Wellness Wednesday: Balance Your Life With Stress Relief Techniques

Nothing is permanent in this world except change. And since any sort of change causes stress, then, people should just accept that stress is a fact of life that we all have to live with.  But what exactly is stress?  Stress is a psychological and physiological response to events that upset our personal balance in some way. There is good stress and bad stress. Good stress gives you the motivation to do your best when cramming for exams, or preparing for a job presentation. However, when things get out of hand and life's demands exceed your ability to cope, stress becomes bad for your physical, emotional and psychological well-being. 

You can feel the tension caused by stress in your shoulders and neck, as well as heart-pounding in the chest. You lose sleep, feel depressed, and get tired. When stress becomes long-term, it increases your risk for heart disease, mental distress, and weight gain.

Having a  regular fitness regimen is a good stress relief practice. Enjoying a walk in the park is one way to reduce stress. Sometimes, just learning to accept what you cannot change can help ease the burden of stress. Meditation and yoga are two stress relief techniques that help train your body to relieve stress. 

Meditation is an ancient practice that has gained worldwide acceptance even in modern times. As a stress relief technique, meditation has the ability to produce relaxation response that helps reduce blood pressure, lift depression, and ease stress.

Another ancient practice that reduces stress and tension is yoga. It can lower blood pressure and levels of a stress hormone called cortisol. You also boost flexibility, strength, endurance, and balance through yoga. As you work through the various poses, you must focus on inhaling and exhaling. Breath concentration is yoga's key to stress relief management. With this focus, you let go of external thoughts and anxiety.