by Skye

Created on: June 14, 2008   Last Updated: June 17, 2008

Webster defines stress as a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.

Stress is laughed about these days as it has become so common that nearly everyone is affected by it. The truth is that it is no laughing matter and can lead to disease, create belly fat and bend one's mental acuity. The best advice is to find a solutiion that works for you and quickly. Perhaps one of the following techniques will be the answer for you.

It has been said that smiling for 90 seconds can alter your state of mind and in fact change your mood. It isn't really as hard as it may seem. As you feel stress taking over your mind, begin to think of something or someone you love. Before long, you can smile and find that it's really easy to hold on to it. Next thing you know, the stress has had to move out!

Deep breathing can actually erase stress as it feels really good because it releases tension. Try it, it's almost as if a load is falling from your shoulders as you exhale. A quick breathing patern may be linked to high blood pressure. Deep breathing releases endorphines into the system, which are our bodies natural painkillers and tension tamers. Deep breathing exercises are a good idea on a daily basis.

Massage has amazing benefits on the body but also the mind. Massage is great when administered by a professional, but you can perform self massage that will have great results. Once you begin the self massage, you fnd that you begin to relax and your breathing becomes deeper and slower. A reflexology chart can show you where the points are in your hands,feet and ears to reduce stress and anxiety.

Without even knowing it, your jaw is probably tensed and your teeth crammed together. Try relaxing your jaw and again you will experience relief. Once you unlock you jaw, it seems that rest of the body will follow suit. It is pretty interesting what we do with our bodies without even realizing what we are doing. Before you realize it, you are tensed up and didn't know it was happening. Where were you when that was going on? All caught up in your stress, that's where you were.

The last technique is to consciously stop once you realize you are caught in the web of stess. Stop and begin to think of something really positive; something that makes you smile. Remember smiling is very therapeutic and adding a daydream really boosts you out of your stress cocoon. Consciously daydream of something you have been planing to do or start planning for something fun or satisfying.

You might have your own method of stress relief, but perhaps it is time to try something new. Share these or your own ideas with a friend or co-worker. It is actually very satisfying to know you have helped someone else; you might even just heal your stress if you are thinking of someone else.

Try one or try them all. You owe it to yourself and to your loved ones to live without stress.

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