat modern day stressors, you need to realize that... Read More

Stress Relief ? A Backyard Hot Tub Is Your Answer

We all know what it's like coming home from a... Read More

7 Solutions for Practical Stress Management

Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get used to... Read More

The Message Bill Heard

Voice: Bill!Bill: I thought I heard a voice.Voice: Bill! This... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: Practicing Perspective

Q. I wonder if you could help me with a... Read More

Stress Management: How to Use the Power of Focus

Here's a fun little experiment:Take a few seconds and look... Read More

Rested? The Three Keys to Finding True Rest, Just in Case

What do you think of when you see that word?... Read More

Stress in the Workplace

Why are you so busy? Do you really have too... Read More

Workaholism: 4 Universal Laws for Recovery

The Rule of BalanceThere is more to life than work.... Read More

Manage Stress By Focusing On Solutions And By Having A Laugh

Marshal John Kruger acted by Arnold Schwarzenegger (who else) in... Read More

Mindfulness and Laughter: Gaining Clarity While Giggling

Life is funny.Throughout the day, there are plenty of humorous... Read More

Do You Have Your Foot On The Pedal? Are You Overwhelmed At Work?

Is your in-tray or inbox full? I don't normally check... Read More

Stress Managment and Mastery: Break the Rules!

Of all the sources of stress in our lives, faulty... Read More

Conflict Resolution ... What The Heck Are You Thinking?

Do you get frustrated with your spouse, your kids, your... Read More

[Emotional Health] Are You Feeling In Control?

When it is all said and done, do you feel... Read More

4 Steps to Teaching Your Family to Treat You Better

Case #1- Elizabeth, a 40 year old homemaker was always... Read More

Spontaneous Play

"We do not stop playing because we grow old. We... Read More

Is Worry Necessary?

Who hasn't experienced "worry" at one time or another? Almost... Read More

Stress Management: How to Change Limiting Beliefs

Mark Twain once said, "It's not what we don't know... Read More

Stress Management and Mastery: Frustration or Fascination

"Learn how to turn frustration into fascination. You will learn... Read More

The Cost of Stress ? the Need to Monitor and Manage the Risks!

How much attention is paid to one of the biggest... Read More

Training Your Mind For Better Business and Leisure

Training Your Mind For Better Business and LeisureModern life moves... Read More

Stress Control: Tough Leadership vs. Easy Does It

Tough leaders are usually seen as ogres. Their exacting demands... Read More

Eldercare/Caregiving Stress--Managing Holidays

Caring for a chronically ill loved one can be one... Read More

Stress Tips

26 ways to minimize and manage the unhealthy effects of... Read More

What The Most Dangerous Job In The World Taught Me About Coping With Stress

I just got through reading some troubling news in the... Read More

Break Up Your Day And Become More Productive

Often, in today's fast paced world, we forget to take... Read More

Self-Healing Basics

* The material presented in this article is provided for... Read More

Ease Your Stress ? Change Your Life!

Feeling stressed? Who isn't!! In today's society, feeling "stressed out,"... Read More

Stress and Your Immune System: 10 Ways to Relax and Rejuvenate

Stress seems to have become a constant factor in today's... Read More

Reduce The Stress!

First, let's make a distinction between pressure and stress. We... Read More

Stress Management Shouldnt Create More Stress. 10 Ways To Reduce Unreasonable Stress and Boost Perf

We all know that stress levels in the workplace are... Read More