Managing Stress

Our lives have become much more stressful in the last 30 years. As a result, the need for managing stress has arisen. Stress is defined to be the body's reaction to any changes in our life. Stress is, in a way, a signal which prepares us or getting prepared for eventuality. Thus, some amount of stress is essential for a healthy and lively life.  However, the problem arises when  stress increases beyond  limit and you are under stress for a very long time. Facing stress for a prolonged time can give rise to serious types of illnesses which can be both mental as well as physical.

In extreme cases you can take professional help for managing stress. However, in mild cases some simple things can help you help you manage your stress. Laughter, positive imagery, deep breathing and muscle relaxation are some them.

Laughter is the best tool which definitely helps when it comes to managing stress. Spend much of your time with cheering around with people. Even if there are not much people around, books and videocassettes also are enough to make a person laugh and feel happy. Try taking everything lightly and cheerfully. You are not going to attain anything by worrying too much.

Thinking something positively and forgetting negative or unwanted things can keep you away from stress. Visualize that you are having the things which you like or you have always wanted in your life. The positive mental image that you will visualize will definitely bring changes in your mental state and emotions.

Deep breathing also is one of the practically effective techniques of reducing stress. Concentrate on your breathing a number times during a day. You can do this anywhere and anytime during a day. The deep breath should be right from the pit of your stomach, and inhalation should only be through the nose. Feel of energy coming in your which is revitalizing your body. Breathing out should be through the mouth, and it should be quiet, relaxing, sounding like, “whooossshhh”.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique which was developed by an American physiologist Edmund Jacobson. It is based on the principle that body responds to anxiety-provoking situations and thoughts with muscle tension.  Muscular relaxation reduces such mental and bodily tension. The procedure for managing stress through muscular relaxation is a four step procedure which you can do at your home and without anybody's help.

These are only four of the several useful techniques for managing stress. However,  if such techniques do not help you, you can also take professional help i.e. from a reliable physiologist. He will first of all diagnose your case and study the conditions which have given rise to stress.

It is quite possible to measure stress and stress is actually measured in the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale. Even devices that measure blood pressure as well as galvanic skin response are useful for this purpose.

Then depending upon your case he can use any of the techniques available for managing stress. Some of them are  Autogenic Training, Cognitive Therapy, conflict resolution, exercise, meditation, deep breathing, relaxation techniques (fractional relaxation, progressive relaxation, stress balls) natural medicine, clinically validated alternative treatments, time management and music therapy.  Also there are some medications available for relieving a person from severe stress.