Some simple ways to reduce stress…

Too much of stress can damage your health. Stress can be both mentally and emotionally challenging. Following a resilient approach to all the life’s problems and setbacks can make coping easier.

What is resilient approach?
Resilience involves the ability to face change and misfortune with realistic optimism, self confidence, and determination as you make an effort to adjust to and recover from challenges. Resilience helps people to maintain a good mood and protects them against negative thoughts.
Tips for increasing resilience in the face of challenges are:
- Credit should be given to self for the successes.
- Go easy on yourself if you make a mistake. Distract yourself in some other pleasurable activity.
- Try to view a mistake or setback as a learning opportunity.
- Find positive ways of looking to some situation and give away the negative thoughts.
- Be in touch with more positive people.
- Approach stressful situations with more flexibility and creativity.
- Learn the art of compromise in dealing with others.
- Face challenges.
- Embrace change.
- Use a step by step approach to problems.

One way to dissipate stress is by using your body, through the process of relaxing your muscles. When your muscles are tight or tense, the stress level of your body remains high. Shavaasana, also known as muscle relaxation, helps to reduce your stress levels. The way this works is, you focus on the major muscle groups one by one. What you need to do is, for each muscle group, tighten the muscle, keep tight for 20 seconds and slowly relax it. As you slowly relax your muscles, focus on the sensation of relaxation and feel your tension slowly getting released.

Is it possible to reduce problems like anxiety and depression through exercise?
Well yes, and there are some scientific reasons for the same. When stress levels are high, the body releases hormone such as adrenaline and cortisol. During exercise, the level of these hormones is reduced and exercise also leads to production of a chemical called endorphins. These are released by the brain and cause mood elevation and act as painkillers. When you exercise hard there can be a runner’s high, this is caused by endorphins.
The type of exercise is not that important as long as it leads to a workout for example: one of the easiest ways to do this is walking and jogging. This is another reason why elliptical trainers are getting more popular, because the vigorous workout not only help make you more fit but also reduce stress at the same time.

Stress and Mental Tension – Causes, Symptoms, Remedies and Dietary Considerations

Stress implies any condition that harms the body or the mind. The most common disorders associated with stress are heart disease, diabetes, headache, and peptic ulcer. The body and the mind react to any stress factor.

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS AND MENTAL TENSION

A large number of physical changes take place when a person is under stress. All these changes take place in a split second under the direction of the nervous system.
- Brain and nervous system becomes intensely active.
- Pupils of the eye dilate.
- Digestion slows down.
- Muscles are tensed.
- Heart starts pumping blood harder and faster.
- Blood pressure increases.
- Breathing becomes faster.
- Some hormones are released into the system along with glucose from liver.
- Sweating starts.
Stress in its earlier and reversible stages leads to :
- Poor sleep.
- Bad temper.
- Continual grumbling.
- Domestic conflict.
- Repeated minor sickness.
- Accident proneness.
- Frustration.
- Increase in alcoholic intake.

CAUSES OF STRESS AND MENTAL TENSION

– External factors include loud noises, blinding lights, heat or cold, X-rays, radiation drugs, chemicals, bacterial and various toxic substances, pain and inadequate nutrition.
- Internal factors include hate, envy, fear or jealousy.

REMEDIES FOR STRESS AND MENTAL TENSION

- SAGE : tea prepared from the leaves of sage should be given. The tea is prepared by pouring a cup of boiling water over one teaspoon of dried sage leaves. The water should be covered and infused for several minutes. Strain it and drink.
- HOLY BASIL : It is considered as an anti-stress agent. even healthy persons should chew twelve leaves of basil twice a day, morning and evening, for preventing stress.
- NUTRIENTS : Vitamins A and B, minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium reduces the feeling of irritability and anxiety. Vitamin A is found in green and yellow vegetables. Vitamin B can be found in cashew nuts, green leafy vegetables, yeast, sprouts and bananas. An element of vitamin B complex, pantothenic acid, is especially important in preventing stress.
Potassium deficiency is associated with breathlessness, fatigue, insomnia and low blood sugar. This mineral is essential for healthy hearty muscles. Nuts and whole grains are good sources.

Calcium is a natural sedative. Deficiencies can cause fatigue, nervousness and tension. Dairy products, eggs, almonds and soya beans are rich sources.

Magnesium is known as nature’s tranquillizer and is associated with the prevention of heart attacks. It is found in many fruits, vegetables, seeds, dates and prunes.

DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

- Lifestyle of the patient needs to be changed.
- Optimum diet should be taken.
- Regular exercise and adequate rest.
- Foods like caffeine and many soft drinks, salt, sugar, cigarettes and alcohol should be avoided.