The stress no more: 2013

Architect Spa Design Floor Plan - Relax and Chill Out

An architect design floor plan can be found on the internet and in architectural magazines. One set of plans located on the web, Sage Springs Club and Spa, show a luxuriously appointed club and spa. The first floor of this spa/gym has a large luxurious lobby and reception area., a spa and fitness store that sells exercise clothing and various other spa products. Also on level one of this spa are a relaxation lounge, massage therapy rooms, wet room with vicy shower and a pedicure/manicure room.

The second floor of this architectural design spa floor plan has a conditioning room with a glass wall overlooking the tennis court below. This room also has Precor cardio equipment, cybex strength circuit, four screen television theater music channels with wireless headphones. There is also a movement studio for aerobics, yoga and stretch and toning exercises. At every station in this spa, you are treated like royalty. Membership in spas like this are costly, but well wroth the expense.

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On the ground level the floor plans show five full size regulation Tennis courts and 3 lane indoor lap pools and spa.

Architect Spa Design Floor Plan - Relax and Chill Out

There are lots of floor plans for different spas and gyms available on the internet. Almost all have some of the amenities of Sage Spring Spa and Club but this one had the most interesting floor plan of them all. Before joining an expensive spa or gym, check the ones you are interested in. Compare services, amenities, and prices before you sign anything.

Floor plans for detached condos are laid out similar to a 'home' not part of a condo complex. One floor plan for a detached condo in Michigan has a large family room,/dining room area, master bedroom with private bath, small kitchen area with an island, a powder room, and second-floor bedroom. There is also a garage on the first floor. A basement which can be finished has the potential for at least two more bedrooms. Detached condos are ideal for people who don't have the time or inclination for yard work. It would also be good for elderly people no longer capable of cutting grass or shoveling snow.

Architect Spa Design Floor Plan - Relax and Chill Out

Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for home buyers and consumers on purchasing a variety of Dream Home which includes Cottage Plans, Beach House Plans, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.

How to Relax at the Doctors Office

Going to the doctor can be a traumatic experience for a lot of people. You are not really sure what is the matter with you and you get yourself all worked up over what the outcome of the visit may be. What you need to understand is that creating all of this worry will not improve anything. In fact, it may make it even worse. You need to learn how to relax at doctors office ASAP!

The first thing that you have to do is realize that worrying or stressing out is not going to help anything. This may be a little tricky in the beginning, but by taking your mind off of why you are there, you will quickly realize that the visits to your doctor do not have to be as traumatic as you are making them out to be.

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Now we all know that when your appointment is at 11:00, your doctor is probably not going to be able to see you until 11:30 if you are lucky. However, show up late and they tell you they cannot see you at all. All that time in the waiting room only makes it worse and you are going nuts as you wait to see them.

How to Relax at the Doctors Office

If you are in the middle of a good book, bring it with you. Read a few chapters of something that makes you smile and that visit will not be such a problem for you any longer. If you are not into reading, bring a book of puzzles or take the kid's portable video game with you and get your video fix while you are waiting for you name to be called. Do anything other than count down the minutes until you walk through that door.

Now once your name is called, you will have a much better mindset and be able to handle anything the doctor tells you. More importantly, your blood pressure and heart rate won't have you close to panic attack when it is your turn. The doctors office does not have to be a bad experience. Follow the tips that we mentioned and you will get through it much easier.

How to Relax at the Doctors Office

To get help to overcome your fear of doctors just click here.

Muscles Only Relax When the Brain Says So

What is a knot? A knot is when the sufferer feels tension, and reaching his hand to touch the spot, he feels a raised lump of muscle.

What is the lump made of? If he rubs it back and forth, it feels crunchy, as if there were some substance in there. This crunching has lead many to guess that there are "calcium crystals" in there. When this image is believed, clearly the way to cure the knot would be to "break up the crystals." This requires "stripping," "breaking," and generally mechanical forces from outside the body to "tenderize" the meat of the muscles, like one of those wooden mallets used by thrifty cooks to tenderize cheaper cuts of beef. Of course, after mechanical force is applied from outside, he feels sore the next day. This is why he is advised to "drink lots of water." But what if a knot is not made of crunchy crystals?

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I believe a knot is nothing but smooth muscle, raised to a wrinkle because it is pulling so hard. It is like rope that you twist and twist, until finally the fibers kink in the middle.

Muscles Only Relax When the Brain Says So

Why do I think this? Any muscle will soften in seconds when the person's brain changes its mind. After thirty seconds of softening, when I rub the muscle back and forth, there is no more crunching. If there were crystals there, where did they go? If nobody broke any crystals, how did they soften?

If instead, knots are only muscle fibers kinked from tension, then when the brain stops signaling it to "pull", the kink naturally flattens out without any mechanical force from outside.

The nice thing about relaxing muscles from within, is that there will be no soreness afterward. There will be soreness after "crystal breaking" or any mechanical force intended to break something in the muscle. When you intend to break something, something will break! Soreness includes bruising of the skin, bruising of the muscle, and little bits of broken muscle fiber. Of course you need to drink more water for a few days that the immune system needs to clean up the broken fibers and heal the bruises. On the other hand, when muscles relax from within, there is no need to drink more water because nothing was broken.

How do muscles relax?

Muscles respond only to brain decisions. (Well, that's mostly true. There are mini-brains in the spine that can also signal muscles to contract or relax temporarily. But after the spinal reflex is finished, the muscle will return to the last instructions the brain gave.) Muscles relax for good only when the brain commands them to relax.

In the absence of new signals from the brain, muscles will continue to do as they were doing. Muscles will actively contract (or "guard"), day and night, even after death, if this was the last command heard from the brain. (for this reason, animals who know they are about to be killed tense up, and the meat--which is only muscle--will still be contracting when it gets to your plate, you'll be eating millions of "tense up" molecular messengers sent from the animal's last thoughts to its muscles.)

We need to figure out what the brain wants, so that it will choose to relax.

Here is what does not work: Lengthening muscles by force. The brain knows that force is being used and so it will subconsciously choose to relent temporarily, returning to its previous tension settings by the time the person wakes the next morning. Worse, the brain now subconsciously mistrusts whomever used force to overcome its guard.

How To Invoke The Brain To Relax The Body

If we want the brain to freely choose relaxation, then it cannot be forced to change.

Instead of forcing change, why not agree with the brain? When you find you can't rotate your head to the left, don't force it! Turn your head to the easy way. Contract lightly in the directions of comfort for about twenty seconds then gradually let it return to neutral. Do this a few times a day. If your body wants to go into a curled or bent position when you sleep, allow the body to go where it wants and help it. Get into a pool and let the body bend and curl in any direction it wants.

When it feels it has been heard, the brain feels honored that someone has taken the time to listen without judging the guarding as bad. It feels supported that someone is on its side and actually wants to assist its plan.

How Does It Work?

Once the brain sees that its limbs, joints and muscles are in the fullest contortion of guarding, (something happens within and) the guarding releases like magic. What happened? Maybe the brain has a sense of humor and needed to see how silly the guarding really looked when it was allowed to do what it planned. Maybe the most guarded position is a secret key that unlocks the double-lock vault where the tension was originally stored. Maybe it is just a playful time that allows the brain and body to lighten up. Maybe the symbolism of guarding as far as one can go, wears out the original command and it simply runs out of steam. Probably all of the above and more reasons too.

The Importance Of Immediate Feedback

Every muscle treatment I give, I ask the person, "Hey this muscle is softening, do you feel it?" Before the question, her brain had monitored relaxation only subconsciously. When a person has enough experiences noticing her own muscles relax, she gains conscious influence over her own muscle tension. Soon enough, she no longer needs outside assistance from a massage therapist, she can relax her own muscles from within, all by herself.

Complaints That Benefit From Invoking Brain To Relax Muscles

(please understand I am not a Doctor, I am not licensed to diagnose, and I am not saying that any disease would be "cured.") Relaxation From Within Helps With:

Aging (triggers PNS parasympathetic nervous system) gives back years of quality living, healthier skin, nails, hair, better digestion, lower heart rate, better blood pressure, lower anxiety, deeper breathing, etc.
Asthma, Allergies, Histamine Reactions, Chemical Sensitivity, Hyper Sensitivities
Athletes: those specific cramps at mile 22, low back pain for black belts (psoas muscle), Tendinitis (relax the muscle attached to that tendon), Tennis Elbow, Golfer's Elbow, etc.
Atlas and Axis: by relaxing obliquus inferior and superior muscles that were jamming these two joints
Brain: TBI brain injury, Stroke, MS, ALS, Encephalitis, Lyme, etc. (by boosting brain-muscle communication, intra-brain communication is enhanced)
Dancers (psoas)
Emotional Release (release not in outbursts, but gradually and constantly leaks away, a gentle rivulet of release), PTSD, "Shell Shock," automobile accident trauma, major surgery (traumatization can reside for decades after anesthesia and surgery), past life trauma (encapsulated in pearl gray capsules in the hippocampus and medulla oblongata, regulated by the centrum and the cerebellum)
Fatigue, CFS, Fibromyalgia, Candida, etc. (reducing muscle tension without the next-day soreness, ends the pain-spasm-pain loop)
Hip Rotators and Shoulder Rotator Cuff (tendons heal faster when no longer under tension from muscles)
Irritable Bowel or Poor Digestion (colon has spiral muscles that need to relax to move the food smoothly and effectively)
I-T band (which is the common tendon of the Tensor Fascia Latte and Gluteus Maximus muscles)
Job-Related Injuries, Stress, Overuse Injuries, Tendinitis, Carpal Tunnel (more likely wrist extensors), Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, tingling in the fingers, numbness, (pectoralis minor, scalenes, atlanto/axial joint, subscapularis), Sciatica, Bursitis, pain down the leg, numbness or tingling in the foot (piriformis, pectineus, TFL) (muscle tension restricts vein, artery and nerve flow)
Low Back Pain: (relax the lumbar sidebenders and psoas)
Lumbar Rotation, sometimes diagnosed as rotoscoleosis: (tight psoas muscle can rotate lumbar spine)
Type "A" personality, SNS (sympathetic nervous system) always on, "Fight Or Flight," Adrenaline Junkie, High Blood Pressure, Hypertension, Cold Hands and Feet, Sweaty Palms, Anxiety, Tongue Tied, Butterflies In Stomach, etc.
Yoga Practitioners and Teachers: overstretching injuries, low back pain (psoas,) loss of hip medial rotation (piriformis too tight, TFL too weak)

We live in a generation of dramatic change. Force never really worked well. We never really needed to depend on an Authority Of Healing to fix our knots, kinks, and ailments. It is time to use the gifts within.

Muscles Only Relax When the Brain Says So

Patrick Moore, L.M.T., B.A. is an educator for both undergraduate and licensed massage therapists. Specializing in the brain-muscle connection, he continues to develop new technique, publish articles, and maintain a small massage practice in Phoenix, AZ.

In 2001 Patrick rediscovered the idea that muscles relax when the brain feels safe, and began publishing and teaching what is now called, "Melting Muscles."

As an NCBTMB educator, he travels Nationwide to teach Melting Muscles, Reiki, tendinitis treatment, and an Ethics class on Equal Relationships.

Patrick would like to organize a fan club for the obliquus capitis inferior muscle.

His articles have appeared in Massage & Bodywork magazine and Massage Therapy Journal.

Melting Muscles technique at: http://MeltingMuscles.com
Class dates and new classes at Patrick's blog; http://meltingmuscles.blogspot.com

How to Relax Your Mind and Ease Your Stress in 60 Seconds

Have you ever felt like the earth is spinning faster and faster each day? That you always feel there are so many things to do in so little time? That you feel like the hands of the clock are moving so fast or in some cases so slow?

Well, let me share with you that all these feelings are actually being manipulated by your MIND. Every single thing we do these days is identified and controlled by our minds. For example, you're identified by your own mind, you think who you are. You also use your mind to identify and judge others.

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Therefore, it's small wonder that we always feel stress, restless and tense. Because we are always on a race with our minds. Well, time to learn how to RELAX and UNWIND. Cut your mind some slack!

How to Relax Your Mind and Ease Your Stress in 60 Seconds

Here is how to relax your mind in 60 seconds...

Focus on your breathing. This is not the usual breathing exercise described in many self-help books. What I'm trying to share with you is to be aware of your breathing. You can do this anywhere, it doesn't matter. I just want you to notice or give attention to your breath.

When you inhale, try to feel the air coming into your nostril. Similarly, when you exhale, try to notice the air coming out from your nostril. Also, notice that your lower abdomen is expanding slightly when you inhale and contracting when you exhale.

If you take a short breath, notice that it's a short breath. If it's a long breath, notice that it's a long breath. In other words, just act as an observer - to observe and notice how you breathe. Just do this for 60 seconds, and you will immediately feel the "stillness" in your mind.

Do this practice daily every time when you feel there is stress or tension. It will bring calmness to you almost immediately. It's easy to do and can be practiced anywhere and anytime.

Another of my favorite way to unwind and relax my mind is by using what is known as meditative sounds. There are many variaties, the one I use is called Binaural Harmonics. What I normally do is just put on a headphone when I'm travelling by bus, train or plane. You can also listen to it when you're driving.

The meditative sounds are specially designed to stop your normal thought or mind patterns, bringing your mind to an altered state of consciousness. In a layman term, it basically means to get rid of all the clutters in your mind and instills calmness and stillness into it.

Listening to meditative sounds on a regular basis not only can relax your mind but it also helps to relax your body and allow you to think more clearly. If you want more information, you can watch a video at my blog (see link below).

How to Relax Your Mind and Ease Your Stress in 60 Seconds

Go to how to practice basic meditation to watch the meditative sounds video for more understanding (scroll down a bit to watch the video when you reach that page). More personal development tips on various topics can also be found at my blog.

Positive and Negative Stress

As human being, you need stress to thrive, excel and enjoy live. This is called positive stress. However, positive stress can become negative if it is not balanced and managed efficiently. Your goal is to aim for a positive stress phase.

Signs of positive stress

Stress

1. Increased creativity: not only in making or creating things but also in developing new ways to solve problems or finding better ways of doing things.

Positive and Negative Stress

2. Increased productivity at work and on a personal level.

3. A general feeling of wellbeing, happiness and joy. It is your birthright to lead a happy, fulfilled live during your stay here on earth.

4. An immune system that functions optimally and is able to resist illness, infections, and cancer. Even if you are surrounded by people carrying all sorts of germs, you simply will not become ill.

Warning signs of negative stress.

1. Reduced productivity and creativity: nothing works the way it should. Everything is too much for you. You struggle or cannot find solution to problems. Because you are terrified of making the wrong decision, you end up not making any decision at all. You are unable to concentrate or remember things. Depression starts in much the same way.

2. A reduce feeling of wellbeing, joy and happiness: you no longer enjoy anything and don't look forward to anything. Everything is a burden. These symptoms can be precursors of depression unless you take proper precautions in time.

3. All sort of unfortunate things happen to you. You become so preoccupied with the daily stress of living that, you are unable to focus or concentrate. This easily lead to car accidents, you drop and break things or lose them. You cannot remember anything; you cut yourself on a regular basis etc...

4. You start avoiding social contact. Shunning people for a long period is also a sign of depression. Remember that socialising is one of the basic human needs.

5. Your immune system functions poorly and suffers from colds, influenza, allergies, chronic fatigue, anxiety etc... Unless you take the necessary steps to restore your equilibrium.

6. The ageing process accelerates because of the increased metabolism associated with sustained, unmanaged stress. Free radicals and other waste products accumulate add cell activity deteriorates resulting in premature age

Positive and Negative Stress

Hippolyte Djonon - [http://www.farian-tips.com/blog/blog.php]

Free personal growth and personal development resources, with a focus on helping you find success and meaning in your life. Areas of interest include self-confidence, stress relief, relationship, wealth, meditation, happiness etc..

How to Relax Your Mind in Seconds

More and more people are tired of being stressed and are desperately searching for answers on how to relax. This world keeps speeding up and the only way to find balance and peace again is to reconnect with our existence. Our existence offers us everything, and if you want to see peace and happiness within yourself you have to learn how to relax your mind. Depending on how fast paced your reality is, slowing down might take some well disciplined practice. This practice will benefit you in ways that you won't even realize at first but you are sure to notice something different right away.

Relaxation is our natural state of being, and it promotes good mental and physical health. It increases the functioning of the immune system as well as the digestive and respiratory system. It will improve your relationship with yourself and thus with others.

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Firstly, to relax right now you need to breathe. I realize that you are already breathing as of this moment, but how are you doing it? Where are you breathing from? Is your breath shallow and fast or deep and slow? The idea is to become aware of your breath by getting into a slow deep rhythmic flow breathing from your energy center, which is located right below your naval. You can even put your hand right below your belly button and feel your lower abdominal going up and down. Breathe in and out with your nose and simply focus on your being. Become aware of your body and release any tension that you feel. This is ultimately the answer on how to relax your mind in seconds.

How to Relax Your Mind in Seconds

The next best way to relax quickly is to find yourself some good meditation music and just continue to focus on your breathe. There have been some great advances in technology as far as meditation audio and I would highly recommend something called binaural harmonics. When you listen to these meditative sounds through headphones it creates a slightly different tone in each ear. There is then a third beat that our brain creates from listening to these slightly differing tones which is called a binaural beat. The binaural harmonics help our two brain hemispheres become in synch, allowing us to reach an instant relaxation state. If you are looking for how to relax your mind in seconds, this is a very fast, efficient and successful method of doing so.

How to Relax Your Mind in Seconds

Relax and let change happen. Visit Change Within Me [http://changewithinme.info] for more on living your life naturally and stress-free.

20 Best Ways to Relax Your Body and Mind

If you follow these simple tips to relax your body and mind, you are on the best way to find relief from tension and anxiety, cope better with everyday problems, be emotionally stronger, and improve your concentration. You can become more positive, more tolerant and get more out of life. Generally the most effective way to overcome stress and anxiety is not so much to try to change the situations themselves, but simply to change the way you deal with them.

There are many ways to relax body and mind, ranging from the physical (massage, acupressure etc), to the emotional (influencing the subconscious) and spiritual (tapping into the universal life force and your inner spirit). In this article I will give you a few starters so you can instantly begin to relax. There is always more to learn!

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Improve your fitness - a fit body is much more able to cope with stress and there is a lot of satisfaction to be gained from physical fitness and achievement. Start slow and don't overdo it - but steadily build up your strength.
Improve your eating habits - You are what you eat - try eating more vegetables and less fat and see how quickly your body will react and your ability to relax will improve.
Improve your drinking habits - instead of coffee, have a glass of water or herbal tea. If you are feeling anxious, try to cut down on stimuli like caffeine or alcohol which will stress your body even more.
Improve your posture: slumped shoulders and a dropped neck inhibit breathing properly. Straighten up and feel how good it feels to stand up to yourself.
Get comfortable: To be able to calm and relax, remove your shoes, undo your tie or neck button, loosen your belt, unclasp your bra, slip into something comfortable. This is the prerequisite of any relaxing exercise.
Fresh air: Open the windows and breathe in the fresh air.
Slow down: Instead of talking and searching for company at any cost, take a couple of minutes outdoors to slow down. Nature has its own way of calming your mind.
Silence: find a place in silence - treasure it, absorb it, immerse yourself in it, hang on to it as long as possible. Many relaxing exercises will start with a place of silence.
Control Your Breathing: Straighten up and take a deep slow breath through your nose, deep into your tummy, do not let the chest rise, relax your shoulders - then release the breath slowly through your mouth.
Muscle relaxation: Sitting or lying comfortably tense the muscles of one arm - hold it - then let them go limp and feel the difference. Savour the relaxed feeling. Do the same with the other arm and the legs one at a time
Shoulders and neck: Slowly rotate one shoulder backwards and forwards, then up and down. Do the same with the other shoulder. Gently let your head fall down on your chest, then bring it up and backwards. After that, tilt your head on the left and right shoulder. Repeat this slowly.
Jaw release: Open your mouth wide, then close. Repeat this a few times. Then put your fist under your chin, open your mouth and press the lower jaw against the fist. Hold this for a few seconds, then release.
Hands: Clasp fingers tightly and press, then release. Become aware of how tension feels. Then nestle your left in your right hand, the thumbs gently touching each other. Remain like this and relax.
Motivation: motivate yourself to continue on your path to calmness. Actively seek it; if you are certain that you can achieve it the positive energy will push you forward.
Reject stress: Distinctly reorganize your priorities. Reject anything that will put pressure on you. Learn to say no and become more positive and energetic.
Affirmation: This is a whole wide field of possibilities. Try to visualize a certain situation (you being able to cope with a stressful situation for example), then imprint this picture onto a stone or small object you can fit into your pocket. Then every time you touch it you will see this picture and affirm yourself that you can achieve it.
Autogenic Training: This as well is a big field and is a good method for emergency stress response. Lie down and think of your arms. Feel them getting heavy. Think: "My arm is getting heavy", again and again. Do the same with the other arm and each leg. You can also think: "My arm is getting warm" and repeat that. Feel it getting warm.
Influence your subconscious: To reinforce messages to your subconscious, like "I am calm and can cope with this situation", there is no way like this: repeat, repeat, repeat.
Visualization: Go to sleep with a picture in your mind how you would like to be. Do this again and again, every night. Try to wake up with this picture in your mind.
Concentrate on the task at hand: If you immerse yourself totally in a task, so that you achieve the very best result you are capable of (this can be anything at all, for example washing the dishes, ironing, driving a car or mowing the lawn), you will find that task becomes like a meditation in itself. Time flies, you derive satisfaction from your efforts and you spend at least this time completely in the here and now, not worrying about past or future.

20 Best Ways to Relax Your Body and Mind

Anna R. is author of the website http://www.windrose.com.au

Public Speakers! 12 Tips For How to Relax Just Minutes Before You Speak

You're sitting there waiting to speak. You feel the tension creeping into your shoulders, your thighs. Your stomach tightens up. Maybe your mouth gets dry. And the confidence and enthusiasm you felt a minute ago starts wobbling.

Now's the time to get up from wherever you are, excuse yourself and head for any place (even the restroom) where you can have five minutes alone. That's really all you need--just those few minutes to do these easy exercises and get your blood flowing, your muscles unlocked and your confidence back in place.

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Your body, your vocal cords, your brain are all connected in such a manner that tension in one affects the others and makes it difficult to focus on your message. This is not news to you, right? You may already have noticed that if your knees are quaking, your voice may be shaking, and your memory may be forsaking you!

Public Speakers! 12 Tips For How to Relax Just Minutes Before You Speak

What you want to do is break that connection, which only reinforces the discomfort, in as many ways as you can so that every part of you is supporting, rather than sabotaging your presentation.

If you can spend five minutes in a room by yourself just before you speak, do these simple exercises: (If you can't, scroll down; there's help for you, too.)

Stretch your body up and around, and gently bend over.
Take some good deep belly breaths. Make your ribs and back work.
Stretch your face into funny shapes to get it loose and relaxed.
Make your eyebrows go way up, and your eyes open very wide.
Sigh deeply several times.
Hum.
Stick your tongue out.
Do tongue trills.
Pant. (This is particularly effective to release any tension around your middle.)
Flop--really flop--over as far as you can easily. Be sure your head flops all the way down. Holding your neck and head up creates more tension and is counterproductive!)
Smile.
Remind yourself that you are going to enjoy yourself while you're being terrific!
Inhale for a slow count of one, exhale for a slow count of two. It's easy to look as though you're listening attentively to someone while you do this.
If you can get away with it, double the counts to two and four. (Best not to allow your eyes to glaze over.)
Wiggle your toes.
Wiggle you toes. Do tiptoes. Circle your ankles.
Put your hands under the table and wiggle your fingers and circle your wrists.
No matter how long or short the tablecloth is, SMILE!

If you're in handcuffs, footcuffs, headcuffs and bellybuttoncuffs you may be out of luck. However, there's always Imagining! Science is telling us that our brains cannot distinguish between a real and a fancied experience.

So fancy for all you're worth! What've you got to lose?

Public Speakers! 12 Tips For How to Relax Just Minutes Before You Speak

Carole McMichaels, Speaker, Coach, Author: Fearless Public Speaking: How to Get Rid of Your Stage Fright and Prepare and Deliver a Winning Presentation, invites you to join her free newsletter on speaking in public. You may also get your free report, "7 Valuable Tips on Writing a Mind-Gripping Speech". http://getridofpublicspeakingfears.com/

How to Relax Your Eyes and See Better

You have probably experienced a feeling of strain in the eyes after hours of some monotonous activity, prolonged reading or sitting at the computer. Excessive close work can lead to deterioration of vision. Dr. Bates, an American ophthalmologist of the 20th century studied symptoms and causes of defective vision. He discovered that bad vision can be prevented and even reversed. All techniques are safe and beneficial not only for the eyes but for the mind as well.

Here are some relaxation techniques to boost the acuity of your eyesight according to Dr. Bates:

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Palming: cover your closed eyes with your palms so there is no pressure on the eyelids and in a way that excludes all the light. Even a few seconds of palming help to reduce the stress. 5-10 minutes are even better. Combined with memory and imagination palming produces even better effect.

How to Relax Your Eyes and See Better

Sun treatment: expose you closed eyelids to the direct sun rays (it can be done through the glass too, if necessary). Do not strain or tightly squeeze the eyelids, just expose them to the sun moving your head gently from side to side. It helps to reduce light sensitivity and reduce general stress. It is also great for releasing the neck muscles. This technique, too, can be combined with memory and imagination for better result.

Memory: just remember any pleasant event from your life or some beautiful scenery, for example a sunny tropical beach, mountainous landscape, etc. Some people find it helpful to remember black ink of the letters.

Imagination: same thing, only instead of remembering you visualize some beautiful and relaxing scene, for example, meadow covered with beautiful flowers, clear lake, mountains, etc. It is helpful to visualize distant views and switch your glance between a distant objects and a close one. It is important to visualize pleasant thing and here of course it has its advantage over the memory. Also even you are doing it in your mind, remember to stay relaxed and not to strain. It does not matter if you cannot visualize clearly, you'll still get benefits.

Shifting: move your glance from one side of the object to another and observe the object moving in the direction opposite to the movement of the eyes. In the normal eye shifting is done very rapidly so it helps to develop and maintain this habit.

Central fixation: The part of the object one looks directly at is always seen the best. It is always used in combination with shifting. Do not try to see the whole object at once but rather shift you glance from point to point. It is actually automatic process, central fixation is rather a symptom than a cause of a good vision.

This is, in core, the Bates method. It is not exercises, it is maintaining correct visual habit. For more in-depth explanation I highly recommend you read the book of Dr. Bates Perfect Sight Without Glasses. It is very informative and a must read if you are serious for preserving your good eyesight. It is indispensable if your eyesight just started deteriorating.

How to Relax Your Eyes and See Better

Alice deMont writes about the Bates method and natural vision improvement. For more tips and techniques on how to see better, visit her blog http://thebatesmethod.blogspot.com

Pain Management - Teaching Your Patient to Relax

The experience of pain affects every aspect of a person's life including the person's mental, physical and emotional state. Those who experience it for a prolonged period are incapacitated, unable to lead a normal life and deal with the requirements of everyday reality. Prolonged and persistent pain, needless to say, can cause unbearable anguish and depression.

Kinds of pain

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It comes in many forms, and can be classified as chronic, acute or breakthrough. Chronic is the kind of pain that persists for a month or more, or one that persists beyond the normal recovery time of a particular illness. Pain that persists for months or even years as a result of a chronic condition is also classified as chronic, and may vary in intensity; low intensity chronic pain can also be debilitating. Acute pain is a short-lived one that results from injury or an acute illness. Breakthrough pain is a flash that can vary in intensity, from moderate to severe, typically transitory and occurring in the background of an otherwise controlled pain.

Pain Management - Teaching Your Patient to Relax

Conscious experience of it

Pain is felt through the nervous system. Primarily, it is a strategy of our biological instinct to make us avoid experiences and situations which may cause us harm. However, there are times when the sensation of pain prolongs unnecessarily, when the information of it is no longer useful but is still felt. In some illnesses and injuries, the brain receives information about the pain and the person feeling the pain can do very little to avoid the stimuli. Also, it may not be just a simple stimulation. The conscious experience of pain can involve other factors such as emotion, memory, and physical condition. Some of it may not even have an organic-related cause such as a disease or injury.

As memory

It has been described as a construct that involves pain remembered in the past, experienced in the present, and anticipated in the future. This is the reason why chronic pain can be so debilitating, no matter what intensity. The experience is heightened with the thought and anticipation that feeling will be there tomorrow, and the day after that, and so on. Learning to relax and letting go of the fear and anticipation can do a lot to change the experience for the better.

Techniques for alleviating it

For patients who have chronic pain, getting addicted to narcotic painkillers is the last resort. Natural remedies to help alleviate it are preferred. One of the best ways is to learn how to relax. While this may sound easy, it takes a lot of practice to consciously relax. The best way to go about this is with meditation and breathing exercises. The idea is to focus on the breathing or an object and chant a word such as "Om" until one gets into a trance. Another meditative approach is called osteomyelitis. The goal is to focus all the attention on the pain in a relaxed way as possible. Don't think about negative thoughts about the pain (such as cursing to yourself or pitying yourself or getting angry). Make the pain a focus of your meditation, observed dispassionately for what it is.

Pain Management - Teaching Your Patient to Relax

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Neck Stress: How to Relieve Shoulder and Neck Stress

How To Relieve Stress Without Drugs

We live in a high stress modern society. It is not uncommon for a large number of our neck and shoulder muscles to be chronically stressed, frozen, or hypertonic. This is not only what leads to stiffness and pain, but also results in a continuous, fatiguing energy drain.

Stress

We carry much of our stress in our neck muscles. When these muscles tighten up, they cause other muscles in the body to weaken whenever you move your head. In other words, other muscles in your body tend to become reactive to your neck muscles when you are under stress.

Neck Stress: How to Relieve Shoulder and Neck Stress

There are many causes for neck stress and there are many ways to correct neck stress. The basic cause of neck stress is what we call- "Repetitive Muscle Stress," RMS.

Muscles we discovered are the missing link to our aches and pains. We need to restore the muscle tone that was lost by doing repetitive or strenuous activities caused by accident or injury.

Muscles pull bones! Bones do not pull muscles. When we balance the muscles, the pain may diminish. When given time to heal, the pain goes away completely. Muscles have to work together in groups or in pairs. If you have neck stress from turning your head, other muscles have to relax. The signal has to come from the brain to relax muscles. However, if the signal has been blocked by stress or an injury, the result may create pain. This is why we say we work with the body-mind.

Here is a sample technique for "Neck Stress Release." This technique sends a signal to the brain to release the tension in the neck muscles and also, corrects reactive interactions with other muscles. There are muscle fibers in the neck that run up and down the neck and around the whole neck.

Do some neck rolls. Look up with the head, then you look left, right and down. Gently pinch the neck muscles in and up and down direction with your thumb and index finger. Work on each side of your neck from front to back and on both sides. It is important to keep your thumb facing downward. Go around the whole neck. You can pretend that your thumb and index finger is a little "Pacman" gently nibbling on your neck. This activates the sensor cells under the skin and sends a signal to the brain to relax the neck muscles.

Here are some benefits of the "Neck Release."

Computer operators repetitively look from their display down to their keyboard or over to material they are working on.

Hyperactive school children reduce stress by looking at the teacher or looking around the room.

It improves performance in sports such as golf, basketball and tennis.

Also, it can be helpful in reducing vertigo and balance problems. Most people getting up from a sitting position have a natural tendency to look down. As a result, the muscles in the neck signal the muscles in the legs to go weak. The simple "Neck Release" technique may eliminate most vertigo conditions.

Neck Stress: How to Relieve Shoulder and Neck Stress

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Does Stress Cause Acid Reflux?

Let's start out with a few acid reflux statistics.

According to a study, 44% of Americans have bouts of heartburn once a month. Another 14% suffer this weekly and 7% have daily occurrences. GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease) is reported as one of the most common complaints received by doctors.

Stress

There is no evidence that stress actually causes the disorder, but investigators have long believed that stress is a major factor in worsening the symptoms of GERD. This is supported by a Gallup poll done that found 64% of people with heartburn reporting a worsening of their symptoms when subjected to stress.

Does Stress Cause Acid Reflux?

Investigators have even electronically monitored acid production and concentration in GERD patients. What they found was startling and revealed something that we all need to know. These patients registered no increase in acid concentration during periods of induced stress. BUT they did find out that when patients suffering from symptoms of GERD underwent relaxation, their symptoms decreased.

So apparently, stress can cause one's discomfort to increase without actually increasing the acidic concentration in the esophagus. Relaxation, however, did positively affect the study participants in the area of their symptomatic intensity.

While stress has not been proven to cause GERD, it can physically affect how the patient feels. There seems to be a psychological factor in there somewhere. The fact is that regardless of this information, we all need to avoid stress, so here are a few tips to help you reduce stress.

Take a walk. Get away from the stress-inducing situation.
Exercise regularly. Start a regimen of physical exercise and do it daily.
Get enough sleep. The average person requires 7 to 8 hours a night.
Watch the food you take in. A balanced diet is a large factor in controlling GERD symptoms.
Limit your caffeine, salt, tobacco and sugar. These things heighten stress levels internally.
Take a "mental break". Sit back, close your eyes and go to a happy place. Imagine yourself in some activity that you enjoy.
Some folks have taken to meditation for stress relief. Studies have shown that people who meditate actually have lower levels of stress.
Use a "white sounds" recording. Listening to the sounds of the ocean or rain falling on a tin roof can be soothing.

So while stress can and will affect how you feel, it can also heighten the symptoms of acid reflux disease. As I have said earlier, there is absolutely no evidence that stress can cause acid reflux disease but it does tend to increase the intensity of the symptoms.

Stress relief is the key and should provide you with a good base to handle any situation that comes up. Conversely, relaxation has been shown to positively counteract the effects of acid reflux disease. When you start to feel a little under the weather, try the relaxation suggestions above or find your own new ways to relax and just chill out.

Whatever works for you is good.

Does Stress Cause Acid Reflux?

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Psychological and Physical Effects of Stress

Although some of the effects of stress are still unknown and debated, but 80-90% of all doctors visits these days are in part due to stress-related ailments. Stress has been linked to anxiety, panic attacks, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, digestive track diseases, etc. One thing for certain is that stress wrecks havoc our immune system.

Stress affects us both physically and psychologically. The psychological effects of stress is more subtle, but prolonged stress will increase in intensity and if not treated can lead to all sorts of problems such as depression, anxiety and panic attacks. An individual who is under stress will be more quick-tempered and easy to anger. He or she will lose interest in every other aspect of life. People who are under stress tend to find it harder to concentrate and have greater difficulty making decisions.

Stress

Both psychological and physical effects of stress are not unrelated. The effect starts on your brain which then leads to impacts on your body. Two brain components: the hypothalamus and the pituitary glands lead the charge during stressful events. They release a substance called ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) that stimulates the adrenal gland, near the kidney, to release cortisol.

Psychological and Physical Effects of Stress

Cortisol is known as the stress hormone, it is always secreted in higher levels during the body's 'fight or flight' response to stress. Natural levels of cortisol rise and fall during the day, when it rises our body should be given the time so that it can return it to a normal level. Serious problem can occur if our body's stress response is activated too often that the body doesn't have a chance to return to normal, hence resulting in a state of chronic stress.

High stress can cause a shortened attention span, less efficient memory recall, lowered objectivity and other mental problems. As dire thoughts take control and race around the mind, ability to solve life's daily challenges in a rational way diminishes. This often leads to moodiness, anger, feelings of injustice and other emotional consequences.

Chronic stress often has detrimental effects; it often results in depression, anxiety, increased fear of failure and an overall sense of doom. But those are extremes and they are by no means inevitable.

By focusing on the root cause that led to stress, evaluating the stress factors realistically and keeping a sense of perspective about their consequences, stress can be reduced and even eliminated before it becomes a chronic problem. For instance, if you have an unreasonable boss and are often stressed out that it starts to take a toll on your life and family, it is time for you to put thing in a sense of perspective. Remember that job is disposable but your health and family are not.

Psychological and Physical Effects of Stress

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Stress- Acne - How Does Stress Affect Acne?

A number of clinical studies have confirmed what the acne sufferers and dermatologists alike have suspected about stress and acne: stress indeed does affect acne. Having established that, the next question is: how does stress affect acne? Before examining this, let us take a look at how stress affects skin in general.

How Does Stress Affect the Skin?

Stress

Skin and brain originates from the neuro-ectoderm during the embryonal stage. Skin, as the fifth sense organ is supplied by millions of nerve endings that are connected through the nervous system with the brain. In fact, it is only proper to state that skin indeed is an extension of the brain, the seat of our mental activities and the master controller of the body. Hence, any changes occurring in the nervous system and the brain can affect the skin in a number of complex psycho-neuro-immuno-hormonal pathways. Sebaceous gland, an important gland of the skin, naturally, is also affected by stress similarly.(See below)

Stress- Acne - How Does Stress Affect Acne?

How Does Stress Affect Acne?

It has been hypothesized that stress, the modern day nemesis, can affect acne in three ways:

A period of continuous stress can induce a new eruption of acne
Acne, which is already present, is sustained despite treatment and even become resistant to conventional therapies during an especially stressful period of time.
A sudden crisis in life, exacerbates the acne lesions already on the face. Hence, learning to relax is a very important aspect when you consider the best treatment for acne options.

The effects of stress on acne may be mediated through various pathways:

Stress-acne: Hormonal Causes. Stress through the stimulation of neuro-chemical pathways in the brain, stimulates release of various hormones from the pituitary and other endocrine glands. The release of androgen hormones are controlled by these master glands. Androgen hormones are the main perpetrators of sebaceous hyperactivity which is the most important factor in the causation of acne.
Stress-acne: Psychological Causes. Stress caused by anxiety due to acne eruptions and due to other causes induce teens to pick on the acne lesions leading to exacerbation of the lesions and scarring. This further increase the tension and the whole triggering cycle is repeated. In some acne sufferers the stress induces bulimia or overeating response leading to increase in the hormonal activities and new acne eruptions.
Stress- acne: Psycho-Social Causes. The self imposed social alienation because of facial disfigurement and perceived social stigma further add to the depression and anxiety and aggravate acne and related problems.
Stress- acne: Immunological Causes. Stress reduces immunity through its effect on the thymus gland which produces T cells that protects our body against invading germs. Reduced immune status leads to the multiplication of bacteria inside the sebaceous glands causing inflammation of the acne lesions.
Stress- acne: Chemical Mediators: Stress, through its activity on the autonomic nervous system and hormones stimulate the release of neuropeptide P and certain other chemical mediators which induce inflammation in the skin and pilosebaceous units, thus leading to formation of new acne lesions.
Stress- acne: Genetic Susceptibility: Some individuals are, through genetic predisposing characteristics, more stress prone than others and respond with increased sebaceous activity when under stress.
Stress- acne: Target Organ Theory: Different individuals respond to stress in different manner. Due to genetic and hereditary predisposition, living style, dietary habits, relaxation responses etc, certain organs in the body are more prone to be affected by stress induced structural and pathological changes. The weak, target organs are affected first, when the body is kept under stress mode for long. In some, it may be the heart, in some the brain, in some the immune system, and, in others, the skin in general or the pilo-sebaceous unit in particular. Thus their skin may respond to a particular stressor by producing more acne lesions!

The above review is sufficient to visualize the extend of stress-acne relationship.

There are still certain issues to be addressed on the topic of stress acne relationship:

It is still not clear up to what extend stress is responsible for acne in normal individuals
There are conflicting reports as to whether stress does really increase sebum secretion. More clinical and laboratory studies are required to straighten this issue out.
How much importance should be given for stress management in the management of acne?

All said and done, it is becoming increasingly evident that acne cannot be treated satisfactorily unless you combine anti acne therapy with an effective stress management program.

Stress- Acne - How Does Stress Affect Acne?

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Stress Relief Food to Help Lower Stress Levels

Foods play a vital role in providing mental and physical nourishment for relieving stress. For stressed people, the foods that you need to avoid are the ones that contain a great amount of caffeine and alcohol. Sugar should also be avoided because it causes the blood sugar to soar and then drop very quickly.

To get rid of stress, there are different kinds of stress relief foods that you can try for your mental and physical wellness. Below are several types of stress relief food to help you manage stress:

Stress

1. Asparagus - This green vegetable is high in folic acid that helps stabilize your mood. The body releases hormones that affect the mood when stressed and eating asparagus is a good way to block these hormones. Folic acid is actually needed by the body to make serotonin, it is a chemical naturally produced in the body that affects mood in a positive way.

Stress Relief Food to Help Lower Stress Levels

2. Beef - Beef is also a good stress relief food even though it is usually not considered when talking about health but beef contains good amount of zinc, iron, and B vitamins that also helps in stabilizing the mood. People always think that beef is not good for the body but it is actually more nutritious than chicken. The secret to making a nutritious meal with beef is to not include the fat because it is high in cholesterol.

3. Milk - Milk is very nutritious and high in antioxidants. It is also rich in vitamins B1, B12, calcium and protein that can make you feel relaxed. You can have a bowl of cereal and milk for breakfast to battle the stress ahead of you. Drinking a warm glass of milk also help induce sleep.

4. Cottage Cheese and Fruit - Cottage cheese is a stress relief food that is rich in both protein and calcium. Mixing cottage cheese and fruits high on vitamin C like oranges is a good combination to help fight stress. Vitamin C contains antioxidants that fight free radicals that are released when you are stressed. Furthermore, these free radicals are known to cause cancer.

5. Blueberries - Blueberries are high-fiber, low-calorie fruits that contains vitamin C antioxidants good for combating stress. You can mix blueberries with cottage cheese or you can also eat them alone for a healthy snack.

6. Tuna - Tuna is also a great stress relief food option because of its stress-fighting vitamins. Tunas are rich in vitamins B6 and B12 and it is also a good source of protein. If you love mayonnaise, it is advisable to use a low-fat mayonnaise for a healthy meal.
To know more about other kinds of stress relief food, it is best that you consult a

Stress Relief Food to Help Lower Stress Levels

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Stress Management in Law Enforcement

Recently, especially after the 9-11 tragedy, people have begun to look at police officers and law enforcement specialists as strong individuals, rightfully earning the lofty "Finest" title. They are tough, rough, and always ready to protect and serve. Law-abiding civilians feel safer when there are police officers on regular patrol in their neighborhoods and communities, and citizens living in safe localities often carry out useful, happy, stress-free lives.

Yet, in keeping their pillar-of-strength perceptions, police officers tend to keep to themselves when it comes to their own personal trials and tribulations. They regularly deal with the worst of what society has to offer, and they make special sacrifices to maintain the peace. In the process, doing their duty slowly eats away at their own health and satisfaction in life.

Stress

To make matters worse, police officers operate on a less social manner than other public safety and emergency service workers. Paramedics and firefighters are trained to work as a group, but they do not pound the streets as police officers do. This results in police officers being spread too thinly to cover their areas of jurisdiction, often having to work alone or with one partner.

Stress Management in Law Enforcement

A police officer's career is marked by frequent encounters with violence and recklessness. The very ills of society that distress civilians so much also have negative effects on a police officer's psyche. As the stress of police duty builds up, the police officer may soon experience bouts of anger, depression, or disillusion. Over time, these psychological indispositions may cause strained relationships with co-workers, friends, and family, and ultimately lead to resignation, early retirement, or - worst of all - suicide. Yes, it has happened before.

Recent studies about the psychological health of police officers have taken note of these occurrences. Most often these are signs of the progression of a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD usually starts with the police officer encountering a particularly disturbing incident during police duty that he can't possibly deal with all at once. PTSD is a severe illness that grows worse with each passing year it is left untreated.

As it goes without saying that police officers have perhaps the most stressful jobs in the civilian world, they also need a measure of stress management to help them cope with the rigors of police duty. Over the years, special stress management programs have been made for police officers and other workers in law enforcement. To varying degrees, these stress management programs differ from those offered for civilians and the wage-earning population.

Stress management in law enforcement includes regular psychological therapy. Police officers may be made to undergo sessions with a therapist. These can coax the police officer to identify any woes he might have with his career and ultimately arrive at beneficial solutions. Therapy sessions aim to educate the police officer in interpreting his/her own reactions to stimuli, resulting in smarter reactions to stress.

Stress management in law enforcement also includes anger management. In anger management, police officers are taught to identify the triggers that causes aggression in them, as well as methods to contain and defuse those triggers. Anger management also teaches police officers how to detect and prevent hostile situations from ever occurring, which in turn can be applied in settling civilian disputes. Perhaps most importantly, anger management develops the police officer's emotional intelligence, allowing them to prevent and manage their stress by themselves, either on or off the clock.

Police officers who have recently gone through a particularly traumatic experience on the job, such as the death of a partner or a horribly gruesome crime scene, can be made to undergo psychotherapy. This allows them to cope with the debilitating stress that these encounters saturate them with.

Today, police precincts make it a point to have a number of full-time counselors as part of the roster. With the help of chaplains and other support workers, the presence of these counselors keeps the tension down in the work environment, allowing police officers and other workers in law enforcement to work as smoothly and normally as possible.

Being aware of the stresses that police officers and other law enforcement specialists undergo on a regular basis really puts things in perspective for the rest of us, doesn't it? Too often, being so caught up in our own petty stresses can make us forget that there are brave men and women out there who make our safety and happiness their concern. The mere knowledge of the sacrifices they make for us should be enough to let us sit back, laugh at ourselves, and be grateful for having stresses as trivial as they can possibly be.

Stress Management in Law Enforcement

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