A multi-faceted approach to stress management will yield maximum success in reducing your level of overall stress. The primary components of an effective stress reduction program include the following elements.
Exercise Twenty to thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day is an important part of your stress management program. You can do any kind of exercise you enjoy, as long as it gets your heart rate and breathing rate up – walking, biking, sports, swimming, jogging. Do something you enjoy – you'll be more likely to stick to it. Remember, it’s best not to exercise vigorously in the four hours preceding bedtime.
Sleep Most people need an average of eight hours sleep per night for good health. Many Americans are chronically sleep-deprived! Restful sleep is when your body repairs itself, and prepares for the next day’s activities. Not getting enough sleep is correlated with increased levels of depression and anxiety, weight gain, decreased immune system effectiveness, and increased stress levels.
Diet A healthy, balanced diet helps your body fight off the corrosive effects of stress. A good multi-vitamin every day is also a good idea, particularly one with plenty of Vitamins A, C, and E – for good anti-oxidant protection. Try not to eat a heavy meal too close to bedtime, as it may interfere with your sleep.
Moderate use of alcohol While it may be tempting to have a few stiff drinks to relax after a tough day, alcohol has some negative side-effects, particularly with more than one drink per day. Depression, weight gain, negative effects on relationships, and sleep disturbance may occur with increased alcohol intake.
Relaxation Deep Relaxation is the most efficient way to quiet your mind and allow your body to fully rest. 20-30 minutes per day is ideal. Meditation or other contemplative practices such as yoga, listening to a relaxation cd, or simply focusing on your breath will help your body to experience the Relaxation Response.
"But I don’t have time for all this! I have too much going on to just exercise and relax and take it easy every day. How do I fit all this in?"
It’s understandably challenging to do it all! So, look for ways to do at least some kind of self-care on a daily basis.
Maybe you can squeeze a half hour a day into your schedule for taking care of yourself and dealing with your stress. That’s great! You might take a walk one day, listen to a relaxation CD the next day, take a bike ride the next day, meditate for a half hour the following day, and so on.
If it’s not possible to do it all every day, don’t get discouraged and give up! If you at least do something towards your stress management program each day, you will soon begin to see tangible results.
Planning ahead to make sure you will be able to eat good food at reasonable times during the day won’t take any more time –- in fact, it will probably take less time than waiting until the last minute to figure something out.
Sleeping even an extra half hour –- which probably means going to bed a bit earlier –- will actually increase your efficiency. Studies have shown that people who are well rested get more done in a shorter time and with higher quality, than people who are not rested.
As your level of stress begins to diminish, you’ll find yourself looking forward to your half-hour of daily self care. You’re treating yourself –- to relaxation, to exercise, to good sleep.
You will feel better and function better as your stress level gets lower. You’ll find yourself being more resilient when dealing with daily hassles like traffic, difficult people, bills. And you will be more efficient, getting more done in less time with less wear and tear on yourself than you had thought possible!
Relax.
Let go of Stress.
Take care of yourself.
Sandi Anders, M.Div., R.Y.T. is a yoga and meditation teacher and life coach in Nashville, TN. Visit her professional website for more articles and resources. She has created the two-CD set The Alchemy of Peace & Love combining a gentle and effective relaxation meditation with a powerful guided imagery experience to boost self-esteem and self-acceptance.
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