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Hearts & Minds - Information for ChangeSM
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& Minds Blog
Personal
thoughts on how to change your life and world
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Tuesday,
May 18, 2010
How to be Relaxed
- anywhere and anytime
The cost of
stress
Stress ages us. It weakens our immune system, making us more
susceptible to illnesses. Stress is also linked to heart attacks, ulcers,
muscle and tendon injuries and just about everything else that ails us.
A growing problem
Modern life is increasingly stressful. Between economic problems,
environmental threats, the ever present messages in broadcasts and emails,
it can be hard to relax. Nothing can guarantee a stress-free life, but
there's much we can do to minimize our anxieties, stay calm and
optimistic, despite the challenges life throws our way.
Avoid counter-productive
escapism
It's easy for any of us to fall into habits that temporarily
avoid facing stress. This may include:
- overeating
- smoking
- drinking
- drugs
- zoning out in front of the TV
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- withdrawing from family and
friends
- procrastinating
- taking out our anger on others
- filling all our time with
business to avoid facing troubling emotions.
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We can replace escapist stress avoiders with
healthier habits.
How to relax
Whenever you feel stress, remind yourself that the stress
itself is not helping. Take the actions you need to fix the situation,
and make your best effort to let go of the stress and feel relaxed. With
time, this gets easier.
In the long run we get more done if we also take
some time to just relax.
Ironically, when we accept that things don't
always go our way, in the long run it's more likely that they will.
We'll be calmer and find it easier to sustain our efforts. We're less
likely to suffer depression or burnout.
Seek someone you trust to talk with about your
problems. Just having someone who cares and listens helps us feel
better, and they may have a fresh viewpoint with helpful suggestions.
For more serious problems, many people benefit from professional
psychotherapy.
Exercise
Exercise relieves stress, helps us lose weight and sleep
better. It also relieves anger and frustration. Exercise also releases
endorphins, a hormone that helps us feel good and reduces pain. Be sure
to speak to your doctor before starting and new, more vigorous exercise
programs.
Better sleep
Many people have trouble sleeping. This is
often caused by stress and can also lead to more stress.
If you have chronic insomnia, you may have tried
many suggestions already. You may still benefit from these two websites
with a multitude of ideas to make it easier for you to sleep through the
night.
This whole article is interesting, though the most
practical suggestions are further down in the web page:
http://helpguide.org/life/insomnia_treatment.htm It also includes
many links for additional info.
I also suggest:
http://www.healthpsych.com/articles/insomnia.html
Chamomile, a gentle herbal tea, is available at
most many food markets and any health food store. It may also make you
sleepy.
Many of these suggestions have helped me. I hope
they help you.
-Bill
Additional advice
You may find the following articles useful
for reducing stress:
http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Stress-Reduction-Tips&id=223482
http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm
http://www.stressinstitute.com/stress_reduction_management.asp
http://www.bellevuemassagetherapy.com/stress-reduction.html
The bigger picture
As we do our part to help make a better, safer, more
sustainable and beautiful world, we'll feel better about ourselves, and
help create a world with less to worry about.
Here's one step you can take:
Help
End
Global Hunger and
Poverty
Join us today! Together, we
can change the world.
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by Bill Blackman,
president, Hearts & Minds
Copyrights:
Website © 1997 - 2010 by Hearts and Minds Network, Inc. This
entry © 2010 by Bill Blackman section by © 2010 Lorraine Hearts & Minds at http://www.heartsandminds.org/blog/blog48.htm -
blog started September
28, 2006, this entry online May 18, 2010, latest changes May 18, 2010
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