Do You Have Time For A Few Deep Breaths?

If you are suffering from stress you should probably think about relaxing or doing some deep breathing exercises to trigger the relaxation response.  This turns off the fight or flight response which is the cause of stress.  Deep breathing or relaxation reduces blood pressure and heart rate.

There are so many methods to use it can’t be hard to find one that works for you.  If you know several then you can try them until you find one that works to reduce your stress.  Here are some of the most common methods; aromatherapy, meditation, deep breathing, hypnotherapy, and massage.  There are other methods but these are the easiest for most people.

Each of the above methods alter the way one breathes which can lead to relaxation and a lessening of tension in short order.  They lead to deeper, slower breathing which forces the body away from the heightened awareness of fight or flight.  You can’t be taking short quick breaths at the same time as you are trying to breath slow and deep. Two opposite conditions cannot exist at the same time and if you are concentrating on deep, slow breathing then that is what you will end up doing - notice I said concentrating.

You can also use meditation to relax and remove yourself from a stressful situation giving you time to relax.  One helpful tool is the MP3s that are available covering a myriad of scenarios - like a walk on the beach, a tour of a lovely garden, meditating on top of a mountain or even concentrating on something pleasant.

A combination of various oils is used for aromatherapy with each oil contributing its own aroma to sooth the senses and help in relaxing.  Lavender is one scent that helps people to relax but it may be smart to consult a professional practitioner in this area.  A massage will loosen tense or tight muscles also leading to deeper relaxation lasting for quite a  while.  The masseuse may even use aromatic oils during the massage to heighten the experience. Many people find it beneficial to receive massage therapy on a regular basis as it can reduce stress and help to remain calm long after the massage is over.

Induction into relaxation by way of hypnotherapy can also be used to reduce stress.  There are MP3s available to help in this practice as well as a visit to a clinical hypnotherapist may also be beneficial.

Many other techniques that may be used to help reduce stress are useful to some people such as tinkering with a hobby, reading, watching television or going to a movie.

In any case, practicing any of the above should reduce your level of stress and how you handle stressful situations.  And anything that reduces stress helps to maintain a more peaceful you.  So it may be as simple as taking time to take some deep breaths or for more information on Stress Management, request this free report.