by April Wilson

Created on: November 25, 2009

Stress can be caused or exacerbated by several things: too many stimulants in the diet, poor sleep, anxiety/phobias/fears, relationship difficulties, illnesses, money concerns, and work or school pressures. While a certain amount of stress is normal, even beneficial, it can be harmful to your overall health to maintain too much stress.

There's good news and bad news. The good news is that stress that harms you is stress that you don't manage. Have you ever noticed how some people can seem to have so much on their plate and misfortune befall them and they aren't that frazzled about it? While others can seem to have a fairly calm life and get worked up about everything? Your emotional state plays a huge role, and can, to a large degree be trained to calm down.

Here are some tips on how to relax and reduce your stress levels.

1. Deep breathing

Lie on your back and place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. Breathe in deeply so you move your stomach up, while keeping your chest as still as possible. Breathe out so that you push your stomach back in. This is belly breathing and it can immediately calm the fight/flight response.

2. Yoga and mediation

Yoga and meditation can be a great way to relax and reduce stress. Brain scans have shown that people who regularly participate in some form of meditation have more activity in the calming/relaxing parts of the brain, even when they aren't meditating at that moment, and even if their brain activity was very different before they started the practice of meditation.

3. Hot baths

Hot baths can be especially soothing after a long day. Candles, music, and scented oils can heighten the relaxing experience.

4. Massages

Though you may not be able to afford to do it often, a massage can be extremely good for stress relief. Touch is incredibly healing and massage is a very relaxing form of touch. Be sure to ask for a Swedish massage, as it's one of the best forms for relaxation and stress relief. Deep tissue massages are too rough.

5. Walking

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise and a great way to reduce stress.

6. Other forms of exercise

Any form of exercise is a stress buster. You'll be able to work off extra negative energy like anxiety or anger and you'll also experience a better night's sleep.

7. Getting plenty of sleep

Adrenalin, seretonin, and cortisol are directly affected by your circadian rhythms. If you aren't getting enough, or proper rest, your body isn't as able to repair itself and manage stress.

8. Eating a healthy balanced meal and taking a multi-vitamin

A lot of stress issues can be tied back into diet. There are many vitamins and minerals that tend to be lacking in individuals who have high levels of stress and anxiety, such as B vitamins, selenium, and magnesium.

9. Journal

Writing out your thoughts and problems in a journal can help you to process them and get them out on paper where you aren't stressing so much over them.

10. Avoid caffeine and processed sugar

Try to avoid anything that hypes you up more like caffeine, or that messes with moods too much like refined sugar.

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