How to Relieve Stress

We've all been there. You have a million things to do and no time to do them. Your deadlines are closing in, and you feel like you haven't even started. The kids are being a pain. The dog needs to be walked. You're not sleeping well.

A little stress is a positive thing. It can motivate us to action. But, if you're like most of us, you are stressed to insanity. This can be harmful, and even fatal.

So what can you do about it?

Things You Will Need

Step 1 Stop for a moment and breathe. Close your eyes and consciously breathe deeply, slowly.

This may sound cliche, but it really works. Think about it, most Americans don't use their full lung capacity. We get so used to shallow breathing that we don't even realize we're doing it.

Unfortunately, not breathing deeply deprives our bodies of oxygen and reduces their ability to deal with stress - both physically and emotionally.

Getting more oxygen into your system helps to repair the damage stress can do to your body. It repairs muscles and relieves tension. It really works.
Step 2 Pray.

Amazingly, research has shown that people who pray are, overall, far less stressed than average. Why is that?

Praying let's a person pause to take time out of the and bring things into focus.
Step 3 If you don't pray, take a moment to pause and just clear your mind. Try envision a peaceful scene - like a waterfall, or a sunny day. In doing so, you take your mind off your worries and give yourself a chance to regain focus and relax.
Step 4 Exercise.

Physical exertion helps to relieve muscle tension. Many people find that lifting weights, running, walking, and the like is a fantastic way to zap stress. Exercise reduces stress hormones like cortisol. An added benefit to this is weight loss and an increased metabolism.
Step 5 Eat better.

It may seem unrelated, but if you don't get the nutrition your body needs, it cannot effectively deal with stress. By getting the nutrients you need, you are able to relieve stress more quickly and avoid unnecessary physical tension.
Step 6 Sleep.

Sleep puts your body in an inactive state - giving it a break from the day-to-day rigors of work.

If you find sleep difficult, look into the use of a white noise machine. You may also look into using melatonin. Melatonin is a natural chemical made in the brain that regulates sleep/wake cycles. Melatonin is available in several forms - including pills. As with anything, be sure to ask your doctor before you start using ANY sleeping aid.

NOTE: If you have chronic stress problems, talk to your doctor as something more serious may be going on.