The Positive Side of Stress

There are positive and negative aspects to stress, and it is important to find the right balance in your life. By following good stress management strategies, you can enjoy the beneficial and positive side of stress.

In this article we discuss whether or not stress can be good for you.

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What is stress? Stress is the state that you experience when you perceive that you cannot adequately cope with the demands being made on you. You feel under pressure and don't have the physical and mental reserves to cope. This may be because you don't know how to cope, don't have the resources to cope or are in poor health.

What causes stress? Many different situations can cause stress, ranging from a series of minor irritations to major upheavals, including work pressures, personal problems, financial worries, health concerns, perfectionism, procrastination, poor time management, putting too much pressure on yourself, low self confidence, negative self talk or not looking after yourself. Sometimes there is no obvious cause of stress at all.

What are the symptoms of stress? How you cope with stress lies in how you relate to yourself as each situation arises. If you cannot cope, you experience a build up of tensions that can affect you physically, psychologically and emotionally. Symptoms of stress can include:

- Physical signs such as chest pains, increased blood pressure, heart racing, palpitations, panic attacks, constant tiredness, cramps or muscle spasms, food, cigarette or drug cravings, dizziness, lack of appetite, nail biting, headaches, stomach disorders, feeling sick, frequent crying, restlessness, sleeping problems and a tendency to perspire. The body produces 'fight or flight' chemicals which prepare the body for an emergency. Cortisol releases fat and sugar into your body and reduces the efficiency of the immune system. Long term these can lead to high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks and other major health problems.

- Emotional symptoms such as feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, frustration, psychosomatic illnesses and depression. Thoughts may become jumbled and confused and you may become preoccupied with problems.

- Behavioural changes such as being withdrawn, indecisive, inflexible, inability to sleep, increased sensitivity to criticism, irritability, tearfulness and aggression, as well as inability to concentrate.

How can you manage stress? Managing stress is one of the areas that my clients often ask for support with. Stress management involves recognising the symptoms of stress, identifying the causes of stress, taking action to address the causes and thereby reduce the symptoms and where necessary, taking interim steps to relieve the symptoms until the underlying causes have been addressed. There are many different ways of managing stress, including:

-Time management, including goal and action planning, delegation, controlling perfectionism and overcoming procrastination.

- Assertiveness, including recognising behaviours, dealing with criticism and with anger and learning how to say no.

- Rational thinking, including positive thinking, challenging distorted thinking and irrational beliefs.

- Self care, including relaxation, having fun, learning to express yourself, understanding yourself, exercise, healthy eating, a good work-life balance, developing hobbies and interests, expanding your circle of friends and looking after your mental health.

- Medical, including various types of medication.

- Stress management therapies, including psychotherapy, counselling, massage, aromatherapy, reflexology and many more.

Can stress be good for you? Stress is not necessarily bad or dangerous and if you can manage stress in a positive way you can keep on top of things. You will then see stress as invigorating and challenging rather than something to fear. As stress levels increase we move from a state of low performance to a state of peak performance, but as stress levels continue to increase our performance decreases again, as we become overloaded and reach a state of exhaustion and burnout. It is therefore a delicate balance and different for each person. However if stress is well managed it can be beneficial.

The Positive Side of Stress

Liz Makin, Makin It Happen - Coaching, Mentoring & Stress Management

Liz Makin provides personalised business coaching, business mentoring and stress management services to business owners, directors, managers and professionals. If you would like further information or to use any of our services please refer to the Makin It Happen - Coaching, Mentoring & Stress Management website at http://makinithappen.co.uk.

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Anger And Stress Management

Anger and stress are related to each other. When we are angry, our body reacts as we exert all our effort in a negative manner. Our body is spent and our mind gets really weak which in turn results to stress. On the other hand, stress could also lead to uncontrollable anger. When we are stressed out, we often become vulnerable and our ability to properly reason and be calm in difficult situations becomes almost impossible. Because of their relationship stress and anger management are often related to each other. When we are able to address at least one, we should be able to address them altogether.

The basic concept of addressing anger is to consider stress first. When we are at work the first feeling triggered most of the time is stress since we are bombarded with so many things to do within a small amount of time. The pressure and the number of important decisions that have to be done all day will always take its toll on us and anything out of hand will lead us to anger.

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Anger that leads to stress on the other hand is suffered by individuals who are suffering from abnormal anger behavior. As soon as possible they should seek help professionally so that their anger will be controlled or abated as soon as possible.

In any situation, the best anger and stress management is exercise. Not that you have to exercise right in the office but an hour or two in a gym every week or daily exercise routines at home will do wonders. Through exercise, your blood flow will increase which will easily reduce stress and anger. A good blood flow will help you think clearly and fast under stressful situations.

When you are at work and you feel stressed, you can address that problem by giving yourself short exercises which concentrated on the muscles. You don't really need to sweat it out. You just have to move your body a little bit but in a very consistent manner. Think about the stretching exercises that you do everyday. That simple exercise could get your blood flowing.

Another popular technique anger and stress management is to sign up for different Yoga classes or meditation. Through these classes, you'll learn different techniques in handling yourself in different situations. More importantly, you will learn how to calm yourself at all times. The main reason why Yoga is increasingly becoming popular is that more and more people are experiencing stress and this is one of the viable answers which greatly help those who are suffering from stress.

Aside from increasing the blood flow, Yoga also helps in the "imagery" technique in handling anger. This technique enables the individual to create an imagery that will calm him and her. A serene picture might just be in the mind but it will trigger the body to react and will ultimately experience calmness.

Anger and stress management could be easily done through exercise and meditation. Through these practices, the body will be calmed and the mind would be more rational which prevents stress and anger.

Anger And Stress Management

Jason Wright is an anger management expert and former rageaholic who has developed his own system for curing anger problems without spending a fortune on costly therapy. You can get your FREE copy of his "Anger Management Cheat Sheet" at his website: http://CureYourAnger.com

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Stress Management - 3 Stress Reducing Techniques

You may think that all the stress you're dealing with will eventually take a toll on you. With so many things to worry about, your days will definitely be affected for the worst. You have bills to pay, you don't have enough time to address your responsibilities and you hardly get to be with your friends and family members. Of course, you need to realize that you can actually take control of your life a lot more than you've imagined. All it takes is making use of some stress management techniques that can help you get through the day without anxieties and burdens.

1. Meditation - A lot of people make the misconception that meditation is all about getting into awkward bodily positions and repeating mantras over and over again. However, the fact is that any repetitive gesture or action can be considered meditation. This even includes walking, stretching, painting or just about any activity which can help you keep calm during tense moments. If you're simply worried about your job or some relationship that might be hitting a rocky patch as of the moment, perform any activity which keeps you relaxed for even just 10 minutes every day. This will definitely help you reduce stress levels.

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2. Visualizing yourself in a relaxed state - Although the thoughts that invade our minds can make it quite difficult for us to meditate, we just need to think of something that can distract us from our worries. This thing could be something that you'd love to do or be a part of, such as going on a vacation, a certain person who makes you smile or something that's tangible, like you favorite sweater or a book you love reading. The whole point of it is to keep your mind off the things that stress you out and substitute those thoughts with something positive. This can bring some tranquility to you.

3. Breathing deeply - This is one of the more common stress management techniques that people engage in. When stressed, you usually breathe in a tense and shallow manner. Change your breathing pattern. Slow down. If you must, you can just let out a rather loud sigh and visualize all those frustrations of yours going out with the air you're breathing out. Whichever pattern you prefer to use, repeat this for at least 10 times, as this can make you feel even more relaxed with each breath taken.

Stress Management - 3 Stress Reducing Techniques

BH Yao invites the online community to read more articles on personal & professional development, building leadership, success skills, and helping people to unlock their true potential at Self Empowering Tips. Check out other articles on Stress and Anxiety.

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How to Overcome Stress

We have all had our share of stress..

I always was cynical towards people who complained of experiencing misfortunes. I used to say that they do not have a positive attitude and whatever they anticipate comes to pass. "As a man thinketh, so is he."

Stress

But now I think differently. Some things can be learned only by experience. Some may be pleasant and some unpleasant. But it is necessary to have both good and bad experiences.

Last year we lost our house in a fire. It was a terrible loss because the property was under insured. My wife and some of my friends questioned me as to why this disaster should happen to me, a positive person. I myself did not know why! But I knew one thing. Everything that happens to me happens for good. What good it will be and when it will be, I had no idea. I will have to wait and recognize the good when it comes and be thankful for it.

Since the house that burned down was a single family home in a duplex zone, we decided to build a duplex. When we submitted the plan to City Hall, our architect found that we could construct a three story triplex. So now we have a three story triplex which gives a beautiful view of the ocean and mountains. Freighters and cruise ships from all over the world anchor in front of our house, and sea birds and eagles provide us with endless entertainment. We also have an income from the other two portions of our house. Thus, the fire was a blessing in disguise.

If the fire had gutted less than 70% of the house, we would have had to repair the damage and would not be permitted to demolish the house and build a new one. The fire brigade was a little slow to respond and that resulted in more than 70% of the house being burned. That little delay helped us, though that was not the intention of the fire brigade

Needless to say, during this time we suffered a lot of stress.

All stress is created by mind and the ability to overcome stress is also created by mind. Some events can create very great stress and calamity.

First, let us look at some of the damaging consequences of stress. An actual incident was narrated by Father Jerome Morella de Sorento, an Italian missionary in the Congo. A young man spent a night with his friend. According to the tribal custom young men are prohibited from eating wild hen for breakfast. Unknown to the visitor the host prepared a wild hen and served for breakfast. When the guest enquired, the host said that it was not a wild hen. A few years later the two met again. Again the host prepared a wild hen for breakfast. Again the guest asked if it was a wild hen and the host replied "Yes." The guest refused to eat. The friend laughed and said why should you refuse to eat it now when you were perfectly happy to eat it last time you came. As soon as the guest realized that the breakfast that he ate a few years back was wild hen, he began to tremble violently and was dead in 24 hours.

What was the cause of his death? Was it the violation of the tribal custom? It could not have been for he did not eat the hen that morning and when he violated the custom few years before, nothing ill happened. It was the stress of the realization of his violating the tribal custom
a few years back.

Another example illustrating the deadly consequences of stress was written by Dr. John K.Williams, a member of the Board of the National Association for Mental Health. He wrote in his book, "The Wisdom Of Your Subconscious Mind", that a physician was given permission to experiment on a criminal sentenced to death. The prisoner was blind-folded and told that he would be painlessly bled to death instead of going through the torture of hanging. He was placed on a table. The Physician made a small incision on his hand but not deep enough to cause any bleeding and a small stream of running water was allowed to trickle into a bowl as if blood were trickling form the prisoner's hand. The physician made suggestions to the effect that he was bleeding to death. In a short time the prisoner died showing all symptoms of cerebral anemia. though he never lost any blood. Here again death was the result of stress created by his mind.

Dr. Holmes and Dr. Rahe of the University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, interviewed many sick people and found that their ailment could be related to stress they had suffered during the two previous years. They came up with a check list of 43 items to which they gave numerical values. For instance:

For death of a spouse they gave 100 points

divorce 73

personal injury or illness 50

retirement 45

trouble with the boss 23

Christmas 12

They found that if our score in one year is over 300 points, we have a 90% chance of falling seriously ill during the next few years. Homes-Rahe test is widely used for statistical analysis of the health of army personnel in the U.S.

It is now an admitted fact that 50% to 80% of all diseases are psychosomatic. Many cases of cancer are attributable to social stress. Ulcers, high blood pressure, arthritis, chronic back pain, skin disorders, headaches, allergies, upset stomachs, asthma, hay fever, impotence, insomnia, diabetes and alcoholism are considered to be stress related.

High school football players from families having stress problems are likely to suffer more serious injuries than those from other families.

But by anticipation we invite accidents to happen. Therefore, when stress comes, recognize the stress but realize and be confident that some good is coming and look out for that good that is coming.

When we cultivate this habit, stress will always end up as a benefit. Try it, expect it and see that it happens every time

In addition to worries about health and petty things, we have a long list of "what if's". For example, "What if my house is robbed when I am away?" You know the story of the woman who had 23 padlocks and 20 dogs to guard her for she feared she would be robbed, raped, and murdered. She spent sleepless nights in fear and trembling.

Some of us worry about what others think about us. If we knew how little they thought about us, if ever they did, we would get over that worry in a hurry.

The interesting fact is that though worry is the cause of so much stress, worry can be imaginary.

40% of your worries may never happen

30% of your worries are about events that have already happened and nothing can be done about them

10% of your worries are about petty things

12% of your worries are about your health or diet, your weight, etc. and will only aggravate the situation.

There is the story of the hypochondriac who went to see his doctor. When the hypochondriac was describing his imaginary diseases, the doctor was making short notes. The doctor was called away to answer a phone call. When the doctor was away, the hypochondriac peeked at the notes and saw the letters "SOB". He was very angry. When the doctor returned, the hypochondriac questioned him as to how dare he make such remarks about him. The doctor replied "First of all, my notes are my personal property and you should not have looked at them. Secondly the letters "SOB" stand for short of breath and not what you think.

All stress is not bad. Medical investigation has concluded that under-stress can cause depression, indigestion, overeating, chronic irritability, fatigue, inability to concentrate, and many more undesirable habits. Too much or too little is not good.

Stress can be useful and necessary. If there is no stress on the strings, not a sound could be coaxed from the most beautiful Stradivarius and the highly prized diamond watch will not run for one minute but for the stress on its spring.

Too much tension, the strings of the violin and springs of the watch will snap and too little will make them equally useless.

Some stress is beneficial by stimulating and strengthening us. What matters is not the event which creates the worry but how we view the event. An event that causes constant worry to one can be a very useful challenge to another.

When we look at the lives of great people, we find that their greatness depended upon their ability to overcome the tragic events in their lives and to turn them into events of blessings.

St Paul wrote the epistles in prison. Charles Kettering broke his hand while cranking an automobile and hence he invented the self starter. He had a sign in his laboratory, "Do not bring me your successes, they weaken me. Bring me your problems, they strengthen me."

As a boy, Edison worked as a candy butcher on the train between Port Huron and Detroit. One day he was late for the train and was running along to get on board. The conductor literally pulled him aboard by his ears. His eardrums were damaged and he lost 90% of his hearing. Edison claimed that his deafness helped him in that he could hear the loud ticking of the telegraph ticker amidst the chattering by people which he could not hear. This deafness led him into the unexplored field of sound and its transmission. He patented 1100 inventions in the fields of sound and its transmission, photography, and electricity before he died in 1931 at the age of 90.

When we are under stress, our awareness, our senses, and our mind are sharpened. We all know many people who work best under stress. But they do not permit stress to create anxiety in them.

There are many ways to deal with stress. Some of them are simple and are intended to get our minds off the object of stress. Some therapists recommend transient remedies such as a warm bath, going for a walk, cutting the grass, baking bread, writing down your peeves, finding out what we are afraid of and so on. .

Getting our mind off the issue is good not only for stress but also in dealing with many other vexatious problems.

Some other common ways of combatting stress are to take a couple of tranquilizers, mix an alcoholic drink, smoke pot, eat, watch television, go to bed and cry, take it out on our dear ones but these responses will only land us in greater trouble.

There are three better methods by which we will be able to overcome stress.

The first method is to forgive yourself for the past mistakes you think you made. There are many people who cannot get rid of their guilty feelings over such mistakes.

The famous writer, Guy de Maupassant wrote a story entitled "A Piece of String." It is the story of a man who saw a string on a busy market place. He bent down and picked it up thinking he could use it. He was accused of picking up a lost wallet and was arrested and put in prison. Fortunately, the wallet was found the next day. This man could not get over the insult and indignities he suffered. He brooded over it day and night. The piece of string had become an obsession. He neglected his work and went from person to person complaining of how he had been wrongly arrested and imprisoned. He died of a broken heart mumbling "A piece of string."

The piece of string became an obsession because he was finding fault with himself for having picked up the piece of string. If he had focussed on the person who accused him and forgiven him, the obsession would not have persisted, for he would have had to forget the offence and forgive the offender.

A wise man once said that when a person undresses for bed at night, he should also undress his mind from the mistakes and failures of the day. The art of forgetting is a virtue we ought to acquire.

Second method to eliminate stress is forgiveness of the offender. Forgive others for the offenses they have committed against you. We read in the Gospel "Forgive if ye have ought against any." Some people say, "I can forgive but I cannot forget." Henry Ward Beecher, the famous American preacher at Brooklyn, New York, said "Such a statement is another way of saying that I will not forgive."

Benjamin Franklin said, "It is the lot of man to suffer. It is also his fortune to forget." and we forget because we must and not because we will.

Little vicious minds abound with anger and revenge and are incapable of feeling the pleasure of forgiving their enemies. You will experience the release of strain, the relaxation of body and mind when you forgive a person. You have no idea what great treasure lies in store for you until you experience it. For your own sake, for your own peace of mind, for your own health, for your own joy, learn to forgive.

The third method is to control our brain waves. Learning to control our brain waves will bring great joy and pleasure . Meditation and yoga are the initial methods for learning to control brain waves. Biofeedback also enables a person to control brain waves and thereby gain control over stress.

Finally, when we search earnestly for the purpose of our lives and the Creator's purpose in creating the universe, with all the living beings with human beings in the top rung, with the highest power of deduction and induction among all, we will realize that the Creator was looking for companionship. The stresses we experience throughout our lives are challenges to make us strong and fitting companions for the Creator.

How to Overcome Stress

Dr. Simon is a retired research scientist, philanthropist and author of two books: The Missing Piece to Paradise and The Philosopher's Notebook. Visit his website at http://simonsecret.org

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How to Use Senna For Constipation Relief

It is known that Egyptians used senna tea to relieve constipation. This tea is used for medium and chronic conditions of constipation. It is the chemicals anthraquinones that provide its strong action on your colon walls. Senna is the second best herb to use for chronic constipation because it creates strong peristalic action. It is readily available in health food stores or on the Internet.

Only use senna for a short time, 1- 1½ week. It is not healthy to use it for a long time, since its action moves fecal matter through your colon quickly. This quick action prevents absorption of nutrients by your colon depriving you of necessary minerals and vitamins.

Strain

Use senna only in amounts that produce the required bowel movement and stool softness to relieve your constipation. Start with small amounts and increase your amount slowly.

Senna is sold Over-the-Counter under the name Correctol®, ExLax®, Senokot®, and Smooth Move. Senokot also contain docusate sodium - a stool softener - an added benefit when hard, dry stools may cause discomfort.

Senna Tea with Potato peels

You can also prepare senna tea as follows:

Buy some senna tea at a health food. Place a tea bag into 1 ½ cups of distilled water and steep. Then, add the peel of a whole red potato. Also, add a couple slices of potato meat. Add to this, a teaspoon of wheat or oat bran and flax seed.

Simmer this combination, strain it and drink the liquid. This will give constipation relief for some of the more difficult cases of constipation. Remember the longer you simmer this combination the stronger the tea will be. Start with a 5-10 minutes and then work up to 15-20 minutes but you need to experiment with the time.

When you drink senna tea, drink only 2-3 oz. at a time and drink it only after it has cooled down. It has less of a cramping action when you drink it cool.

Senna Tea with Peppermint

Here is another senna tea you can prepare.

1 teaspoon of senna tea leaves
½ teaspoon of peppermint leaves.

Boil 8 oz of distilled water, turn the heat off, stir in the herbs. Turn the heat off and cover the glass container. Let tea simmer for 3-10 minutes.

Add honey to improve taste and some powered vitamin C if you have it.

Look for formulas that have a small amount, 1/10 of a part, of fennel, anise, or ginger to reduce any cramping that might occur with senna.

Do not drink seena tea or capsule if you have any type of colon disease, stomach pain, diarrhea, or are pregnant.

Senna Pod Tea with Prunes.

Senna Pods are milder than the leaves since the do not contain the resin. It is the resin in the senna leaves that causes griping in your colon.

If available, use around 8 pods. Heat some distilled water. Place the pods into the water for 5-10 minutes. Strain the tea and add 3-4 dried prunes or chopped prunes. Let cool and eat the prunes during the day or drink and eat a few prunes just before you go to bed. Drink only a couple ounces of the senna liquid at one time. If cramping or griping occurs, reduce the amount of tea you drink.

There you have it. You can get constipation relief with senna herb by using it in different ways.

How to Use Senna For Constipation Relief

Rudy Silva gives you more free constipation information. Go get his free "Constipation Secrets 10 Week Course" to discover how to get rid of Constipation: Senna for Constipation Go here for more free tips: Tips for Constipation

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Eye Strain Symptoms

Headaches are not fun for anyone. However, unfortunately headaches are a part of everyday life. People experience them for all different reasons- while some feel the pain in their heads due to a cold or flu, others get headaches due to stress, hangovers, dehydration and thousands of other conditions. However, if they are occurring after a long time looking at a computer, then there is a chance that you are suffering from eye strain headaches.

Don't worry - this form of headache is hardly ever serious and quite preventable and treatable. Although there is no actual medical cure for eye strain headaches, there are ways to avoid them and the other symptoms that accompany them.

Strain

Strain on the eyes is a common problem for anyone who stares at a certain task for a long time. For example reading textbooks, working on a computer and driving for an extensive length of time can all be the cause of eye strain. It's possible to get this type of strain at the office, at home in front of the television and while participating in your everyday situations.

Many people may be suffering from eye strain and don't realize it. That's why we have made the check list below of symptoms to see if you are being affected.

Symptoms of Eye Strain

  • Do you suffer from sore or tired eyes? If your eyes feel droopy or hurt to blink, then you could be suffering from eye strain. Sore and tired eyes in the most common complaint when it comes to strain on your eyes.
  • Are your eyes dry, itchy or burning? Another common symptom includes dry eyes. Because those concentrating on a task for a long time will usually blink five times less than normal, your eyes can become quite dry. Often an artificial tear drop medication can help with this.
  • Do you have watery eyes causing blurred vision? Another symptom is the complete opposite of dry eyes- watery eyes. Although they may not itch or burn, they can be incredibly annoying.
  • Do you suffer from blurry vision when you do look away from the screen? If you continue to see the shapes and images on the computer screen, even when you look away, then don't worry- you are not slowly going crazy- this is a symptom of eye strain.

Other Eye Strain Symptoms to Look for

  • Apart from the vision and eye concerns, you may also experience headaches at work, as mentioned above. These are classified as eye strain headaches and may be accompanied by any of the other symptoms listed.
  • Do you find your eye are more sensitive to light and have problems with color fringes? This is a good indication that you have been staring at the television or computer screen for too long.
  • Finally, do you have a sore or stiff neck? Finally, do you have a sore or stiff neck? This is yet another symptom of strain on your eyes.

In most instances, if any of these symptoms present themselves while working or at home, it's best to give your eyes a rest and get away from the computer screen/television/etc.

Eye Strain Symptoms

Lindsay Pollard is the co-creator of computer eye strain software ScreenRest that provides you relief from the eye strain, blurred vision, tired eyes and headaches that are caused by prolonged computer usage. Discover more about eye strain symptoms, their causes, and how to avoid them.

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Teacher Stress - 5 Stress Relieving Techniques For Teachers

With nearly 90% of all teachers experiencing moderate to high levels of stress it is very important that teachers use stress relieving techniques to improve both their career and their health. While stress is evident in any job, teachers seem to face increased levels of stress due to their unique circumstances. Think about what a teacher must deal with day in and day out...high stakes exams, overcrowded classrooms, grading tests, grading homework, grading classwork, administrative paperwork, meeting with parents, department meetings, faculty meetings, challenging students, angry parents, an unsupportive community, and the list goes on...

Without using stress relieving techniques, teacher stress can manifest itself in many ways including headaches, back pain, frequent illness, heartburn, anger, impatience, depression, eating disorders, and insomnia. If not addressed, these manifestations may likely turn into heart disease and hypertension. Stress can even damage memory and cognitive skills.

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What's worse is that teachers often don't know how to handle their stress and therefore it comes as no surprise that nearly 50% of all teachers quit within their first five years.

Fortunately, there are many simple stress relieving techniques that teachers can use that will help improve both their health and their career.

Here are five stress relieving techniques:

1. Get exercise! Do NOT use the excuse that you don't have time. You must make time. Make it part of your routine everyday. While it may be tough at first, you'll quickly find yourself with more energy and you'll be much more efficient at work.

2. Learn to say no. This can be quite difficult...especially as a new teacher. New teachers think they must say "yes" to everything in order to keep their job, but this can quickly lead to teacher burnout.

3. Join teacher discussion boards/forums. There are many teacher forums on the internet where teachers can not only vent their frustrations, but get real advice from real teachers who have experienced the same problems.

4. Think positive. In fact, don't just think positive thoughts, but actually say them out loud. In the morning, or on your way to work, say positive things about your job, about your students, about your colleagues. You'll be amazed at the impact that saying these things out loud can have on the rest of your day.

5. Cool down and take breaks. Teachers have a tendency to go straight through the day (and night) without taking a break. This is unhealthy and only adds to your stress level. Make sure to NOT work through lunch. Take that time to eat a healthy meal and talk to colleagues about things other than school. In other words let yourself take a mental break from the job during the day. Also, at the end of the school day, make a to-do list for the next day and then take ten minutes to relax and cool down with some other stress relieving techniques such as deep breathing exercises, stretching, or visualization.

Teacher Stress - 5 Stress Relieving Techniques For Teachers

There are many stress relieving techniques you can use to improve your health and your career.

To get 21 free stress relieving techniques and a free copy of "How to Win Your War Against Stress" visit http://www.1-800-Stop-Stress.com

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Stress Management Tip - Stretching

When we feel stressed, our muscles tense up and relaxation becomes difficult. One way to combat muscle tension and become more relaxed is by stretching. Stretching exercises loosen up stiff, tense muscles and help get the knots out of muscles. The beauty of stretching is that you don't need equipment or a large space.

A good stretching routine is one that can be done in five minutes regularly once or twice a day. While a comprehensive routine may cover most parts of your body a basic stretch routine should include at minimum your arms, legs, and back. Here are some basic stretches to try:

\"stress Management\"

Arm Stretch - Raise your arms above your head, fingers interlaced, palms facing up. Push up as far as you can. Hold for 15 seconds. Relax. Repeat 3 times.

Back Stretch 1 - Lying on the floor, pull your knees into your chest and clasp your hands under your knees. Gently press your hips to the floor. Hold for 15 seconds. Relax. Repeat 3 times.

Back Stretch 2 - Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keeping your back flat on the floor, rotate your hips to the left, lowering your legs down to the floor until a gentle stretch is felt. Hold for 15 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat on other side

Leg Stretch 1 Ham String: Sit down with your legs straight out in front of you. Reach forward with your hands as far as is comfortable (touch your toes if you can) and hold the stretch for 15 seconds.

Leg Stretch 2 Quad: Do this stretch standing up, using a chair or the wall for balance. Lift one leg behind you and grasp it with your hand. Pull the leg up toward your butt, keeping your knees even with each other and hold for 15 seconds. Repeat for each leg.

Leg Stretch 3 Calf: Put your arms on a wall like you're about to get frisked. Place one leg forward and the other leg back. Shift your weight to the back leg and press against the wall until you feel the stretch in your calf and hold for 15 seconds. Switch legs and stretch again.

We all lead busy lives and may find it difficult to make time for stretching so it is important to stick with a routine that doesn't take a long time to do. By stretching regularly, you'll increase the flow of blood and nutrients to the cells of your body. It reduces mental and physical stress, tension and anxiety, promotes good sleep, lowers blood pressure and slows down your heart rate. When you do manage to have a little bit of time for yourself, try some stretching!

NOTE - If you have a medical condition, please check with your doctor before doing any type of exercise.

Stress Management Tip - Stretching

David Tomaselli is the creator of Stress Management and Self Improvement Techniques – The Wholistic Development Exchange. The aim of the Wholistic Development Exchange is to empower you to deal with stress, pressure and the day to day challenges that life brings by providing you the latest Tips, Techniques, Articles, News, E-Books, Products and other Resources related to Stress Management and Self Improvement. To download free E-Books go to our Free Stress Management E-Books section. To find out how to create an Extra Hour in your Day, have a read of our NEW seven part Time Creation Tips series.

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Headaches and Migraines - Can Your Pillow Keep You From Waking Up With Head and Neck Pain?

Do you hate going to sleep because you don't want to wake up with another miserable headache?

Do you think it's amazing that we can do things to hurt ourselves even when we are asleep? I know I do.

Strain

Have you ever thought your headache or migraine might be caused by your pillow? Or, that the position you sleep in causes your headaches?

Does your doctor or neurologist just give you medicine for head pain? That's typical because most doctors know very little about the roles of muscles in headaches, neck pain and migraines. They get much more training in drugs than in muscles. As a result, muscles are usually overlooked as a cause of head pain by most doctors.

Muscles which are not supported well can get downright cranky. And, they do. They like to be kept in fairly neutral positions. Aggravate your muscles and they will aggravate you!

So, here are several suggestions to help you get a better nights' sleep and wake up feeling well.

Side-sleepers often tilt their chin to the ceiling or floor. Then your neck is not straight. It's bent, curved sideways. You also squash, overstretch, compress and shorten the muscles on the top, front and around your shoulder. None of this is good for your muscles and they will complain. Ideally, you would learn to sleep on your back with your neck and shoulders properly supported.

Back-sleepers can wake up with headaches, too. If your pillow is too fat it pushes your head too far forward and causes muscle stress or strain in the back of your neck. Those muscles attach to your head. If your pillow is too hard, it won't support the natural curve behind your neck. That also creates muscle strain.

Side-sleepers can buy a special pillow for people who sleep on their sides. It has some "loft" or "fluff" all around but a firm core. This pillow needs to have enough height so your neck bones are straight and supported, and not allowed to curve to the floor or ceiling.

Back-sleepers can use a "shaped" pillow to support the natural curve of their neck. These pillows come in various sizes, although "medium" is most commonly found in the stores. Some are temperature-sensitive foam and are firmer in cold weather than in warm weather. Most seem to be too big, fat or hard for many of our necks.

A soft, flat down pillow ("for stomach sleepers") might also work well for you. Puff up the area that will be under your neck and "pull" the side tails up after your head is on the pillow. The tails will keep you from rolling your head into strange positions that will strain your neck and cause headaches or migraines.

If you can't find a pillow that gives your neck the correct amount of support (not too much and not too little) you can make your own with fiberfill. Buy a batt of fiberfill (fiberfill is the stuffing in quilts) at a fabric store or department. It is very inexpensive. Don't get the loose fill. Be sure to get a batt.

Open the package and unroll the batt. Roll the batt into various thicknesses until you find the one that feels best under your neck when you are on your back. Cut the batt and tape the roll so it will keep its' shape. You might want a flat thickness or two (or three) under your head as well.

Play with the thickness of the neckroll and for under your head until it feels comfortable for you.

You could sew nice covers for your homemade pillow, or you can just do as I do. Put your pillow in a pillow case - no sewing involved.

You might want to make a few different size pillows and switch around to whatever feels most comfortable at the moment.

If your head is far forward ("forward head posture") and it is hard for you to lay flat, you may need to prop your pillows differently to support your back, neck and head without strain.

Headaches and Migraines - Can Your Pillow Keep You From Waking Up With Head and Neck Pain?

And now I'd like to invite you to discover more ways to relieve your pain naturally at http://www.SimplePainRelief.com Let me, Kathryn Merrow, The Pain Relief Coach, be your guide to a pain-free life.

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Diverticulitis and Stress

It was interesting when we did the survey for the End Diverticulitis Reference what our Newsletter readers had to say about stress.

It turns out that Stress was the number 1 cause for people to have a flare up, ie Diverticulosis to turn into Diverticulitis.

Stress

What happens?

Well Stress causes your body to not digest food properly. Usually when under stress blood and oxygen are not directed to the digestive system but to other areas in the body. This has a direct effect on how well the digestive system works. When the stressful situation is resolved the blood and oxygen is directed back to the digestive system. So imagine that you have the Diverticuli and you body is busy fighting an infection in them. A stressful situation comes up, blood and oxygen is taken away from where your body is fighting the infection. Guess who starts winning, yep, the infection. So you have a full blown flare up of Diverticulitis. It is important to give your digestive system the best possible chance for fighting any infections, and stress does not allow that to happen.

So what do you do?

Well avoid stress. That's obvious isn't it.

However while it is obvious we all live in the real world and not some utopian society.
So it will not always be possible to avoid stress. So we need to learn to manage it and control it.

There are things you should consider.

If it is your job that is causing the stress, is it continuous? Are you under constant pressure to perform and is the place you work a high stress work place?

You need to ask yourself. Do you really need it? I know some people thrive on it and love the stress and high action jobs, but if your health is failing then why risk Diverticulosis for the sake of a job. Might be time to have a look around at something else.

Is it something specific in your life, money, illness (Diverticulitis can itself cause stress, which can cause Diverticulitis, nasty circle that one). Then you need to face the problem and find a solution. Once it is brought out into the open and discussed you might find the solution is closer than you think. But keeping it inside will not help.

Some simple things you can do RIGHT NOW to help relieve stress.

1. exercise. get out and stretch the legs

2. deep breathing, very simple take a few deep breaths when you feel the stress building and calm down.

3. identify what is causing the stress and take actions to fix it.

4. understand what you can and cannot change. and change the things you can

5. avoid unrealistic expectations

6. have a break

7. enjoy a pastime, be it family, hobbies, something you can loose yourself in.

8. avoid chemical stress enhancers, coffee, alcohol etc

9. learn relaxation techniques, from meditation to sport

10. if all else fails GET HELP don't be too afraid to ask a professional

Is it yourself? This one is a tough one. I know a lot of people are worriers, spend all their time worrying about things and places and a lot of the time it is really just pointless. You need to control concerns and anxieties as if they get out of hand they will cause stress which can flare up your Diverticulitis.

I strongly suggest that you seek some sort of solution if Stress is a major factor in your life. As Stress is a major factor in Diverticulitis. You need to control Stress, manage stress and avoid stress. Things will go wrong and problems will happen. It is how you face these and treat these problems that will determine how well Diverticulitis is managed.

Diverticulitis and Stress

Diverticulitis is a debilitating disease that can usually be controlled by understanding the body, foods and diets. Glenn helps manage the http://www.end-diverticulitis.com website which is dedicated to supporting and informing diverticulitis sufferers and their families. The End Diverticulitis website also runs a active forum for people to post any questions to the Diverticulitis community.

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Managing Stress

You have heard someone tell you that they are under too much stress, but do you really know what stress is. Stress is a real reaction our bodies have to outside stimulants and it can be measured. When we are under stress our blood pressure and heart rates rise, we breathe more quick, our bodies produce more adrenalin and blood is pumped to our extremities. What our bodies are doing is preparing us to run away or fight the danger we perceive. This is called "flight or fight" reaction. This is a very good thing when there is a real danger to us.

It is stress that gives us the added energy we need to meet tight deadlines. Many people find that they work the most efficiently under stress, as their bodies are revving them up to perform at their best, but stress can also be harmful to our bodies. When we produce too much stress toxin and do not give our bodies the chance to release that stress, we have too much left over toxins in our bodies. Think about if there was a real danger ahead of you, like a bear. If you were walking along in the woods and a bear jumped out in front of you, your body would be under stress. It would produce the necessary chemicals for you to run away. You would run away and this exercise would release the toxins your body is producing. This is a perfect design for dealing with danger.

\"stress Management\"

However, in today's modern society, the stresses we face are no longer (usually) in the form of giant grizzly bears coming across our path. Instead, we face deadlines, bosses, projects, pressures and family problems. There is no longer that automatic release of the stress through running away. This is why stress-induced problems are on the rise today. We have more people with high blood pressure, heart attack, ulcers and diabetes problems. This is because of the exposure to prolonged and unmanaged stress in people's lives.

So, what can you do to manage the stress in your life? First, avoid creating stress where there is none. If you have a tense family situation, this does not have to become a source of stress. Deal with the problem and then move on. Do not let it fester into stress in your life. Start and exercise routine. Vigorous exercise is one of the best ways to reduce the stress toxins in the body and our modern society, unfortunately, does not emphasize exercise the way it should.

Not only should you exercise regularly, but you should also relax on a regular basis. Our bodies were not made to go twenty-four/seven. Try to find at least twenty minutes a day where you can do nothing but relax.

One of the best pieces of advice for dealing with stress is to set realistic expectations for yourself. Do not take on too much and do not set expectations too high. You know what you are capable of doing. When you try to go beyond your capabilities, you create unnecessary stress. Avoid doing this and your life will be much less stressful!

Managing Stress

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Stress

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The Dangers of Chronic Stress and Some Things That You Can Do About It

 The normal evolved stress response in humans was a life saver.  Imagine being an early human in the jungles, or on the African Savannah, and having to deal with large predators like lions, hyenas, and the like.  Humans are slow and have nothing in the way of natural defensive or offensive capabilities.  It is only our ability to think, fashion tools and weapons, and ban together into social groupings like the extended family unit called a tribe which allowed us to advance to the top of the food chain on this planet.  What is amazing is that individually any one of us is just as helpless against a lion as was our distant tribal forefathers.  Without our tools, weapons, and protection given by being in groups, we are once again on the menu.

The stress response is essentially the fight or flight response.  You either stand and fight, or you flee for your life.  All sorts of physical things happen to prepare us to fight or flee.  The heart starts pumping faster and your blood pressure rises in order to get the blood to your muscles and your lungs.  Digestion slows down since there is no time to eat when you are preparing to fight or flee.  Breathing rate increases in order to get more oxygen into the blood.  Blood supply is directed towards your brain and the muscles responsible for structure and movement, since you will have to either fight for your life or run for your life.  Blood clotting factor rises since there might need to be a repair to an injury.  Your eye pupils will dilate in order to gather more light for vision, since sight is important to see your foe, especially if this is happening nocturnally.  Your liver creates glucose as a quick energy source along with fatty acids since if you are fighting or fleeing you will need some quick and also sustainable energy.

Stress

All of this was once designed to save your life, and it would only kick in when you really needed it.  Let's fast forward to the modern age.  Most of us no longer have to worry about that hairy teeth monster lurking in the bushes ready to make a meal of us, but we, on another level, perceive all sorts of threatening things in the form of that nasty boos, backstabbing coworkers, nagging spouse, looming pink slip, phone calling creditors, etc.  We are still under siege, and when you feel that way the stress response kicks in.  When we are constantly bombarded with these things and they never end, many of us develop the condition of chronic stress.  Stress becomes this chronic never ending condition which dogs us day and night, day in and day out, month after month, and then year after year.  In today's world much of this revolves around money and the lack of it, but even people with money aren't safe because many of them are always worried about making more or are fearful of losing what they have, so the chronic stress train keeps choo choo'ing along.  Now the tables have turned on us and for the most part, in the modern world, the things that trigger the stress response are not worthy of it because they are not life or death situations.  The problem is that the body has this mechanism burned in and the response itself, over time, becomes the problem.  Many of the physical manifestations of the stress response, when triggered constantly and chronically, actually break out bodies down over time.  Some of the problems are higher blood pressure, headaches, muscle aches and spasms, digestive problems, chronic gastrointestinal issues like IBS, clogging of the arteries due to arterial wall damage from the higher blood pressure, to name a few.  

You have to condition yourself on how to handle stress.  Not everyone has a runaway fight or flight syndrome.  This is because different people handle their stresses differently.  If you are the type to brood about things, think negatively, or somehow internalize everything that you perceive in your life as going wrong or being a struggle, then you are the type who is more likely suffering from the "broken" stress response.  Many times all it takes is a shift in your thinking to shift your response.  For example, if you have an internal conversation with yourself telling yourself how much you can't stand sitting in traffic, or waiting for your turn at the grocery store checkout, then your body will shift more readily into a stress response.  You will tense up and maybe start sweating, which will in turn make you feel self conscious about the sweating and make you paranoid about people looking at you or noticing perspiration stains on your underarms or elsewhere on your clothing, which will then spiral downward into more worry and impatience.  In extreme cases this can lead to a full fledged panic attack.  Some people, even though they are just standing there on a line, will exhibit the physical signs of an all out sprint from a predator.  They will have the increased heart rate and all of the signs of the fight or flight response.  There are people who can go through this several times a day, every day.  It doesn't just start that way either.  You might start this behavior out as a youngster, having it get progressively worse through the years.  For some people this is the long sad path towards things like nervous breakdown or Heaven forbid thoughts of worthlessness or even suicide.

It doesn't have to be that way.  A simple shift in your thinking and some minor preparation can lead you out of this behavior pattern.  The first thing to realize if you are going to try to improve matters is to realize and accept that it is a process and that you may not get it right the first time or even the first several times.  Know that it is a process and that you will get better over time, and DO NOT beat yourself up if you perceive that you failed in some aspect, because that in itself leads to stress, which you want to avoid because that is the whole purpose here.  What I can offer here is to get yourself used to some minor preparation.  If you are headed to the doctor's office, for example, you might enjoy the many magazines that are in the waiting room.  If so then great, pick one up and occupy your mind instead of watching the clock and getting aggravated at all of the people who are going in first, especially the ones who came into the office after you.  If you do not like the magazines, then some forethought in bringing your own magazine or book that you are interested in might have served you well.  Today we have all sorts of personal diversions, like mobile phones that are also computers with built in games, personal music players, etc.  Whatever it takes to get you away from brooding behavior or self destructive thoughts, then do it.  With time this will become second nature to you and you won't even have to think about it.  This can be more of a challenge for men because we do not carry around purses or handbags to store stuff in, but most of us today have mobile electronic devices which can act as handy diversions in times of need.  It's also your thoughts.  For example, try to train yourself to not think negatively about everything, or to succumb to paranoid thoughts that the world is against you.  Cynicism is at an all time high, and it has become fashionable, even for young adults and even children, to adopt this cynical, sarcastic, fatalistic, and super skeptical attitude about everything.  These things have been piped into the homes through the many new kids TV networks which are most likely staffed by similarly pessimistic and cynically filled twenty and thirty somethings.  As a parent I have noticed these attitudes in many of these special kids programming which did not exist when I was a child.  I still ended up all stressed out, so I can;t help but wonder what will become of the current crop of kids when they get old enough to face real stresses.  i.e. How will they respond to their stresses?  If it is with negative paranoia and a fatalistic blame everyone else attitude which is prevalent in modern society, then the broken fight or flight response is something that we will be trying to work around for a long time to come.  That was not a pessimistic thought on my part, it is just calling it as I see it.  When you succumb to negative thinking or allow even a small mishap to change your entire mood, this will be with you through the entire day.  Be aware of your reactions to things and if you react in the wrong way and realize it, don't get down on yourself.  Just be resolved to react differently the next time.  Before long you will be out of the habit of being negative and angry all of the time and into the new beneficial habit of having a positive outlook.  All of this is tied to stress response and you your body reacts.  It all starts in your mind.  Mind over matter was never truer than when dealing with your reaction to stressful situations.  

Another thing that you can do to put yourself into a better mood is to get into the habit of making some time to do things that you enjoy, or other mood enhancing things.  When you are feeling angry or down, think of a baby or child that you love, or of the last thing that your pet did which made you laugh.  Listen to some enjoyable music or a favorite motivational speaker.  Make sure that you always have a favorite book to read or that your mobile phone device has enjoyable games and diversions loaded on it.  Be sure that your car has the music or other listening material for when you are stuck in traffic.  These are little things that you can do but they add up to many times when you would normally be stressed out but no longer are because you are not focused on the stress but on something enjoyable.

We make the choice to be happy or sad, angry or elated.  Too many of us succumb to the pity party and the "woeways me" outlook.  I have done this plenty of times.  How do you think that this became one of my interests which I chose to write about?  No one is perfect and we all slip and slide.  I do know enough to realize my faults and the shifts that need to be made.  I know for a fact that the shift in thinking and reacting does work because it has worked for me on numerous occasions.  I still am hit by many daily stresses and I adjust as I go along.  It is a process and you have to be strong and focused on your goal of being happy.  Sounds like a lot of work, right?  Well, there is work involved but it is worth it and the goal is to turn this work into a habit that you do unconsciously with little or no thought.

Sadness does come and you have to deal with it.  Aside from chronic stress, let me say something about genuine sadness.  Whether it be from the death of a loved one or some other tragedy like divorce or something traumatic.  It is okay to be upset and to cry.  Let it out.  Don't hold it in.  Converse with willing friends, and if you don't have them then contact a therapist or look online for a support group.  There is no excuse in this "wired" day and age to suffer alone and without support.  I can say from experience that I credit my ability to get beyond mourning some sort of a loss with ability to let it all out for a few hours or days and then the faculties return and clear thinking prevails.  I know that everyone is different, but the support of sympathetic souls and the ability to let it all out can do wonders for your comeback powers.

Another wonderful resource to reduce stress and immediately reduce the stress or "fight or flight" response is meditation with breathing exercises.  This method has been scientifically and medically proven to work for reducing stress and even for reducing high blood pressure.  I plan to write another article about this, but let me say here that being alone in a room and focusing on breathing slowly in and out, and reducing your breathing rate over the course of 20 minutes every day (the effect is cumulative) can result in a much less stressful lifestyle.  There are products out there which combine the breathing cues with relaxing music and I highly recommend them.

Hopefully the more people who are made aware of the connection to the very real historical and physiological stress response and its link to modern life and our response to it, we can prevent future generations from going down the self destructive path of anxiety, depression, sickness, or worse.  Remember this, massive change starts with one small change that is compounded over time by repetition.  If you condition your thinking to change and make the effort to think positively and not internalize daily problems, you will be doing yourself a huge favor and maybe you will even increase your lifespan.

The Dangers of Chronic Stress and Some Things That You Can Do About It

Tom has been writing articles on many different subjects because his Bachelor of Arts degree imbued him with a love of knowledge in many different areas. His latest site, http://patiochaircushionschoice.com discusses the various forms of patio chair cushions and accessories.

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Neck Strain

Neck sprain is a stretching or tearing feeling in the tissues of the neck. A neck strain is an injury that can damage the ligaments and muscles that support the neck and head.

Neck Strain

Strain

A strain in any part of a body is a stretch or tear of a muscle or tendon. Neck is surrounded by small muscles running close to the vertebrae and larger muscles that make up the visible muscles of the neck.

Causes

Neck strain can be caused when neck got unexpected bend, as if you a person is suddenly accelerated forward, then the head has tendency to remain behind and thus neck bends backwards suddenly. Our neck stays in constant tension to hold the head up. If a person having any injury on either neck or head, this may result to strain in neck. Sometime if you keep your neck one side while sleeping this may result to strain in neck. People who work on computer for a long time may suffer from the problem of neck strain.

Symptoms

If a person having strain in neck he/she may experience severe pain in the area around neck. Sometime it may have aching in neck. Even head movements also seems difficult and if one tries to move head side to side this can get pain in the neck. In some cases patient of neck strain may get numbness in fingers and also in forearms. Some other symptoms are blurred vision, swallowing, dizziness, stiffness, noise in ear and also nausea.

Treatment

Most of the patients of neck strain recover in one-two weeks but in some conditions, it can have long term effects such as long term discomfort, pain and limitation of movements. If a person is facing difficulty by sitting in same position for long time, then you should try to take small gaps between the working schedules. You can wear a soft cervical collar round your neck as it would be helpful in supporting head and also relieve pressure of neck.

Neck Strain

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How Does Stress Affect Sports

Stress can be good or bad for a person engaged in a sporting event. Good stress can improve a performance whereas bad stress can cause them to, in sporting parlance, not be at the races. This article will examine these two types of stress, what causes them, how they affect sports and how they can be combated.

Sport is a fairly general term for a range of activities that require varying mental and physical skills. For example, archery and ice hockey have many skills in common but probably more skills that are disparate. Physical exertion may be more intense in ice hockey than archery but mental pressure and judgement would be more in archery.

Stress

The body's response to stress is to change the bio-chemistry in the blood. The hormones adrenaline and cortisol are pushed into the bloodstream which passes through the body. This gives the body an energy boost. The muscles will become tighter and prepared for some exertion. The senses will become more attuned; pupils will dilate to allow more light to enter the eye and thus improve eyesight. This response is known as the 'fight or flight' response. It is triggered when the person, through their nervous system, senses a stressful event about to occur. In this way the body can overcompensate for a stressful event by putting too much adrenaline into the blood stream or not enough.

There seems to be two ways to affect this response. The first is the actual event that is causing the stress. The second is the perceived amount of stress that the person places on the stressful event. They are, obviously, closely related.

In the first instance stress could be caused if the person is new to the sport and does not have the skills or knowledge of the sport. They will feel overwhelmed and worried about things like the rules of the game, what position they should be in, what are their responsibilities or how to do a particular activity. On a physical level, they may not have developed the physique to do certain activities.

In this instance it is important not to take the sport too seriously. If the sport is a form of relaxation or stress relief then this should be clarified each time anything becomes overwhelming. Remember that it is supposed to be fun. Remember, also, that making mistakes is a part of learning. You can only improve by making these mistakes and you will be better for them.

The second way to influence the body's response to a stressful event is more to do with people that are experienced in the particular sport. In this case, we are talking about fine-tuning a performance. It is often said in professional sport that the difference between two competitors is not their fitness or skills but their mental preparation because the physical skills are virtually identical.

This is true. Many top sportspeople use mind techniques and sports psychologists to give them an edge. Simply put, the mind techniques are a way of putting the right amount of stress on a particular event, in the mind of the sportsperson, so that he or she peaks at the right time.

For example, a stirring speech by the coach can have two results. It could inspire the person to a great performance or it could put too much pressure on the person and limit the performance. This is a highly personal issue for people. Knowing how to mentally agitate the stress responses in the body to peak at the right time is a rare skill or talent. Generally, it comes through knowing the person involved.

Music is also used to 'calm nerves'. In this, we mean mediate the stress response in the body. The relaxing music can help the person forget about the stressful event. On the other hand, high energy or dance music is often used to motivate and get the 'blood flowing'. The music is often personal and different music can elicit different responses in people.

Stress is crucial to obtain a peak performance in any sports. Attaining the perfect level of stress for the individual at the right time is often harder than attaining the peak physical condition. From a stress management perspective, knowledge of the persons stress levels and how to alter these levels is the only way improve the individuals performance.

How Does Stress Affect Sports

Adrian Whittle writes for http://stressmanagementreview.com. If you are concerned about the effects that stress may have on your life, the common symptoms of stress and ways to defuse your stress levels then visit the site.

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The Social Impact of Stress

There are many aspects of social impact of stress and we cannot divorce ourselves from the society. When we are thinking of social impact, we are exploring how stress affects our relationships with society if any and, whether there are benefits or disadvantages associated with the impact of stress. The first vital thing that stress can do to your life is to render you withdrawn not just from society but, from every one close to you. This anti social behavior might seem right to you but, specialists have found that you are better off with a social support system which will enable you get better.

The scientific explanation for this is that a good social support helps in the increase of a certain hormone called oxytocin. This is a very vital hormone because it helps reduce stress levels as well as decrease anxiety. It has been found that our sense of attachment to people is brought about by this hormone. Therefore people who might be under stress and have a good social support, will produce the hormone in plenty and in turn, they will be able to deal with their stress in a better and faster way. You therefore need to identify stress before anything else so that you are aware of what the problem is. Stress is quite difficult to tell and the main thing that will guide you to know whether you are suffering from stress is the presence of a stressor.

\"stress Management\"

You might have realized by now that life is full of stressors and they are factors that cause stress in our lives. There are stressors which are more serious than others but, this does not mean that all stressors affect people in the same way. A little stressor to you might be a very big deal to someone else. The more serious causes of stress are death of a loved one, loss of a job, a disappointment after another, lack of a child, presence of an illness, constant physical or sexual abuse, loss of property and the list can go on and on. Many of the above factors have driven many to take their own lives because they felt like some things were too hard to bear.

Stress is unique because it is an individual who decides what too much to bear is and then if they see the need, they perform the act of taking their own lives. Also in the above stressors many people have gone through even a combination of two of the same problems and they remain whole going through ordeals with optimism and zeal. When you have a particular crisis that can amount to be a stressor, make sure you observe closely what your feelings might be and try to share and to have people encourage you. There is no doubt that a problem shared is a problem halved and, if you think you can handle your problems alone, think again because we all need each other.

The Social Impact of Stress

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