Pets and Stress Reduction

Do pets add to the stress that pet owners experience or do pets help relieve stress?

Research exists that show how pets relieve stress. Animals have been known to diffuse anger when you pet them.  Sometimes even having a pet like a bird of fish that you obviously cannot pet has helped to reduce stress.

According to the Harvard Medical University Health Publication, “Pets have been shown to lower blood pressure, improve recovery from heart disease, and even reduce rates of asthma and allergy in children who grow up with a Fido or a Frisky in the house. Pets also improve people’s psychological well-being and self-esteem.”

Aquariums have been noticed in the offices of many doctors these days. Do you think it’s just a coincidence?  Maybe not.  The stress levels of the patients in the waiting room diminish while they sit watching the swimming fish as they wait. Much better to focus on that than on what terrible diagnosis the doctor may have. Several nursing homes have adopted pets to help their elderly residents experience the benefits of lower blood pressure and reduced stress and depression.

This study shows how pet ownership blunts home blood pressure responses to mental stress.  Some pets can be high maintenance causing added stress from the burden of caring for them so be careful when you select a pet.  If you don’t want to invest in actually getting a pet yourself then just think of different ways to get the same benefits.  You can offer to be a pet sitter for your friend from time to time.  You could spend some time with friends that have pets and play with them. If you live close to a pet owner who is your friend you can offer to walk the dog a couple of days a week. If you want to do this your imagination is the limit.  You could also volunteer at an animal shelter on weekends or a couple of days a week, whatever fits your schedule.


I came across a video the other day that shows the relation between pets and stress.  Watch the video below.

If you are unable to view this video, click here - Pets and Stress Reduction - to go to the video page.

Students are experiencing the benefits. Why not you?

Ebook in the works - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide

To your stress reduction,
Jenn
If you liked this article and want to know when I post new articles and recipes, subscribe to the Fruitful Vine Newsletter. 

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For God's Glory!


Sources
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog
http://uhu.islate.si/

Laugh Your Stress Away

Is smiling a bit difficult for you? Do you constantly work, work, work and find it hard to relax? Are your stress levels too high for comfort? Then I’ve got another stress buster for you.

One word – LAUGH!

You heard me right. I’m serious, just like you’re seriously looking for an answer to lower your stress levels. A dose of laughter can do tons to relieve your stress. As a matter of fact the good book – the Bible says in Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart does good like a medicine…” Merry gives the picture of fun and laughter. Why challenge the wisdom of one who is perfect and knows us better than we know ourselves. He is the one who created us.

So laugh a little or a lot. If you find it hard to laugh by yourself then get a funny movie and watch it either with other people or by yourself. Studies have shown that persons who laugh a lot are less tense than those who don’t. It is said that laughter helps the body produce the fee good hormones that promote relaxation and stress relief.

I laugh a lot. I laugh at myself, our boys, my hubby, funny movies. I just love to laugh. I laugh when I'm angry, tired, stressed just to get a load off without exploding or imploding.  When I'm extremely tired, I cry and then right after I start laughing.  I tend to talk silliness and laugh at my own jokes triggering even more laughter at those times when I'm tired. When I start, my hubby teases me and says, “It’s past your bedtime huh?” When I’m done I find that I’m more relaxed and immediately feel less stressed.

I read somewhere that laughter can equal aerobic workout depending on the amount of time you spend laughing. I read that every time you laugh 100 times, it’s equates to 10-15 minutes on an exercise bicycle or a rowing machine.  Watch this and get a dose of laughter today. It's less than a minute and a half.


It’s a known fact that when you are stressed, your blood pressure rises creating even more stress for you. It seems like an unbeatable cycle. Well, beat the cycle and laugh, then laugh some more and again. Laughter gives a euphoric feeling which reduces your pressure and thus lessening your stress.

It may seem like laughter should come naturally but for some it doesn't so if you’re that kind of person, schedule it and let yourself go during those scheduled times. Watch funny clips on youtube or TV.  Amazon has tons of comedies available via Instant Video for you to watch. It costs less than $5, many less than $2 and some for nothing if you are an Amazon Prime member.

You can do it. Relieve your stress with laughter.

Ebook in the works - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide.
Jenn
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Say No and Reduce Your Stress!

How full is your schedule? Is it filled to overflowing? Are you able to find time to relax with all that is going on in your work and home life? Does striking the perfect balance elude you? Do you find time to relax? But still you add more on. You take on more projects though you know how full your schedule is.

Whenever you mother, brothers or sisters need support, they call you. Your friends are often calling or dropping in to see you to share their problems. Other people call you when they need a stand-in instead of using the other people who are available. It’s good to be a giver but if it is to the detriment of your health and sanity, it’s time to stop the madness.

Sounds like you might be having a challenge saying no. You find that though you don’t want to do something you are unable to say no because according to you, you don’t have a good enough reason to say no. Tired, but you say yes. Exhausted, but you still say yes.

When you’re tired or you just don’t feel up to doing a particular thing that you are asked to do, what do you do? Do you speak up and say no? You don’t have to answer out loud, but I bet I know the answer. You most likely don’t. Do you know what this means for you? It means that more than likely people are taking advantage of you more often than you may care to admit.

Listen to me and listen well. If you don’t speak up for yourself, who will? Your friends, co-workers and family members may not readily realize how full your plate is and so they keep on asking because you keep on saying yes. Relying on them to recognize when you have too much to handle is not wise. It’s your life and you have the full picture of what’s in it, not them.

You are the one who is responsible for you. Your husband or wife, brother or sister may love you and care for you but ultimately the responsibility for your life is all yours. You may feel uncomfortable about that but that’s just the way it is. Being a generous and giving person is one thing but to be so to the extent that you are under too much stress is just not good. If you are unable to find time to relax and unwind then your health is being seriously compromised both physically and mentally.

You have to get to the point in your life where you realize that this path is dangerous and begin to place care of yourself as #1 on your priority list. If you are not well you cannot help anyone anyway. So if you find fulfillment in being there for others, you need to take care of yourself so that you can continue helping others.

This starts with learning when to say no. You may have to make yourself a little less accessible during times when you need to relax and unwind. You need to plan some alone time and treat it just like you would treat an appointment to help someone else. You are still helping someone – yourself. Turn off the cell phone, shut off the computer and take time for yourself. Say no if you’re already overbooked. One good way to help you say no is not to accept an invitation right away. Always let the person know that you will check your calendar and get back to them. That gives you a little breathing space to properly evaluate whether you are truly able to help them or not.

So, today’s tip to reduce stress – SAY NO AND REDUCE YOUR STRESS! 

Try it! You’ll like the results.

Coming soon - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide. Look for it!

To your stress reduction,
Jenn
If you have a question on vegetarian eating that you would like me to answer then fill in this short form to submit your question. I'll answer in an Ask Jenn video on Wednesdays.

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6 Simple Ways to Manage and Reduce Stress

If you don't find a way to manage stress, it will find a way to manage you. Invasive is the nature of stress and it will take over your life if you are not careful. Stress causes you to feel defeated sometimes even before you attempt anything.

The blame does not lie with your boss, spouse, children, traffic or anything else. Those are things that are out of your control. People will say and do things and you can’t control what they say or do but you do have control over yourself, your response and several other things. Manage the things you can manage and leave the rest alone. When you take the steps to handle what you can the result is that you reduce your stress.

There are several ways to handle, manage and reduce stress. We've discussed 6 ways already. To recap here they are.  Click through each link to view more detail on each method listed.

1. Look around you. Do you see clutter? Reduce some of the stress by getting rid of some of the clutter around you. Reduce clutter and reduce your stress. 
2. Have you had moments where your heart was racing for no conceivable reason? Relax and reduce your stress. The hyperlinked article has ways to help you do just that. 
3. Return to a time less hurried than our present time and use herbs to reduce your stress. In this article you will find the Top 8 Stress Relief Herbs. 
4. Do you lead a mostly sedentary lifestyle? Exercise and watch your stress reduce dramatically. 
5. Are you always indoors? You go from home to work early before the sun is up and you get back after the sun goes down. Get more sunlight to deal with your stress. 
6. Last but certainly not least on this list today is gardening. Gardening is good stress therapy.  

And for the executives here are 6 Tips for Executives Looking to Reduce Stress.

Here's a bonus way to relieve your stress from my archives. Thanks Aqiyl of Natural Life Energy for the comment which reminded me of that post - Relieve Stress With Deep Breathing Exercises.

To your stress reduction,
Jenn

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Stress Therapy - Gardening

Welcome to today’s edition of tips and techniques to reduce stress. You’re here because you or someone you know needs a bit of stress relief. We’ve had several articles with different ways to relieve stress already. If you’ve not read them yet, you should. Those articles contain a wealth of information to help reduce stress.

Today’s stress reliever is quite simple - GARDENING. 

Now you might be thinking – gardening? Who has time to garden? My schedule is already full as it is. I’m looking for a way to reduce stress not add to it with another chore. You’re right and wrong. You’re right – your schedule is already full. And you’re wrong gardening will not add to your stress as you will see as you continue to read this article.

I am well aware that some of you live in apartments or condominiums or places where there may appear to be no space to garden. I am also aware that there are those of you who live in homes where they pay someone to do the gardening for you because you’re too busy to do it yourself.

Gardening is an activity that is tranquil and peaceful. It takes time and so it seems that you may not have time to do it. That’s just it. You are looking for a way to reduce stress in your life and gardening is a wonderful way to do just that. Its very tranquility as you get off the daily grind and attend to the plants helps reduce your stress. If you live in an apartment you can have some plants in containers and still enjoy the healing advantages and benefits of gardening.

Gardening has become a regularly recommended prescription as a form of stress therapy. Psychologists and physicians have recognized how therapeutic it is and are recommending it more and more to their patients.

We live in a world that is far removed from the world of our great-grandparents. Back then, the pace of life was much slower. Today we want what we want and we want it now. This type of mindset is what gets us feeling so stressed. Take a step away and enter a more peaceful world where you get a break from the stressful activities and relieve some of that stress.

When you are gardening time isn’t as important anymore. As the plant matures and grows they need attention and care. Their growth does not happen overnight. You get back from it whatever it is you put into it. You learn patience which it seems is a quality that people who are highly stressed lack.

So if you’re on the fast track to burnout and stress from your work or your personal life then look into gardening. Gardening will help you and give you a place to let go of all that stress. If you’re fortunate to be able to garden outdoors you’ll experience another stress reliever (hyperlink sunlight article) we’ve talked about before.

High blood pressure is many times a side effect of an extremely stressful life. Slowing down enough to garden will help lower your blood pressure as well. Two birds with one stone – pretty good in my humble opinion. As you experience the therapeutic stress reducing benefits of gardening, you might just find that you’re addicted. It’s a good addiction though – which reduces your stress and improves your surroundings and your life.

Want more tips to reduce stress? Click here - Previous Tip To Reduce Stress ~ Next Tip To Reduce Stress

Ebook coming soon - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide - 52 Simple Ways To Beat Stress and Enjoy Life!


Jenn

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Use Sunlight to Deal With Stress - Video and Text

Welcome to another edition of tips and techniques to reduce stress.

If you are unable to view this video click here - Use Sunlight To Reduce Stress - to go directly to the video page.

Have you ever heard of heliotherapy or phototherapy? I didn’t until I was doing the research for this article.  What I found out was that phototherapy is the use of light (particularly ultra violet(UV) light) in the treatment of physical or mental illness and heliotherapy is the use of sunlight to treat disease. A deficiency or lack of sunlight causes depression or what is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD) which in itself is a stressful condition to be in. Whether you're suffering from SAD or you're simply stressed, the solution is here.

Stress Release In The Sun

Now, we know that the sun emits UV light that we need to protect our eyes from using sunglasses or shades. So the same effects of the UV light in a controlled medical facility can be had by just stepping outside and taking a sunbath. Sunlight has been known to not only give light but also much needed Vitamin D.

What most people don’t realize is that exposure to the sun gives the added benefit of reducing stress. Acording to tanwithoutsand.ca, heliotherapy is a chiropractic treatment used for muscular stimulation and relaxation. I see the word relaxation in there. Relaxation translates to less stress. 

Some people spend a lot of time inside or work all day under fluorescent lights and then go home at a time when the sun is setting or gone. The following day, they leave for work early and repeat the same routine.  This little contact with the sun is not healthy.

If you’re one of those persons, then you need to change your schedule to include time outside. Let your skin soak in some sunlight. This is not the ‘get a tan’ type of outing in the sun, therefore you need to protect your skin. Use a sunscreen that has a high SPF(Sun Protection Factor).

Another set of people who may experience light deprivation and stress are frequent travelers. My recommendation is to take a walk if you can outside the airport and the hotel where you’re staying. When you expose yourself to sunlight before and after a long flight the symptoms of jet lag can be lessened thus reducing the stress that you feel.  It is said that even NASA employs this method by exposing the astronauts to bright lights gradually to get them ready for launches that take place late at night.

Fight winter blues and increase alertness with this Phillips Golite White/Blue

Spas and medical facilities are able to simulate UV light to help persons heal but the real thing is always better.  If you are unable to get out into the sunlight and you can afford the cost of heliotherapy of phototherapy go for it. I saw Amazon has this Philips Hf3321/60 Golite, White / Blue machine (pictured above) that helps to decrease winter blues and increase alertness. It costs about $99 at the time of writing this article and comes with free shipping. However, if the cost of booking yourself into a spa or getting this machine is cost prohibitive, why don’t you use God’s free way of reducing stress and get out into the sun on a regular basis. A side benefit of this is that if you suffer from skin disorders like psoriasis this kind of sun therapy may help heal that too according to studies done.

The sun has a way of elevating the mood so if you’re under a lot of stress use this method. Here are some helpful suggestions to get more exposure to sunlight:

1. Park at the far end of the parking lot when you go to the office or the store and walk in the sun to and from the building.
2. If you use the bus, and it’s a sunny day then leave home a bit earlier if you can and get off a couple of blocks before your stop and walk the rest of the distance.
3. Leave the office early enough to get an hour or so of time outside either playing with your children or just sitting in the sun.
4. If the time is not possible on a weekday or even if it is, use your weekends and spend as much time as you can outdoors in the sun playing a sport or other game, enjoying a picnic or just a casual walk around the neighborhood.

According to your own particular circumstance you may be able to come up with more ways. Go for it!  As you begin to feel the stress release you’ll be so elated that you won’t be able to do without your daily dose of sunlight.

Read more on the curative properties of the sun here - The Healing Sun: Sunlight and Health in the 21st Century and The Curative Value of Light: Sunlight and Sun Lamp in Health and Disease 1932.


Get out into the sun and eliminate stress!

Want more tips to reduce stress? Click here - Previous Tip To Reduce Stress ~ Next Tip To Reduce Stress

Ebook coming soon - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide - 52 Simple Ways To Beat Stress and Enjoy Life!
Jenn

Visit and like the Fruitful Vine Facebook Page for even more articles and links on healthy living.
For God's Glory!

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6 Tips for Executives Looking to Reduce Stress

If you are unable to view this video click here - Intro to 6 Tips For Executives Looking To Reduce Stress - to go directly to the video page.

The executive life tends not to be one owned by the executive. Shuttled from place to place, meeting to meeting, your life has become a long, repetitive chain of airport terminals, single-shot plastic bottle vodka tonics and meetings where it is required of you to smile and look well groomed after a desperate caffeine-driven 18-hour plow across 3 different states.

Image courtesy of chanpipat/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Unwinding under such duress is, alas, somewhat of an art form, but there’s a few things you can do to keep the stress down.

1. Mobilize your computing Technology is a wonderful thing. Modern devices allow us to remain connected to our families even when 35,000 feet in the air. With VOIP software, a good Wide Area Network and a pair of headphones, you can keep communication with the family routine, instead of occasional. Call the kids to check on their homework, call the spouse to make sure the house hasn’t burned down in the four months since you’ve seen it.
   
   Keeping communication routine goes a long way towards making life feel less far away from work. 


2. Develop 30-minute hobbies Watch cartoons. Find video games with short rounds. Take up knitting. Install an e-reader app on your smart phone. The key here is that whatever this activity is, it should be something you can put down easily after about 30-40 minutes, and it should take your mind away from work.

Click here - 6 Tips For Executives Looking To Reduce Stress to read the rest of this article.


Want more tips to reduce stress? Click here - Previous Tip To Reduce Stress  ~  Next Tip To Reduce Stress

Ebook coming soon - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide - 52 Simple Ways To Beat Stress and Enjoy Life!


Jenn

Visit and like the Fruitful Vine Facebook Page for even more articles and links on healthy living.
For God's Glory!

Exercise To Relieve Stress: Tips To Reduce Stress Part 4

Welcome to another edition of Tips and Techniques to Reduce Stress.

 Ever felt like you’re all tied up in knots? Stress has a way of making you feel like that and in a way, you are. When you are under stress, your muscles get tense and you may feel like your head is throbbing. You want the stress to disappear, but you feel like moving will make matters even worse.

Truth be told, exercise is an excellent, natural way to relieve the harmful effects that stress has on us.  Many use drugs, alcohol and eating, but these are THE worst ways to deal with stress.

Alcohol is known to be depressant, so though you may feel a bit of relief, this is temporary.  When the effect of the alcohol wears off it may leave you with more stress and more problems.

Same thing with drugs. Whether they are prescription drugs or non-prescription drugs they give the same problem that alcohol does. Don’t ever think that substance abuse is the cure for anything. It’s not.

More people than are known turn to food when they are stressed out.  This is called stress eating and it can be fattening. Not only that but stress eating can devlop into an eating disorder – especially when depression enters the picture.  Most people who eat when they are stressed tend toward the most unhealthy foods around.  Chocolate, cookies,  ice cream or pizza, macaroni and cheese are examples of these. It’s like the moment you begin, the spoon takes on a life and mind of its own and just won’t quit entering your mouth. I have a better alternative, simple - close the refrigerator door and open the front door.

You may ask, “What do you mean open the front door?”  Well, here’s the scoop - exercise relieves stress, plain and simple.  Here are 4 easy ways to get moving and reduce your stress level:

1. If you like walking or running then do that. If you’re not the type who likes either of these then do something else that involves physical exertion.  You can sweep/clean your yard, wash your car, clean your windows.  Anything that causes you to move but involves very little concentration is a candidate.
2. Pilates is a more advanced exercise program than Yoga. It is a more vigorous activity and takes a high level of concentration to complete each move. Focusing on your Pilates movements, keeps your mind off stressful things.  
3. Do you have a bike that you’ve not ridden for years?  It’s time to dust off your bicycle and ride. Look for quiet streets or parks with bike paths. This is an excellent exercise which also allows you to soak in and appreciate your surroundings as you travel.
4. Dance to your favorite upbeat music. Dance around your living room, your house, your porch. Put on some music with a peppy beat and dance around your living room. Or change the pace and play classical music instead. Get into ballerina mode and dance to your heart’s content. Reggae, contemporary, whatever your favorite form of music is put it on and enjoy moving your body to it. It’s a fun way to get your exercise in.

So what are you waiting for? Get moving and reduce your stress.

Want more tips to reduce stress? Click here - Next Tip To Reduce Stress  ~  Previous Tip To Reduce Stress

Ebook coming soon - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide - 52 Simple Ways To Beat Stress and Enjoy Life!


Image courtesy of Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Jenn

Visit and like the Fruitful Vine Facebook Page for even more articles and links on healthy living.
For God's Glory!

Top 8 Stress Relief Herbs: Tips To Reduce Stress Part 3

Many are wondering what can help relieve stress.  If you are one of them, welcome to Part 3 of Tips and Techniques To Reduce Stress. If you missed the two previous parts you can get them here - Part 1 and Part 2.

Back in the day just about everyone had a garden plot outside their home. Some had their plots in the front and some in the back, others on the side.  It was not a matter of if to have one, just where. So wherever they had the space for it they had it.  They knew something that so many today are missing.  They knew that herbs heal. 

Today there is a doctor just about everywhere you turn. Back then it was not so.  The doctors served rather large areas and had to travel for days to get to the villages or towns they served.  Some areas would not see the doctor for months on end. As time passed some areas had their own doctor so a doctor’s care became more accessible. But even then they still relied on the wonders of the herbs in nature.

God knew best and he put the herbs there with all their healing properties for us to use for our benefit.  Sadly many today run quickly to the pharmacy at the slight sign of anything.  You may argue, “Well I live in an apartment in the city and I don’t have space to have a garden plot”. Well some herbs can be grown in flower pots and just about any herb can be found at a health food store.

You might be wondering, "Ok what is the point of this? Aren't you supposed to be telling me how to lower my stress level?"  Well, yes of course. The point is this – there are herbs for stress relief . Now don’t think of this as a magic pill, you still have to use the first two tips for reducing stress I shared before. No amount of herbs can help you if you keep on piling on the stress day after day. 

With that said, God in all His wisdom gave us these wonderful herbs that relieve stress:

1. Lavender
2. Passion flower
3. Rosemary
4. Chamomile
5. Valerian
6. St. John's Wort
7. Ginseng
8. Ginkgo Biloba

So, next time you need some easy stress relief, use one or two of these herbs instead of running to the pharmacy. Stress sometimes come from a very busy lifestyle. If that is your case and you don't have the time to visit the health store, order the above herbs from Amazon.com using the links below.



Want more tips to reduce stress? Click here - Next Tip To Reduce Stress  ~  Previous Tip To Reduce Stress

Ebook coming soon - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide - 52 Simple Ways To Beat Stress and Enjoy Life!


To your stress reduction,

Jenn

Visit and like the Fruitful Vine Facebook Page for even more articles and links on healthy living.
For God's Glory!


Stress image courtesy of imagerymajestic/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tips To Reduce Stress - Part 2

Today we continue our series of tips and techniques to reduce stress. Last week we looked at clutter and the stress it produces and how reducing our clutter reduces our stress. We discussed ways to deal with the clutter and we shared a resource that has been helpful to many who have had a challenge with clutter and the stress it causes – Fly Lady’s book Sink Reflections. Today another tip.

Image courtesy of Ambro/Freedigitalphotos.net

Have you ever felt your heart racing and it was pounding so hard that you felt that might have been having a heart attack? Has it happened to you more than twice or three times depending on the situation you found yourself in.  Does it happen on almost a thrice weekly basis?  Did you visit the doctor only to be given a clean bill of health and find out it wasn’t a heart attack?


Take a look back for a moment at what was going on at the times you felt your heart racing and pounding.  Was your life in danger?  Was the life of your child(ren) or close family member in danger?  If the answer is no and there was no immediate threat to cause that reaction then you may be experiencing what is known as stress overload.

What exactly is stress overload you may ask?  Well in the words of my preacher husband “I’m glad you asked”(smile).  Stress Overload is caused when the pressures that are experienced in a work setting or even in the home become so severe, or continue for such a long time, that you start to feel out of control and like you're almost submerged. This occurs when the hypothalamus repeatedly discharges adrenaline and cortisol into the bloodstream, which causes the body to respond by heightening blood pressure and heart rate, making the blood vessels wider to allow more blood to be pumped to major organs, and large muscle groups, and glucose to be released by the liver to increase energy and stamina due to continual and repeated stress in one’s life.

Fortunately, there is an answer. You don’t have to suffer those heart racing moments for much longer. It is a very, very simple solution and I can state it no other way than the way it is.

TIP #2 – RELAX AND REDUCE STRESS

Relax? Yes relax. I realize that it is easier said than done considering the moments of heart pounding you’ve experienced but I’m going to share with you a few tips that you can practice regularly to help you relax. The result of not doing anything to relax might end up being a heart attack and no one including you or your family wants that result.  So here we go, some tips and techniques to help you relax and reduce stress.

1. Therapy – Yes, therapy.  Going to see a psychiatrist or psychologist does not mean you’re going insane but if you don’t get your stress under control you are likely to go insane.  So don’t overlook this solution.  The professional will help you get to the root of some of the reasons of your stress and help you deal with it. 
2. Spend some time in nature. Go for a walk and do not start obsessing over how you should exercise more.  This walk is a slow one to help you connect with natural surrounding and help you relax. Visit the beach and walk the length of it. For me, nature is one big relaxer. In times past when I lived in Portsmouth I would just go walk the trails at Cabrits and pray and cry and enjoy the quiet surroundings. I felt much calmer afterward.





Image courtesy of winnond/Freedigitalphotos.net

3. Play like a child.  Go to the park and swing. Slide down the slide. Who cares who’s looking at you? You need this. The person looking at you funny has no idea what you’re going through and how this much this is helping you avoid a heart attack or worse. I should do this sometime. My children love to go to Brizee's Mart. I should probably join them on the swing or slide sometimes and just ignore all the dirt on my clothes afterward.
4. Deep Breathe – Now I’m not talking about when you feel anger to count to ten and breathe deeply. No. What I am talking about is to spend time throughout the day taking deep breaths.  Maybe three times a day, you just stop and set a timer for about 1 full minute and take some deep breaths taking your mind off your present surroundings and circumstances.  You may use the time when you have to go to the bathroom at home or at work to do this. Deep breathing helps to calm your nerves and your heart and reduce your stress level. I have been using this practice especially when I have my monthlies. It really helps to relax me. Try it.
5. Watch a funny movie or go to a clean comedy show. The Bible says “Laughter does good like a medicine…”. Search youtube if you can’t go out at the time. Laughter has a way of helping diffuse tension and thus reducing stress. I know it has helped me a great deal. When I'm done laughing I feel very relaxed.
6. Get a massage. Massage has been discovered to be a great relaxation technique.  Book one with a professional or have your children do your feet and hands or if you're married ask your husband to give you an all body one. You can even give yourself a massage from time to time. I see my husband rubbing his neck or waist from time to time when he need a quick massage. Check out this head massager as a do-it-yourself option. One customer who bought it on Amazon said

I think this item is simply wonderful; I purchased one at Bed Bath And Beyond and gave it away as a gift (stupid!), then I couldn't find another until I came here to Amazon (yay!).

Another customer said

I'd never tried one of these scalp massagers before, and only ordered it so I could get free super saver shipping on an order. For $3 and change, I figured what the heck! So last night I opened the package and tried it out. I was sighing in contentment when my daughter (age 24) told me to please stop making those noises - it made her uncomfortable to hear her mother groaning like that. This thing is wonderful. And it works on knees and shoulders also! Any "round" area of your body. I'm going to buy a bunch more for holiday stocking stuffers. What a great idea!!!

7. Pray. Prayer has been proven time and time again to be a wonderful way to relax. The Bible says in Philippians 4:6 and 7, that we should not worry about anything; instead, we should pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Works for me.

There you have it – 7 manageable tips for relaxation to help reduce your stress. Some of these tips can be done daily.  Others you can schedule them weekly or monthly. Relaxation is not something that comes naturally for a lot of us.  It is something that we have to work at for it to become a habit.  So schedule your relaxation and begin reducing your stress.

So let’s recap. Start eliminating your clutter with the tips in Part 1 of this series on stress - Reduce Clutter and Reduce Stress. Then start practicing one of these 7 relaxation tips at a time and add another one as time goes on until relaxation becomes a habit.

Other resources for relaxation:



Want more tips to reduce stress? Click here - Next Tip To Reduce Stress ~ Previous Tip To Reduce Stress

Ebook coming soon - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide - 52 Simple Ways To Beat Stress and Enjoy Life!


To your stress reduction,

Jenn

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For God's Glory!

Tips To Reduce Stress - Part 1

Today we begin a series of articles with tips and techniques to reduce stress. This series will be a regular Monday feature and I look forward to your feedback as we go along.

Stress – everyone is under some kind of stress. Some stress in life is normal and it is good. However, when stress becomes overwhelming and is constant, health problems occur. If you’re now in a situation where stress is overwhelming and constant there is hope. I’ve been there. I felt tired all the time, irritable and had an overall feeling of being not quite well and not able to put my finger on what was wrong.

Image courtesy of Ambro/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Optimal health is in danger if we’re constantly stressed. We sometimes get depressed and depression has a way of weakening our immune system.  So in order to continue along the path of optimal health we need to reduce stress. If you don't find a way to control stress, it will definitely control you. Stress is something that is very intrusive. It makes sure that it is front and center in your life. It leaves you feeling out of control, overwhelmed and beat down.

Many times people who are stressed find themselves playing the blame game. They blame their employer, their husband or wife, their children, the traffic, their in-laws, the list could go on. The truth of the matter is that more control exists in their hands than they think. We may be powerless to control the actions of others or what they say, but there are things in our life that we can take control of and decrease the stress we experience. I did some research and found that there are a myriad of things that we can take charge of to reduce and manage stress.

Today we focus our attention on one of those within our control things. We will look at what it is. Then we will discuss how to eliminate it.

Clutter has proven to be a huge cause of stress. Clutter has a way of stealing our peace. Our minds and our bodies cannot rest because of all the stuff around us. We cannot take the time for ourselves because of all the clutter around us demanding that we give attention to it.

Look around you. Do you see a home filled with stuff that you do not want or use? Are their piles of paper heaped up in different spots around the home? Are there knick-knacks you don’t love anymore but they are there because you’re used to them being there? Are there gifts that you have received that you don’t like but you hang on to because of what you think the giver will say – but you feel depressed just seeing them? Are you holding on to those size 1 clothes hoping for the day you can get back into it? Clutter takes on many forms and with its many forms it brings added stress.

Tip #1

REDUCE CLUTTER AND REDUCE YOUR STRESS!

Reduce some of the stress by getting rid of some of the clutter around you. If you don’t need it get rid of it. If you don’t love it get rid of it. One way to reduce the demand that clutter makes on us is to throw it out, evict it pronto. If it is good give it away to someone. If it is not good throw it away. If you have not used it in 3yrs, 2yrs you might not really need it so kick it out of your house and reduce your stress.

Here’s an exercise that you can do. Go through each room of your home one at a time. Put aside five minutes and look at the contents of that room. Take one item at a time and ask yourself these questions – Do I need it? Do I love it? Does it have a painful memory? If the answer is no, no and yes then put it in a box to give away to someone (only if it is a good item). Do this exercise every day. Ideally you could spend 15 minutes but if you’re just starting out and find it hard to release some of your stuff then do it in five minute increments. I found Flylady.net to be an awesome resource. She helped me in a very huge way to eliminate the stress that came from clutter. I’m still a work in progress but I am getting there.

Here is another way to reduce stressful clutter. Purchase less stuff. Before you buy anything, stop and think – do I already have something that could be used to do the same thing? Do I really need to buy this now? Give yourself a couple of weeks to think about it first.


Here’s another clutter/stress reducer – Get rid of clothes. Many of us have too many clothes. We don’t use them all we just have them hanging in our closets. Our closets are stuffed and we can’t find a thing to wear we say. Or the closet is so stuffed that the clothes never remain ironed they get wrinkled because they are pushed up all on each other. Give the clothes to someone else who is in need and doesn’t mind receiving good used clothes.

Those were just a few examples of how to reduce stress by taking control of the clutter. Your clutter did not get accumulated in one day or one week or one month or even one year, so give yourself some slack and work on it for 15 minutes each day. It will eventually be gone and in the meantime you will feel the stress that comes from clutter going away bit by bit.

A wonderful resource to help with reducing clutter in simple baby steps is FlyLady's book - Sink Reflections.  It is available on Amazon in paperback form as well as on Kindle.


Want more tips to reduce stress? Click here - Next Tip To Reduce Stress

Ebook coming soon - The Ultimate Stress Relief Guide - 52 Simple Ways To Beat Stress and Enjoy Life!

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