by Kristen Alliegro

Created on: June 14, 2008   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Everyone experiences stress in their lives, albeit and like most things, some people experience more of it than others. There's a myriad of stress types, but everyday stresses are easily managed and by doing so, one extends health in every capacity dramatically. By practicing stress reducing techniques, one becomes more practiced at coping with the larger events. Remember, stress not only impacts one emotionally, but also physically.

When signs of stress first begin to appear, this is when you should begin to practice some basic "exercises" for reduction and management:

1) Smile for 90 seconds. This has a two fold effect. First, smiling uses most of your facial muscals and by "exercising" them, you may release tension in your jaw where many people are even unaware that they may be carrying it. Second, sometimes what one enacts on the outside will have an effect on what occurs inside. By smiling, the outlook you're feeling about a given situation or circumstance may, in effect, change to something more positive.

2) Relax your jaw. After the smiling exercise, allow your jaw to go slack for a few moments. Like many therapies that recommend isolation techniques (muscle contraction and relaxation of each individual muscle group), this has a similar effect on your face, parts of your neck and the back of the head. If the stress is a bit on the intense side, you may wish to repeat steps 1 and 2 three or four times.

3) Take a deep breath - or a few, as needed. Deep breathing slows the heart rate, decreases tension and gives your mind the momentary peace it needs to cope. Additionally, a deep inhale and exhale releases more toxins which are produced in greater quantity when tense.

4) Mini-Self Massage. Many carry tension and stress in their neck and shoulders. Long standing muscle tension can lead to all manner of complications from TMJ to major back and spinal complications. A great deal of relief can be had by regularly working the neck and shoulders in the form of a mini-self massage, and no one knows better than you where it hurts! Drinking plenty of water before and after this self treatment method will help keep the muscles relaxed and tension free for longer, as well as aiding in the flushing of those aforementioned toxins.

5) Last, but not least, daydream. Find a quiet place alone and give yourself the freedom to fantasize. Sometimes, an attitude adjustment or a long-term perspective can help us cope with the immediate worries. By giving yourself room to daydream about a positive future, even if it's a simple event that is to occur at the end of the day, this can genuinely help manage the moment and refresh your mind and allow one to approach whatever problem or concern with a new outlook. Make sure it has a positive tone to the theme. Negative fantasies will not offer any benefit.

By using these techniques, stress can be managed, reduced and keep your life healthier, happier and more fulfilling!

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