Did you know stress and stress related diseases are costing just the US over $46.4 billion a year and affecting over 19 million people or 1 in 8 people. Figures around the world are equally shocking and are getting worse daily.

Doesn’t this constitute an epidemic of plague proportions? Are you one of the unfortunate victims?

Do you even recognize how much stress is affecting you, your health and your general well being? And how that is having an incredible impact on those nearest and dearest to you too? How much unnecessary stress is that causing them?



So if you are currently feeling the insidious effects of stress, here are 9 things you can do right now to give yourself an immediate boost and lift your spirits in a heartbeat. The tips in this article are extremely helpful in easing any suffering caused by stress, anxiety or depression.

They are quick, simple and easy to apply and cost nothing to implement. They do require your commitment and motivation but the results are well worth it.


TAKE TIME FOR YOU

All too often we neglect ourselves in order to take care of others, putting ourselves way down on the laundry list..

No matter who we are, we all need to switch off from time to time, take some time out to relax and quietly contemplate. Do something you enjoy.



Read a good book, soak in a hot bath, go to dinner with a friend, watch a movie, go for a walk, exercise or go fishing!

Do anything which makes you feel fabulous. When you take time for yourself you will instantly feel rejuvenated and the problems and pressures in your life, which we all have and are a sign of Life, will seem that much smaller and more manageable as a result.

PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION

While you are taking some time for yourself, you could experiment with this commonly used and simple technique to help manage stress in a very short time.

• Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed.
• Sit in a comfortable position on a chair with your legs uncrossed and your feet placed flat on the floor.
• Place your hands on your thighs, relaxing as you close your eyes.
• Tighten and relax all the muscles throughout your body in sequence, starting with your feet.
• When you tense a muscle, notice where it is particularly tense and then notice how it feels when the muscles are relaxing.
• Next move on one by one to the muscles in your legs, thighs, buttocks, stomach, chest, arms, hands, neck and face.
• Relaxing the whole body progressively, become aware of any part which is still tense and as you notice it, simply bring your awareness to it and relax it more.
• While going through this process, become aware of your breathing.
• Inhale slowly and deeply and as you exhale say ‘Relax’ silently to yourself.
• Breathe effortlessly and naturally letting the breath fill every cell of your body.
• You might like to imagine drawing Light into your body as you breathe in and exhale all the darkness and stress as you breathe out.

Picture yourself in an enjoyable scene; perhaps something from your past which was especially pleasurable or maybe some future event to which you are looking forward. E.g. imagine walking along a beach on a sunny day while the waves gently lap on the shore.



Hear the sound of the ocean and imagine the sun warming your body. The image alone can be very healing since the mind cannot tell the difference between that which is real or vividly imagined.

Visualization is one of the most powerful and successful tools in our arsenal for reducing stress and anxiety.

Continue this mental imagery and breathing for 10 – 20 minutes.

You may softly open your eyes to check the time, but avoid using a strident alarm clock if possible for obvious reasons.
 
I’ve seen a fabulous Zen timer which chimes softly at the end of the allotted time, and something like that would be ideal. (You can buy one on the internet for about $100 US). www.now-zen.com

When you finish, sit quietly for a few minutes, firstly with your eyes shut, and only then softly open your eyes.

Don’t worry about whether you are successful in reaching a deep state of mental relaxation; it will happen in its own good time the more you relax and stop “doing”. Paradoxically relaxation is a state of being not doing and something you become effortlessly with regular practice.

Allow distracting thoughts to pass across your mind like clouds across the sky, observing them without judgment.

Soon you will achieve deeper and deeper feelings of relaxation without any ‘efforting’ on your part.

Practice this technique once or twice a day, but preferably not within two hours of eating, since digestion requires physical energy and seems to interfere with the relaxation process.

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