How To Know You Are Stressed And How To Avoid It?

Stress is our body’s way of responding to any type of demand or threat. When we feel threatened, our nervous system responds by secreting a flood of stress hormones which include adrenaline and cortisol. Those hormones rouse the body for emergency action. As a result heartbeats get quicker, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breathing quickens, and senses get sharper. These physical changes boost your strength and stamina, increase your reaction time, and enhance your focus. This is called the ‘fight or flight’ or mobilization stress response and this is how your body protects you. Here are some.

 

Signs that Denote you are Stressed

YOU ARE CONSTANTLY SICK: If you keep getting a cough, sore throat or a fever, it might be because of the stress.

As per medical professionals, when we are under too much pressure, our bodies release a stress hormone called cortisol which can help us in the short-term. However, when you are stressed out constantly, these hormones can become depleted after some time. Though cortisol and other hormones help our body to cope with stress, we get more susceptible to sickness when these hormones are withdrawn.

What to do: Listen to your body if you feel drained or tired and take some time off your schedule. Sleep for at least 8 hours daily. Give your body the time it requires to recover. Find the Best Spa in your locality and pamper yourself with a Body Massage.

 

 

YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE CONCENTRATING: You are definitely under stress if you are too overwhelmed to focus on what is in front of you, or you can’t recall simple things such as a colleague’s name.

Studies have connected long-term exposure to surplus amounts of stress to shrinking of the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus. Research has also shown that being under stress for too long can stimulate growth of proteins that might lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

What to do: If it seems that you are experiencing this throughout the day, taking a few long inhales and exhales can help when under extreme pressure. Deep breathing helps us to control our thoughts and it also affects the bodily sensations which we experience when faced with a high-stress situation. Deep breathing also helps to control the heart rate and blood flow and muscle tension.

 

YOU HAVE A CONSTANT HEADACHE: If you feel pressure or throbbing anywhere on your head or temple area, it might just be a stress headache which is caused by tension.

Most of the time people tend to think that any particular problem in their life is causing the headache, but their lifestyle should be blamed instead. However, you should keep in mind that a headache might be a sign of some serious health problem. So, at those times you should visit a doctor immediately.

What to do: When you understand that stress is causing you headache; the easiest thing to do is to have less stress in your life. But it is not that simple. It is a challenge to de-stress yourself. Meditation, diet control, music, Spa therapies are some of the ways to cope with stress. A relaxing de-stress massage is a sure shot. Choose oil from aromatherapy essential oils, which may help to relax your brain. Ask your spa expert for more on the choice of oil.

 

 

YOUR BACK AND NECK IS ALWAYS ACHING: If you have got Back Pain or Stiff Neck, it could be because of long-term stress, and not only the position you sit in throughout the day. High levels of stress and tension can result in discomfort and Muscle Pain by tightening muscles and causing muscle spasms. Knotted muscles in your neck can also give birth to headaches. However, if you have developed backache and neck pain after an accident or emotional trauma, it could be due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Surveys have shown that a lot of people are not able to heal their backache until they handle the emotional stress which is causing it.

What to do: There are many relaxation techniques that can help you with stress reduction, including guided imagery, taking deep breaths, meditation and even getting a Spa. You should devote some time to Stretching breaks during the day to help stop muscles from tightening up. You can also try yoga at the end of the day. This will help ease your Joint Pain as well.

For Neck Pain and knots in the muscles, a gentle massage helps release the tension in muscles. A Potli massage with warm herbal oil can provide immediate relief. You may ask your nearest Spa for a Potli massage or may consult a physiotherapist for neck exercises.

 

YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING A SOUND SLEEP: If you find yourself waking up in middle of the night or pondering on things, it could mean you are suffering from anxiety or stress. After a long and tiring day, you should fall asleep easily. Our brain only relaxes during the time we sleep. When you have a difficult time falling asleep, even when you are tired, it is possibly because of the stress.

What to do: Consult your doctor about this and ask if your chronic stress may have led to this. When you are not getting enough sleep, everyday problems can make you feel more frustrated and overwhelmed. This happens as your brain is already tired and hence is more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. A worn out body is not properly prepared to cope with stressful situations and ward off illness. To get proper sleep at night, cut back on caffeinated beverages. You can opt to have a cup of warm chamomile tea before hitting the bed. You could even try reading a book before going to bed.

 

YOU ARE HAVING MORE THAN USUAL HAIR FALL: When you find more than a few strands of hair on your pillow after waking up in the morning, it may be because of the constant stress. You could be suffering from a medical condition known as alopecia areata, an autoimmune skin disease, which is brought on when the body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles. It causes small round patches of hair loss on the scalp. It is likely to be associated with a severe stressor, such as an assault or a significant traumatic event. This disease usually happens in young women.

 

 

What to do: Usually, this is a temporary condition and your hair will grow back once the stress has reduced. Try to take a few days of leave from the office and get a relaxing body massage or just take up a membership with a spa and get de-stress therapy done. Some Ayurvedic massages like Shirodhara are helpful in combating stress.

In a nutshell, most health problems could be an indicator of your stress level. The first thing that has to be done is to de-stress oneself and understand the underlying cause of the problem. Most stress situations can be combated and worked at. A doctor or a counselor should suggest the corrective measures or if medical intervention is needed. So, uninstall the word ‘Stress’ from the motherboard of your life.

Is your headache Migraine?

Most of us often experience head pain. What is a head pain? Sometimes, the symptom of a pain is felt in the areas of the head and neck. Head pain can be caused due to several reasons such as migraine, stress and tension related headache and due to cold. Though a normal headache is not treated seriously it often hampers our energy potential and efficiency to work.  A frequent occurrence of head pain can affect your professional life and as well as relationships. Sometimes, the risk of depression increases due to the severe and frequent head pain. The most important thing for the treatment is the identification of the category of your headache. Otherwise, you cannot prevent this type of health hazard.

 

What is migraine and what are the causes?

As we have stated earlier, there are different causes why we experience head pain. How will you identify if your problem is related to migraine? Most of the common symptoms of migraine include vomiting, nausea, numbness or tingling, difficulty in speaking, sensitivity to light and sound but there are other symptoms also which vary from person to person. A migraine may occur genetically where some particular genetic components are responsible for it. During recent research, this fact has been found. There is no such age limit. It can affect you at any age and at your younger age too.

The period of an attack can vary from individual to individual and according to the severity of your symptoms. In general, it lasts for at least four hours. You have to visit your physician or hospital if you cannot get over even after four days of the migraine attack.

There are different phases of a migraine attack. Sometimes, you can experience the attack even without the head pain. This type of attack is known as “silent migraine” and medically referred to as acephalgic migraine.

 

How will you differentiate migraine from a regular headache?

It is still debatable whether migraine is a neurological disorder or a neurological disease. It also can affect you without head pain. So, it is not just a regular headache, it includes different devastating neurological symptoms. In general, migraine head pain occurs on one side of the head and throbbing in nature. Therefore, migraine pain is quite different from the regular symptoms caused by the common cold and cough where people experience delicate discomforts related to the head.

 

Why is sinus different from migraine?

Some people often are confused between the symptoms of migraine and sinus. More than 90% cases, migraine is misdiagnosed as sinus. Whereas the pain related to migraine is associated with facial and forehead pressure, runny nose and nasal congestion, the symptoms of the sinus are related to the blocked and filled sinuses crammed with fluid and other bacterial growth.

What is the definition of sinus or sinus infection? It is the swelling or an inflammation of the tissues lining the sinuses. Normally, a healthy sinus is filled with air. Due to some reasons, these sinuses are blocked or filled with fluid and germs which can cause infection further. Then you will experience discomfort and problems.

 

Reasons for sinus blockage:

  • Sometimes, the common cold causes sinus blockage.
  • Allergies rhinitis which swells on the lining of your nose.
  • Nasal polyps or small growth particles in the lining of the nose.
  • A deviated septum – a change in your nasal cavity.
  • Due to the sensitivity and allergic tendency to a particular chemical, a sinus infection may happen.
  • Immune system deficiency can cause sinus infections. Sometimes, a certain type of medication can also decrease your natural immunity power. People in this condition may suffer from sinus infections.

 

 

How many types of sinus infections may occur?

According to the severity of your infection, sinus can be classified as the following:

Acute sinus: It can start with the common symptoms of cold and cough such as the stuffy and runny nose, head and facial pain. Normally, you have to suffer for 2-4 weeks.

Sub acute sinus: It lasts for 4 to 12 weeks.

Chronic infection: This type of chronic sinus infection or sinusitis will make you suffer for more than 12 weeks.

Infected sinus: It occurs multiple times a year.

 

How will you get a complete revival from severe head pain, migraine and sinus?

When you get a severe migraine attack you wish to do whatever to get over this problem. If you have a serious attack which lasts for more than 4 days, then you need to follow a proper prescription suggested by a specialist doctor. But you can avoid, prevent or at least lower down the duration and the severity with the help of natural home remedies.

 

Cool down with an ice pack: Place an ice pack on your forehead or you can substitute it with a piece of wet cloth. It works whatever the actual reason is. Maybe it can reduce blood flow to relax your muscles.

 

Caffeine: You can have a cup of tea or coffee to get some mild relief. It will absorb fatigue and provide you energy thus you will feel lower pain in your head.

 

Oil massage: you can use lavender oil as a migraine oil to get relief from the head pain by inhaling it or simply massaging it on your forehead. It will relax your tissues and muscles. If you don’t have lavender, you can choose peppermint oil which contains menthol. You can apply and massage with peppermint oil or any menthol solution on the forehead and temples. It is more effective than any of the popular painkillers that you always take during your migraine and sinus attacks.

Acupressure: You can opt for acupressure therapy. On the particular points of your body, a specialist will apply pressure with the finger. It surely will give you relief from severe migraine and sinus. A proper acupressure can help you to overcome nausea caused by migraine.

 

Folk remedy with feverfew: It is flowering herb which is used for years to prevent the symptoms of migraine and to get relief from the pain. Though it is not established scientifically yet, experienced people say it reacts positively to lower down the discomfort level and the duration of the pain.

Now you know the difference between migraine pain and normal headache, you have to keep in mind, a severe stage of head pain, migraine and sinus infection should only be treated medically along with a properly prescribed medicine.

Why do we procrastinate and what can we do about it?

Procrastination is a common behavioral problem that we all deal with every now and then. Some people are so seriously affected by this procrastination problem that it becomes the biggest hurdle in fulfilling their goals and disrupts their career and personal life.

Sometimes, you may have something important on your plate and you may even want to get started on your task, but you just can’t and use every excuse in the world to put off those tasks.

Do you often feel a need for something to motivate you or raise your spirits? If you want to beat the bad habit of procrastination, and get your tasks done on time, then you have come to the right place. Here are some strategies that will help you power through the procrastination and get some stuff done.

 

Reduce your stress factors

Anxiety related procrastination is a very common problem for people suffering with anxiety disorders. Well, you can’t change the world around you, so removing all the stress factors from life is not possible, but you can surely try to manage it better and eliminate some of the regular causes of anxiety and stress

With effective medical treatment, support, and proper guidance, you can learn ways to change your mindset and move forward in life. Once you bring down your anxiety level, it will eventually help you in overcoming anxiety-related procrastination.

 

Develop your own tactics

 You can successfully deal with stress and stress related procrastination if you use mindfulness techniques like meditation and pranayam etc. Several psychiatric research and studies show that these mindfulness techniques are very effective in coping with physical and emotional symptoms of your anxiety.

Light stretching exercises and some simple yoga moves can also aid in reducing anxiety and stress level by affecting the body’s biochemistry. Massage therapy can be effective for insomnia, stress, anxiety and several types of behavioral problems like procrastination etc. Massage increases your oxytocin and serotonin levels, which in turn helps in alleviating negative impact of stress and anxiety from your body.

 

Prioritize your tasks

The pressure of handling too many tasks and daily activities in a short period of time can be very stressful for anyone. It makes you feel burdened and your mind starts looking for excuses to avoid those activities.

 So in order to de-clutter your mind, you should prioritize every big and small task; then work hard and push yourself to accomplish your high priority tasks first. When you list down your goals on a piece of paper, you unconsciously force yourself to do it. This trick works for not just long-term goals, but short-term goals, too. Focus on big tasks instead of using little tasks to procrastinate big ones. Realize that these smaller tasks are important and valuable, but they shouldn’t become a reason for delaying the most important work.

 

Make time for regular exercise

If stress on the job is interfering with your efficiency and making you a habitual procrastinator, then it’s time to think seriously about it. No matter how stressful your job is, there are a variety of activities that you can do to reduce your stress levels and refresh your mind.

When you feel overburdened, lose confidence and feel less motivated, take some time out for aerobic exercise or zumba to raise your heart rate and to  make yourself sweat. It is a hugely popular and effective way of lifting mood and bringing the focus back on work. Just 30 minutes of daily rhythmic movement like walking, jogging or dancing etc. can relax both your mind and body.

Don’t hesitate to take a quick break and move away from the stressful situation for a few minutes; just a fun chat with your colleague or even a trip to the water cooler or coffee machine can help you recover your balance.

 

Take massage therapy or aromatherapy

Don’t forget that relaxation therapies are extremely important to reduce stress and refresh your body and mind so that you can correctly handle your daily life challenges. A 60-minute soothing massage therapy may help you relax and get the focus back on important tasks. Your body and mind needs time to recharge, revive, and just float away. What could be a better way of pampering yourself than getting a full body oil massage or aromatherapy at your favorite spa? During your massage session, don’t think about all the activities that need to be completed, set aside your to-do list, and just concentrate on quieting your mind and relaxing the body.

 

Make time for yourself

With so many responsibilities and obligations, you may find it difficult to take some time out for things that you really enjoy. It is important to realize that you can tackle anxiety and anxiety-related procrastination better if you make an effort to relax your body and mind. Instead of sitting idle in front of TV or laptop on weekends, try to pick up a hobby like writing, reading, biking, painting, or cooking etc.

 Do something that you love to do; it will give you satisfaction and motivation to accomplish your goals. Many psychiatric research studies have come to a conclusion that stress at work is, by far, the major source of procrastination and other behavioral problems.

 

 

Eat more green vegetables and fruits

 All parts of our body like the brain, heart, and liver require energy to function properly and this energy comes from the food we consume.  So, the best way to keep your body energized and active is to give yourself the best food possible. Scientists claim that your food plays an important role in deciding your mood which explains why you feel sluggish after a big lunch or dinner.

We all know that green leafy vegetables are good for us; they provide loads of vitamins, fibers and antioxidants. Fresh vegetables and fruits are full of nutrients that refresh your tired body and mind. Similarly, fruits are also loaded with natural sugar that offers a punch of energy to your exhausted mind. You can simply rely on a healthy natural diet with fruits and vegetables to get rid of fatigue related procrastination.

In addition to all of this, you need to take time for your skin and health. After all, our skin reflects our health. When you are stressed and overworked, your skin becomes dull, dark spots appear, and you may experience pain in your body. Take some time from your busy schedule to take care of your skin.

8 Exercises to Keep Stress at Bay

Do I have a profound hatred for waking up early in the morning? Yes. Do I have insurmountable amounts of stress? Also, yes. Has waking up early to do some of these stress-management exercises helped my grumpy self? Also, also yes.

Okay, let’s be honest. Stress in our lives is like that villain everyone dislikes, it has no redemption. The worst part about being under the duress of stress (see what I did there?) is the fact that stress is not a visible phenomenon. Sure, it has many different kinds of physical manifestations but it can be challenging for people to identify you’re stressed. And that can add a lot more stress on your plate (which to be fair, is no parmesan so you must learn to say ‘when’).

More often than not, we tend to ignore stress like the plague. And when it becomes unbearable, we run to our doctors. Now, don’t get me wrong, the medicines they prescribe sure do work, a lot better than bottling all that stress up! But does them being effective mean that they’re also safe for continuous consumption? After all, these are small pills of chemicals and minerals that are supposed to help you in a pinch, not become regular to the point where you’re dependent on them. In the longer run, exercising is the healthiest and most practical way of reducing and managing your everyday stress.

If you’re unable to eliminate your stressors (like when your neighbors just won’t stop being loud), the next best thing to do is to manage them (a good dummy-punching session may do the trick!). Here are some tried and tested exercises that are great stress busters:

 

 

Mindful Meditation

For decades, the simple practice of meditation has been overcomplicated to the point where the thought of meditating or being asked to meditate would give me more stress than meditation itself would relieve. I remember despising the meditation periods back in middle school. It just seemed so redundant to me. However, a while back, during one intensely stressful week of assignment submissions, I decided to give a try to the most basic meditation technique I could find. I willed myself to repeat it at least once a day for a few minutes for the next 2-3 days and it finally started to make sense. Here’s what I followed: –

  • Try to eliminate all controllable disturbances from your surroundings.
  • Sit cross-legged on the ground and get comfortable.
  • Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.
  • Keep doing so for a short period.
  • Then open your eyes and slowly divide your focus between the things you see and the sounds you hear.
  • Repeat a few more times. This meditation can be done anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour, once a day.

Keep doing so for a short period

 

 

Yoga

We’ve been taught about the wonders of ‘yog’ or “yoga” (as the West likes to call it) ever since we were literal children. There would be these yoga camps all through May and June during my summer vacations. I think it’s ironic how tranquil times were back then. While there may not be any correlation between the yoga camps and the lack of stress in my life back then, yog surely is a source of comfort now. Just like all other good things in life, one must learn to be consistent with stress-management exercises. There are many yogic practices and asanas one can choose to follow but personally, early morning Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) (consisting of 12 poses) have been the most effective in preparing me for the “upcoming” stressors in my day. Here’s how to perform Surya Namaskar: –

 

  • Layout your yoga mat on the floor and stand at its edge.
  • Pranamasana: Balancing your weight equally on both feet, keep your heels together and slightly open your toes so that they move away from each other. Take your shoulders back and relax so that your chest expands. Breathe in while lifting your arms. Then exhale while bringing the palms together in front of your chest as if you were praying.
  • Hastauttanasana: While breathing in, lift your arms from the front and pull them back over your head. Ensure that your biceps are close to your ears. From this position, push out your pelvis a tad and attempt to pull your entire body up and back without bending your legs and keeping them firmly placed on the ground.
  • Hastapadasana: Bend forward (while breathing out) from the waist and ensure that the spine remains erect. Slowly bring your hands to the floor beside your feet as you finish exhaling.
  • Ashwa Sanchalanasana: Push your right leg (whilst breathing in) as far back as possible. Touch your right knee to the floor and look towards the sky, as you breathe out.
  • Dandasana: Breathe in while taking the left leg back so as to bring your entire body in a straight line.
  • Ashtanga Namaskara: Touch both your knees to the ground and exhale. Raise your hips from the back and touch both your chest as well chin to the ground.
  • Bhujangasana: Slide forward whilst breathing in and raise your chest so as to resemble a cobra. Keep your shoulders away from your ears and your arms slightly bent and look up.
  • Adho Mukha Swanasana: Breathing in, reinforce the grip of your hands and feet on the ground, then lift your buttocks and spine to bring your body into the inverted shape of the alphabet ‘V’.
  • Repeat poses 4 (Ashwa Sanchalanasana), 3 (Hastapadasana), and 2 (Hastauttanasana).
  • Tadasana: Straighten your body while exhaling, followed by bringing your arms down. Then relax in this position and observe the sensations in your body.
  • This salutation can be repeated up to 108 times in one go (which burns 1500 calories approximately). However, it is recommended that you start slowly from 5-10 salutations.

 

 

Stretching

Light stretching exercises as a way of dealing with stress are probably the easiest stress-buster in the entirety of this guide. Stretching is my go-to exercise when I’m overwhelmed with work, have to finish 20 different tasks, and have no time to spare. Stretching can keep you going for a lot longer than you actually would without any means of management while still being able to finish work (a total win-win). It is quick, effective, efficient, and requires little to no space. I’ve actually already done it once while writing this blog! Here’s what I like to do: –

 

Light stretching exercises

 

  • Stretching your back: Stand up straight wherever you like. Raise your arms straight above your head and interlock them. Whilst keeping them straight, bend sideways to the left from the waist. Go as far down as possible while ensuring your body faces the same way. Do not bend your legs. Repeat the same motion for the right side, forward as well as backward.
  • Stretching your shoulders: Stand up straight and relax. Curl up your right arm and grab its elbow from your left arm. Pull the elbow towards the left as you straighten out your right arm in the same direction. Hold for a few seconds and release. Repeat with the other hand.

 

 

Running

Running as a stress-buster is not for the weak-legged folks. It takes up a lot of energy to make a habit out of running (I still struggle with it!) but once you get the hang of it, it can be really rewarding to run long distances to clear your headspace. The increased physical activity certainly does great things for your health but it also doubles as an effective tool when dealing with high amounts of stress.

 

There isn’t much of a technique to running but here are a few things you can do to make the most of the experience and enhance it as your stress-management exercise: –

  • Invest in good, concern-specific shoes. Running is a high-intensity workout and exerts a lot of pressure on your feet. To ensure that you don’t end up writhing in pain after every run, invest in shoes specifically engineered for running and pick and fit and size and appropriate for you.
  • Run while listening to music. Music can do so many different things for us. It can motivate you while also giving you tranquillity. Listening to music while running can be a fun experience and the perfect stress buster as it engages your mind and gives it something to pay attention to so that you don’t tire sooner than your real potential.
  • Run in empty spaces. Running takes space because of the sheer speed someone is at. Hence, running in crowded places is as good as not running at all. So, to avoid bumping into people and other objects, choose an open space for running. This can be conducive to the purpose as you will be less likely to feel irritable and will find it easier to cause a drop in your stress levels.
  • Run either in the morning or at night. Running early in the morning or a little later in the night are both good options for people who want to run and avoid the sensory overload of interacting with others. When there aren’t many people or cars or other noise-causing agents, it is easier for an individual to feel at peace. This should, however, only be done when you have appropriate means of self-defense.

 

 

Brisk Walking

If you’re someone whose stamina is as bad as mine, you’re probably not the best at running. And while running is a great stress-relieving exercise, it should not come at the cost of you heaving and gasping for breath on the side of the road. A better alternative for you (and me) would be to try brisk walking. The benefits of brisk walking are the same as running, only it doesn’t tire you half as much! Brisk walking is essentially walking faster than you normally would. A good way to find out if you’re actually brisk walking would be to check your speed and step count. The average brisk walking speed is approximately 4.5 miles per hour. It can also be measured as about 100 steps in a minute.

 

stress-relieving exercise

 

And while there’s not a lot of “technique” involved in walking, here are a few things you can do to maximize its benefits and make it more effective as a stress-buster: –

  • Wear good quality walking shoes. Similar to running, the purpose of walking also has shoes specifically engineered for it. These are the shoes that should be worn when one goes on long walks and is regular for brisk walking.
  • Find a walking partner. Walking alone for the sake of walking can feel boring and redundant. Finding a partner to walk with can make the activity of walking itself a lot more exciting. It can even make one look forward to walking because of the association it has. Having a partner also keeps you motivated and in check.
  • Walk in gardens and parks. The visuals of your surroundings are more important than you think. Brisk walking in a scenic park or a lush garden is likely to relieve you of your stress a lot more effectively as compared to doing the same in a random street or on the side of the road.
  • Walk twice a day. As we’ve already established, brisk walking and running are very similar. However, the arena wherein they differ, is their intensity. Walking twice a day can give you similar results to running once a day.

 

 

Dancing

You know those great dancers who can dance effortlessly, anywhere, without choreography and enjoy dancing in public a lot? Yeah, I’m not one of them. In fact, I’m nowhere even close. Dancing when you have an audience can be nerve-wracking and that’s like stress’ annoying cousin, she just can’t sit with us (mean girls reference!). But, that’s the beauty of dancing. It doesn’t have to be rhythmic or well-choreographed or graceful or anything else! So long as it makes you feel good and is able to relieve some of your stress, it works great!

There is no specific recipe when it comes to dancing to relieve stress, especially when you’re just starting out but here are a few tips that may help.

 

  • Start freestyling your own way and follow choreographies later. If you’re new at dancing and have no sense of rhythm (personally guilty!), attempting to follow someone else’s choreography and not being able to do so properly can make you conscious of your skills, or lack thereof and in turn, can end up making you more stressed than when you began!
  • Always play the music you’re fond of. When you’re only starting to experiment with dancing, playing the music you already like is the safe choice to make. This is not the time to be adventurous but rather to explore yourself. The focus should be on bidding farewell to the stress you’ve been holding rather than focusing on the musical elements.
  • Do it alone. When you want to dance for yourself, you should dance by yourself. Someone else’s presence when you’re dancing your stress can be a daunting experience. It can take away the focus from dancing to feel better, to dancing to look better.

 

 

Boxing

I’ve already mentioned that punching dummies when your neighbours are being too loud works wonders. You can take a similar but more refined approach and choose boxing as a hobby or perhaps even as a sport!

People have two primary types of responses when they’re stressed. They either break down and cry, which is completely normal and healthy, or they possess aggressive tendencies which can also be healthily expressed if dealt with carefully. One such way is to pick up a sport like boxing.

 

Things to keep in mind when trying to box as a beginner: –

  • Do not box with people without proper training. While boxing a punching bag is a fun outlet for your stress to dissipate, doing so with actual people can be harmful and problematic for both parties involved.
  • Avoid boxing for sport. Since the purpose here is to deal with stress effectively, it can be served with a few practice sessions here and there. Making a boxing career out of it is likely to be more stress-inducing than the activity is stress-relieving.
  • Wear appropriate safety gear. An injury caused by the lack of proper safety gear is bound to double up as a stressor and in turn, do more harm than good.

boxing a punching bag is a fun outlet for your stress to dissipate

 

 

Tai Chi

I’ll be honest, I hadn’t even heard of this exercise to deal with stress up until now. I watched one video on the complete art and workout and safe to say, I am sold! Tai Chi is a gentle practice that matches slow and deliberate movements with breathing exercises. It originates from an ancient chinese tradition and is practiced as a graceful form of exercise in this day and age. It comprises a non-competitive, self-paced system wherein there exists a seamless flow of one posture to another, which ensures that your body is constantly in motion.

Tai Chi can be performed by people of all ages and fitness levels as it puts minimal stress on muscles and is generally low-impact. It can be done anywhere, indoors or outdoors, and is extremely cost-effective as it requires little to no equipment.

The perfect way to go about learning and performing Tai Chi is either through watching videos online or hiring a trainer.

 

 

Bottom Line

Stress is a common phenomenon shared by humans everywhere alike. The way the world has progressed, our lives have been burdened with sensory overload. It can be difficult to understand how to deal with said phenomenon and is confusing to think why these exercises and techniques are not more spoken about. One may feel overwhelmed to think about the adverse effects stress can have on their body and mind and how good or harmful stress medication is for them, but with the aforementioned exercises, the process becomes infinitesimally easier.

How to know that you are stressed?

One of the most consistent factors in human beings’ life is “stress”. Every person goes under a period of stress due to innumerable reasons that life offers. Problems and tension are the fundamental factors which causes stress.

Stress is somewhat a mental state where people lose focus on every activity that they perform.

A life of a person is not really a bed of red roses. At times there are difficulties that are hard to deal with. To overcome the difficulties is the main challenge that an individual has to face.

When stress occurs within our comfort area it can somehow help us to perform better, motivate us to do the best thing and even saves us from danger.  But on the contrary when it becomes overwhelming, it can certainly damage mood and relationships which leads to serious health conditions.

In this contemporary age, the level of stress is much higher among people. Life is full of frustrations, anxiety, pressure and hatred.  Be it person or professional circle, a tremendous amount of negativity has encircled life.

Before moving on with further discussion, let’s focus on what is stress in a broader manner.

Effects of stress

Stress is our body’s response to any kind of demand or threat. When an individual is threatened or scared the nervous system of the body reacts to it by releasing a flood of stress hormones like adrenaline. In such situation there occur certain physical changes like faster heart beat high blood pressure, back pain etc.

 

 

What causes stress?

As said earlier that stress can happen due to innumerable factors. It is quite difficult to note down the factors which causes stress. People may have different reasons to be stressed out. Keeping aside the common factors of stress it is better to highlight the most important and essential element which embraces a person with extreme amount of stress is traumatic events.

People who have experienced any sort of traumatic event or life-threatening situation may often face long term stress. This stress can go on for a long time, and it can be difficult to get someone out of it. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the medical term for it.

 

Though mental agony is the most natural outburst in such cases yet there are certain physical issues like:-

  • Muscle pain- Various kinds of pain surrounds an individual.
  • Headache– This will take place at regular intervals. Even while sleeping people may have a severe headache. Tension is the main cause of this problem.
  • Hair fall– This is especially for the women. Excess stress can lead to hair fall. The roots of the hair get weaken at times.
  • Insomnia– People finds it very difficult to sleep. Insomnia is the most disastrous thing that can ever happen to an individual. Sleep gets completely vanished from a person’s life.
  • Irritation– This is associated with the behavior of an individual. People who are stressed up get irritated at little things.

 

Other factors related to stress include: –

  • Serious illness
  • Relationship issues with family
  • Company problems and pressure

 

Stress can never be ignored; it may happen at any time. One can only apply various strategies to get rid of it.

 

 

Effect of stress on body

When the body get stressed, the muscle tense up. If these things continue for a longer period of time, then there occur other reactions in the body like stiff muscles, neck pain and some other difficult disorders. For example, both headache and migraine are completely associated with muscle tension. It may often happen that due to excess stress people may not even move their hands and legs. The body gets completely idle.

Apart from muscle pull there are other difficulties like gastrointestinal issues, liver issues, breakdown of nervous system and many other complications.

Both mental and physical pain affects the body due to stress. At times it becomes intolerable and then one needs proper treatment to deal with such things.

Research conducted by a medical foundation in Delhi has discovered that 60% youngsters of the country within the age of 20 to 35 are the most stressful bunch of people. No matter what the situation is, their mind is always burden up with excess pressure, tension, pain and anxiety.

 

 

How to get rid of stress?

This is indeed the most difficult task to perform. At times it becomes extremely strenuous to get rid of stress. People may give millions of ideas to fight with this problem but hardly few works. At first it is very important to heal your mind. Every bit of tension and fear starts forming only in the mind. One needs to adopt various ways to set the mind free. This is the first step towards a stress-free exercise.

Free hand exercise or aerobics is another important way to get rid of stress. Stretching, push-ups, crunches, squats are some of common free hand technique to perform for both the mind and body.

Body massage is another important healing method which can also be applied. People undergo this kind of massage therapy for a full body relaxation. There are various forms of massage which are practiced at various places.

Apart from all these, other activities are also involved to get relief from stress.

Get relief from stress

 

SPA

Visiting a spa is the best and the most scientific way to deal with stress. Though it is not really very much economical yet one can get a desired result in no time. In this age every city or town has got a spa which provides variable services to the people.

The best attribute of a spa is its ambience. People visiting this place get completely secluded from the chaos of the outer world and enjoy a calm and quiet scene. Various innovative massage therapies are done over here.

A spa is run by professional massage therapist who applies scientific techniques to heal the pain in a better way.

The most talked about element in a spa is the use of herbal items. Mostly all the products that are used are herbal and have no such side effects on the body. In order to get rid of stress, there is no such alternative of a spa. This is the only destination which gives productive result to a stressful mind and body.

Not only stress but Spa also helps to deal with various joint related issues like joint pains etc.

Stress can never be ignored. It may attack a person from anywhere and may last for a longer period of time. What humans can do is to deal with it. Find the right solution to deal with it and enjoy life without the S (stress) factor.

Why taking time out for Body Massage is critical during Stressful times

Stress is relative 

Fight against Stress

All of us go through ups and downs in our lives. When looked closely, most of us may have perception that stress in our lives is more than most of other people. But when looked over a period of time or retrospectively, we may agree and settle on a more optimistic conclusion:)

When we are going through stressful times, it is most important to sit back, analyse, deep breathe and take steps that could reduce stress at that point in time. Stress hormones are produced by body that may be perceived as potentially dangerous. While short term stress is good as it improves our reaction and response to immediate situations. E.g. could be more attentive and high performance during exam or during a tennis match or during an office meeting. But long term high stress hormones are associated with cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that could disturb balance between Fat and carbohydrate mechanism. This over a period of time is associated with lifestyle disorders like Diabetes, Hypertension etc.

Time And Stress Are Relative So Is Advice

 

Stress bearing capacity can be enhanced

While the number of years have advanced, age at which we incur stress has got preponed. Amount of stress in 1960-70s for a 50 year aged guy is experienced by a guy aged 20-30s in current times. As stress bearing capacity is not fully developed in 20-30s that results in adverse reaction to stress like alcoholism, drug addiction, irritable mood, aggressive behaviour like road rage etc. It is important to understand that most of us have certain extent of stress bearing capability. As a result most of us end up taking as much stress which is inversely proportional to our stress bearing capacity. Somebody’s day may be spoiled because she couldnt earn enough for her dinner or somebody’s may be having a foul day because she didn’t have matching foot wear with her trousseau. Or worse somebody’s afternoon may be spoiled because she didn’t get mustard sauce along with her lunch burger. Context may be different in above three scenarios but amount of stress incurred may still be the same depending on individuals stress bearing capacity. Each of these subject may undergo similar degree of hypertension or other stress symptoms. Long term exposure to these stressful situation may result in equal amount of damage to our body.

Increase Stress Tolerance
Tolerate more stress

Over a period of time, our stress bearing capacity does increase at organic rate. What may cause stress at the age of 5 (like missing toy) may not cause as much stress when we are 15 or 25 or 35 years old. But we need to consciously work towards increasing our stress bearing capacity with time. This is because our source of stress increases manifold with age – if at 5 needs are basic like food, play and sleep, at 15 it increases to friends/peers, studies, competition and at 25 to money earned, marriage, social acceptability etc.

I may not be able to reduce source of stress but I can definitely enhance stress bearing capacity 

 

 

Not all situations causing stress are in our direct control. While we may work towards minimising source of stress, we shall focus more on enhancing stress bearing capacity. I may not be able to reduce traffic on my way to work but I could definitely choose travel time or route or music in car that could help me bear traffic more amicably rather than having a daily tussle and grumbling. Some of contextual situations and ideas for reducing stress are highlighted in table below

Infighting between people at home – Wife/Mom or with Spouse Listen, Listen, Listen. Spending distraction free time with each of them with greater listening power could be great stress buster. You could be therapist for them if you can make them speak up in their inner thoughts and woes which will be cathartic in reducing cortisol hormone
I don’t spend enough time with children This could be constant worry of parents especially if they are working. Do spend distraction free time on a daily basis as a friend and not only as parent. This means sharing shall be both ways. If we want to know about what they did in school, their response will be more forthcoming if I share what happened during my day.
Lots to do and so little time Lot of times it happens that we have too much on our plate. Challenge is how to declutter our mind and empty if of multiple thought streams to fully focus on job in hand. Maintaining an organizer may help. Spa and Body Massages could be extremely helpful to empty your mind of thought vagaries

Stress free person

 

The underlying theme in above mentioned approach we need to build our stress bearing capacity which could help us reduce stress in our daily lives and in lives of people associated with us. Meditation, Deep breathing, Spa & Body Massages, Sports activity are definitely most tried and tested method. If you could engage in an hour of physical engagement where you loose sense of time – whether sports or Body Massage – could be best stress buster. Go ahead, try some of these techniques and give us feedback on our small attempt to make it stress free world.

 

How to Maintain High Energy and Lower Stress Levels for the Entire Week

Have you wondered why some people have high energy levels and are able to combat stress effectively? Would you also like to have boundless energy and be immune to stress? Then read on for valuable tips and techniques.

  • Have Enough Sleep

Different people have different sleep requirements. Make sure you have adequate sleep as per your body requirements. Have power naps at your place of work to give you ample rest and be charged for your next assignment.

  • Plan in Advance

Write down whatever you want to achieve on a particular day. Then prioritize the tasks. Make sure you get started on the high priority ones right away. This way you don’t waste time and effort doing tasks that have poor returns. Remember the 80/20 rule. As per the rule, 80% of business comes from 20% of the customers. So, make sure you focus on the valuable 20% of clients who give you the majority of deals.

  • Have a Healthy Diet

Make sure you consume enough fresh fruits and vegetables. Remember to drink plenty of water that will keep you hydrated throughout the day. Your diet has a major role to play in your energy levels and ability to tackle stress. Stay away from items having high levels of caffeine and refined sugar. Check yourself for any vitamin or mineral deficiency.  If you have some deficiency you ought to consume vitamin or mineral supplements as prescribed by a medical professional. Avoid processed food and red meat too.

High Energy Levels

  • Exercise Regularly

Morning in the best time to exercise. Go outdoors to connect with nature and get your daily dose of oxygen and sunshine. Exercising release Endorphins – the feel-good chemicals in the body. The human body needs exercise just as it needs food and fresh air.

  • Positive Thinking

Avoid negative thoughts and negative people. They sap you of your energy. Positive thoughts energize you and are infectious. The former makes you persevere and persist in situations that make many people give up.

  • Yoga

Yoga benefits both the body and mind. You do not need any fancy equipment. Fit people have the most energy and are the most stress-free. Yoga has the techniques to banish stress from any part of the body and mind.

  • Meditation

Meditation has been proven to ramp up energy levels as well as eliminate stress. The former is best done in a silent environment. It helps you push out negative thoughts and focus on the positives in life. It is potent as it encourages the individual to be in the present rather than recalling the past or worrying about what the future holds.

Yoga and Excercise

  • Ayurveda

There are many ayurvedic ingredients that boost your energy levels and keep stress at bay. An Ayurvedic practitioner can prescribe medicines and design a diet as per your body diet. This is safe and free from major side effects.

  • Laugh and Smile Often

As per scientific research people who laugh and smile frequently have a better quality of life as well as have prolonged life spans. A tip is to have jokes and photos of your family put up at your workplace to cheer you up whenever you are feeling low. There are many laughing clubs you can join where participants are encouraged to laugh out loudly.

  • Learn to say ‘No’

You can’t satisfy everybody and keep all happy. It is not realistic. Agree to demands that you are confident of satisfying. Some may find it hard to say ‘No’. It is better to say ‘No’ at the onset instead of saying ‘Yes’ and disappointing folk later by being unable to meet their deadlines.

  • Consume Ginseng

This is widely advocated in Chinese traditional medicine. Ginseng is believed to have rejuvenating and refreshing properties. There exist plenty of people who will testify to its ability to boost health and bring down stress.

Ginseng

  • Take a Hot or Cold Shower

As per your preference and the climate you can take frequent hot or cold baths. It will make you feel clean and smell better. In addition, it helps boost blood circulation.

  • Destress Spa

Visit a spa at least once a month. They will give you stress massage therapy with different oils and ingredients that will remove all stress and make you ready to meet any sort of challenges. The money spent on spas is well worth it.

  • Aromatherapy

The smell of essential destress oils have been proven to drive away stress and fatigue. Keep essential oils at home and office to have that energetic feeling. Experiment with different oils so that you find out which works best for you.

Aromatherapy

  • Drink Chamomile Tea

This beverage has been employed for ages to get rid of stress, tension, and fatigue. It is economical and can be prepared at home.Green Tea

  • Limit the use of Electronic Gadgets

Instead of watching television indulge in sports or social activities. Meet up friends and relatives physically instead of phoning them. Limit screen time as much as possible. Scientific studies indicate that the rampant usage of electronic devices is a major source of modern day stress. Checking email frequently is a habit most of us have. Instead, check emails just 2 to 3 times a day.

  • Eat Meals Prepared at Home

Fast food is a modern-day phenomenon. We eat out more frequently than we did in the past. You have no control over the ingredients and the technique of preparing the food. You are what you eat. By eating home cooked food you eliminate the risk of ingesting pollutants and carcinogens.

  • Have Frequent Holidays

Successful people make sure they have enough play time. Research indicates that individuals who holiday frequently are the happiest as well as most productive. Holidays are a perfect opportunity to connect with family and take a break from work.

Holidays

  • Get Enough Sunlight

Patients with depression are encouraged to get adequate sun exposure. Even normal individuals need to be exposed to the sun to boost energy and minimize stress. Sun is part of nature. Nature plays a vital role in our energy levels and stresses fighting capabilities.

Fighting Depression? Ayurveda could be the solution!!

Being depressed is the most dangerous state of mind for a human being. Depression can lead to a pile of nonsense work which people do.  This is such a phase where one cannot think either of the present situation nor the future. People visit doctors mainly psychiatrist to heal this wound but the treatment is carried over a long time period. 

Ayurvedic treatment is one such way to deal with such situation. It gives maximum relief from stress.

Sadness and depression can be caused due to many factors. It varies from person to person.  But the Ayurveda treatment for this is uniform irrespective of the severity.

Before we talk of the various remedies lets discuss a little about the cause of depression. This prelude will help you to understand the remedies for depression that will be dealt later.

Understanding Depression

The expression in depression is something much unexpected. People can react in different ways.  Some of the common symptoms of depression are mood swings, feeling stressed, anxiety, extreme anger, confinement to bed, sleeplessness, extreme behaviour and many more.

Symptoms of depression
Depression

In this stage, there is a huge imbalance of both physical and mental health.  People tend to lose every support and dissolve all hopes from their mind.  Along with mental illness various physical issues could also be manifested-like diabetes, digestion problems, breathlessness etc.

There is another major factor which causes depression and that is stress at work.  In this contemporary age, work pressure is huge, especially in the private sector.  People lose out on their sleep and food due to the tension that gets build up in their mind.  If this goes on for a long time without any sign of success the depression is bound to set in.

Sadhaka Agni and Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, Sadhaka Agni is an important factor.   Sadhaka Agni is a subdosha of Pitta. It is the inner fire responsible for processing your emotions. It connects the heart and mind together so that there is constant communication between them.  It is believed that a strong Sadhaka Agni can be invariably linked with high emotional intelligence.

WAYS TO FIGHT DEPRESSION

Let’s discuss some of the ways to fight depression and build a strong Sadhaka Agni.

  • Practice the art of detachment– A wise man once said that attachment is the root of all sufferings.  If you find no such productivity in an attachment then leave it then. Don’t ever stick to something which will never give you peace.  During depression try to detach with people or things that will never benefit you or stand by your side. People with negative vibes should be ignored.
  • Make changes in your lifestyle – It is understandable that during any depressing phase the lifestyle of people change drastically.  This could be hazardous for that person’s health. Try hard to get away from it and lead a balanced life, with a proper routine.  Eat food at the right time, do some sort of exercise, divert your mind towards lighter things, watch a funny movie, and most importantly try to sleep well. All these may seem difficult to do as the person who is under depression cannot see a purpose to things. But following this routine for a month will definitely reap results. The good feeling will automatically intrude in your life.
  • Eat healthy food – During depression phase, health of the unwell  person gets highly affected. One has to undergo a proper diet with good and healthy food to achieve a mind-body constitution. A person can consume lots of organic foods which have lots of prana (life force energy) in it.  Coconuts, soaked nuts, and some other dry fruits are a must in such situation.
  • Visit a spa– It is highly recommended to visit a spa in such a situation.  There are several Ayurvedic Spa treatments done at different Spas.  One of the most popular and effective treatment is Shirodhara.  This is basically a very soothing kind of treatment where a stream of warm oil is poured over the forehead. As a result, it calms down both your mind and body. One feels really relaxed and sound after the therapy.  It is very often practiced by people going through a depressing stage. It may not heal depression but can definitely bring some tranquility in your life.
  • Yoga is a must–   To keep a sound mind and a fit body it is mandatory to do some yoga in the morning. Even during depression, one should not leave the practice. Janu  Sirsasana (the art of head to knee forward bend) helps to stimulate the inner functions of the body. Camel Pose is another effective posture in Yoga.  This helps to deal with your emotions.
  • Always have a smile on your face–   This is the best anti-depression pill. Nevertheless, a smile can bring a huge amount of joy in your life. During depression, it is always a feasible idea to smile and let go of every bit of pain.  There is something called ‘smile inside meditation’ which helps to reincarnate positive energy inside the body.

Depression is one such thing which takes a lot of time to heal.  It starts from sadness and with time gets transformed into depression. It may be stress at work or stress at home one can get depressed with any event in life.

People often try to get hold of an anti-depression pill but it is best to have an Ayurvedic treatment with proper healing methods.

In the recent times, there are various Spas’ in all major towns and cities where you can get the best Ayurveda treatment.   Several kinds of massage and healing treatment are done over here. 

The phase of depression is really a tormenting one for people who are really suffering.  It takes great effort to bring them back to normal. The state of mind completely changes and there in no such guarantee of getting well, unless taken care of.

Are you suffering from any state of depression?  Has it really conquered your mind? If so then try to find a way to heal this state.  Never waste a little time in such cases. If depression gets deep, it could create a big trauma which again becomes difficult to handle.

There are several ways to deal with depression but Ayurveda treatment is the most promising one which has been proved by various experts.  Get a proper Ayurveda treatment at your nearest Spa and feel the difference.

Depression may kill you. Never get carried away with it. Life has too many things to offer. Get well soon and look for better opportunities.

Life is beautiful, go and embrace it!!!

How could Ayurveda help with Stress-relief?

Stress has become a fairly common element of the modern life. While little amount of stress is productive, excessive stress can seriously damage our health – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Almost everyone in today’s world is living a chaotic life, be it the household life, the school life, the workplace, or the society.

Ayurveda, the ancient system of natural healing, offers a totally distinctive and holistic approach to stress management. It recommends several natural effective ways of stress management for our day-to-day life. Ayurveda focuses on using the intrinsic power of herbal medicines to treat various physical and mental diseases.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, the systems of human body are governed by three fundamental energies: Vata, Pitta & Kapha.

Energies of Life
The 3 Doshas of Ayurveda

When the balance of these 3 energies a.k.a  ‘3 doshas’ is disturbed, our body and mind start suffering with various diseases. Therefore, the Ayurvedic experts advocate the use of various natural remedies to bring back the balance of these three energies of Ayurveda. These natural substances are totally harmless and support our body in managing an easy, stress-free life.

Ayurvedic herbs for stress relief

A range of powerful combinations of herbs and plants have been mentioned in Ayurvedic scriptures. These combinations/ herbs help in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression etc.

The BRAHMI herb is considered very helpful in the treatment of stress. It takes care of the mental disturbance, headaches, anxiety and depression. Brahmi has shown amazing effects on serious disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. It is highly recommended for people suffering with stress, post-natal depression, anxiety etc.

Brahmi is beneficial in treatment of stress
Brahmi Herb

ASHWAGANDHA is yet another important stress bursting herb which is heavily used in Ayurvedic medicines.

Ashwagandha for treatment of Stress
Ashwaganda – a powerful Herb

According to an eminent ayurvedic consultant, Ashwagandha is an all-purpose brain tonic, which improves our thinking ability, memory power and concentration. It basically helps in maintaining the chemical balance in our brain, which in turn helps us deal with chronic stress. One study published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine suggests that Ashwagandha has shown extremely positive results in the treatment of anxiety, insomnia and depression.

Alternative Therapy for Stress Relief

Restore your inner balance with yoga and meditation

Most of us are juggling from one task to another during the day, and there is a constant lack of time to finish those tasks. The pressure that we feel due to a tight schedule may negatively affect our mental and physical health. Over a period of time our body, mind and heart start losing the sync.

Meditation is vital for stress relief
Meditation

Therefore, it is essential to re-establish the inner connection in order to regain our mental and physical balance.  The practice of yoga and meditation allows us to naturally experience our inner self, which in turn increases our capacity to handle challenges of life more easily and calmly.

Yoga, meditation and other relaxation therapies allow our body, mind and heart to be more integrated. Thus our natural balance is restored and the level of stress and anxiety goes down.

Food for a stress-free life – Eat Right

As we know, prolonged stress generates free radicals and toxic chemicals. This disturbs the balance of vata, pitta and kapha in our body and creates several disorders. These disorders could be related to health, brain, heart and digestive system. According to Ayurvedic philosophy, food that we eat can also work as our medicine. The right kind of foods can help us find our inner peace and reduce stress.

Eat Right
Food for Stress-Relief

In case of stress and anxiety, all plain or sweet fruits are usually considered the right choice due to their vata and pitta pacifying qualities. These two energies stimulate and control various mental and physical functions. Hence, it is important to pacify them in order to maintain proper functioning of the body.

Berries, bananas, sweet orange and amla help in pacifying pitta. They reduce the stress level by providing Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. All kinds of berries like blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are good sources of antioxidants and vitamin C. Consuming these fruits on regular basis may help reduce the risk of depression, tiredness and anxiety etc.

Abhyangam (The ancient oil massage therapy) for stress relief

Abhyangam is the ancient warm oil massage therapy which recharges and rejuvenates the whole body and mind. It is a very effective ancient treatment of muscles and connective tissues, which also help calm down the nervous system. Abhyanga with Ayurvedic nutrient-rich warm oils promotes good sleep. It also helps to improve skin while taking care of your emotional health. In this treatment, warm Ayurvedic oil is poured and gently applied on the body. Oil starts penetrating, slowly, through the cells and removes the harmful toxins or ‘Ama’ from the body. This makes our body and mind feel totally relaxed and stress- free.  This warm oil massage on regular basis can help pacify tri-doshas and promote good health.

Anger Management Techniques to Rein in your Temper

Anger is a completely normal healthy human emotion that prompts you to make positive changes in your life. However if not managed appropriately, it can ruin your social as well as your personal life. Apart from creating problems all around, anger could also impact your health negatively.

 

Anger can destroy your life completely –

Uncontrolled anger can spoil your relationships with the most important people in your life. Moreover, your judgment becomes impaired which eventually gets in the way of your success and prompts you to act inappropriately.

Results of various medical researches show that constant high levels of stress, impulsive behavior and anger can increase your risk of heart ailments, sleeping problems, high BP and various mental disorders etc.

 

Manage your anger and live a better life-

Uncontrolled anger, constant irritability and anxiety drain enormous mental energy, and make it difficult for you to focus on positive aspects of life or simply enjoy life. This is why anger management has become the need of the hour. However, it takes time and a positive mindset to master the art of anger management; but constant effort can take you closer to your goal.

Learning to calm your anger and put your thoughts in proper manner is extremely important for strong relationships, and success at work. Anger management techniques and therapies like massage bring your body and mind in sync with each other. It also enables you to take the right steps to calm yourself down in challenging situations.

 

Role of massage in anger management-

Several occupational therapists say that anger is basically a stress reaction. Gradual reduction in stress level can be very helpful in keeping the anger down. Massage techniques are a great way to release stress and anxiety. Relaxation techniques and massage therapies can help your brain release negative energy while providing you a serene space to peel away all the tensions of life.

Massage therapies on a regular basis help decrease the negative impact of stressful and hectic lifestyle on your outlook towards life. Apart from other health benefits, it also makes you mentally strong to cope with everyday stress and anxiety.

A soothing massage session with a qualified and trained therapist can relieve stress and aid relaxation. A massage will help flush out the harmful toxins from the muscles, and increase the ‘feel-good’ hormones.

However, massage also alleviates nerve pain and offers relief from everyday aches and pains, but the physiological impact is much deeper than simple relaxation. Constant stress and anxiety at work or home may cause depression. A combination of massage therapy and herbal preparations can improve emotional health significantly by increasing the level of serotonin, which in turn reduces depression and pain.

Specific massage techniques are used for balancing anger and the fire element inside the body. That’s the reason why massage therapy is considered very useful in stress management. Moreover, if your anger gets out of hand at times, you should consider learning a simple self-massage technique for calming yourself instantly.

According to Ayurveda, an insufficient communication between the brain and heart causes the emotional imbalance due to anger. Some people can easily overcome their anger due to their ability to express emotions in a healthy way. Some people, on the other hand, find it difficult to control their temper with slightest annoyance.

Ayurveda and holistic therapies like massage lead the path to personal power while helping people learn how to win over the negative emotions. Once this control is achieved, you can become a master of your own thought process.

Ayurvedic principles are applicable on mind and body, both. With regular yoga practice and soothing oil massage, you can easily learn to manage your anger, anxiety, and other negative emotions.

Therefore, it is important to take a break from a busy work schedule and indulge in a stress busting massage therapy. This will help you to take control of your emotions and feelings.

 

How Abhyangam and Shirodhara can help reduce anxiety and anger-

Abhyangam massage and Shirodhara therapy, both are based on ancient Ayurvedic wisdom. They can provide you support and comfort during times of distress. It is a well- known fact that our emotions come from our mental state. Few sessions of these therapies can help you calm down while improving your emotional state.

These types of therapeutic massage offer a caring human touch of the therapist which helps individuals’ relieve their emotional burden. Also, it will accelerate the healing process by creating a sense of emotional security.

Meditation and therapeutic massages are scientifically proven ways of creating consciousness, compassion and acceptance. All of these ultimately help you defeat stress and anger. So, don’t be afraid to get away from crowded elevators, noisy streets and busy workplaces. Just start treating yourself with relaxing massage therapies more frequently than ever before. This will build up your emotional well-being and physical strength.