Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Feeling Stressed? Melt it Away for Better Health

Imagine you are sitting at home...

Your favorite television is about to come on. Suddenly, your legs feel weak. You feel flush. Your hands and feet begin to tingle. Your pulse skyrockets. You become dizzy. You start shaking. You cannot breathe. Your chest is hurting.

Are you having a heart attack? What will you do if you pass out?

Immediately, you call for help. At the ER, they inform you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you and that you can go home.

That was certainly not “nothing.” What just happened?


The Characteristics of Stress

We all handle stress on a daily basis. Stress can occur at work, home, even while running errands. Stress is not avoidable. Unfortunately, stress can build up and make a person physically and mentally ill.

Symptoms of excessive stress include:

Heartburn
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Ulcers
Weight gain and loss
Insomnia
Headaches
Hives and skin rashes
Back, shoulder, and neck pain
Fatigue
Muscle tension
High blood pressure
Dental problems
Cold or hot flashes
Panic/Anxiety attacks
Irregular heartbeat
Susceptibility to colds and flu
Difficulty concentrating
Depression
Phobias
Irritability
Sudden mood swings

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms (and it has been confirmed it is not caused by a medical condition), it might be time for you to start meditating and using other relaxation methods in order to reduce your stress. Of course, it is still a good idea to apply relaxation strategies even if you are not feeling stressed!


Causes of Stress

There are many factors that can contribute to stress. These include:

Financial worries
Poverty
School
Relationship difficulties
Moving
Birth of a child
Death
Job change
Crime
Drug or alcohol abuse
Illness (self or family member)
Sexual changes (impotence, menopause)
Abuse
Weather

Stress can also lead to additional problems, ranging from losing a job to losing friends. In some cases, stress has even been linked to heart attacks. Therefore, stress is something that every person should learn to control. The biggest way to reduce stress is by learning to relax, even when the pressure is on.


Coping with Stress

There are a number of effective ways to deal with stress. If your doctor prescribes anti-anxiety medications, get a second opinion. While prescription drugs can work, they often carry a number of unwanted side effects. The best method is to learn relaxation techniques.

You can learn to meditate on your own. Or you can pick a few guided meditations from Meditation Collector that work for you, and listen to one of them at least once a day.

If you can keep doing that for a while, I think you'll be surprised with the results.

With so much to gain and so little to lose, you should turn to relaxation and meditation and watch the stress simply melt away.

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