Looking for Relaxation – Lower Your Stress Levels

Are you looking to become a more relaxed individual?

Learning to control stress through relaxation is right at your fingertips. Everyone derives stress for unique reasons and from different stressors, but to some degree all types of stress can be alleviated though relaxation techniques. By learning to relax we become mentally sharper, more productive and generally happier. An optimal and recurring state of relaxation comes with practice over time. Nurturing the mind, body and harnessing the inner spirit are the keys to success. By doing so, you will learn to invigorate and relax your soul.

The following are a few relaxation techniques best used together for relaxation. They address all three areas of relaxation - mind, body and spirit. Enjoy!

The Notepad - Write it down and forget it!!

A very common cause of stress which can be easily remedied is caused by a racing mind with tasks and thoughts. Often a person will have a certain number of tasks which need to be accomplished. These tasks seem overwhelming in the mind because mentally it can be difficult to organize every task. In the mind, this creates the illusion of more tasks than what actually exist. Also your tasks become garbled with random thoughts and feelings which require separate attention and expression.

The solution – Carry a small notepad and pencil in your pocket. As soon as a task comes to mind take out your notepad and write it down and put it back in your pocket. Trust what you have written down and forget it! Keep doing this when a new task pops in mind. After awhile you will have accumulated tasks in your little notepad. After you accomplish your task retrieve your notepad and cross it off and forget it! Refer to your list if you’re looking for something to do. If any particular task remains unfinished for an extended period of time, reevaluate the importance of the task and consider crossing it off and forgetting it!

In addition buy a notebook and in big black marker write MY JOURNAL on the front of it. This is NOT a diary. The point is not to recount the events of the day, but rather your feelings. Make the commitment of writing in it everyday even if it is just one sentence i.e. I feel happy now. Include the date and time.

The Water of Life – Drink More Water Now!!

Impurities in the body such as excess sodium and fat must be flushed from the body to lower stress. Many myths exist about how much water to consume in a day. The truth about water – Drink it constantly and learn to take gulps…not sips. You can tell if you have thoroughly hydrated yourself if your urine is the shade of very light lemonade or lighter. If your urine is dark, drink water immediately. If you feel bloated, consider lowering your fat and calorie intake and increase leafy vegetable consumption. The idea is to hydrate every last cell in your body and to increase metabolism. Remember to check the color of your urine.

Sex - Shaolin Monk Style!!

Sex is a well documented way of lowering stress levels. During the act of sex hormones which stimulate the pleasure center of the brain are released, giving a pleasurable and relaxing effect. An active effort to have sex should be made by both partners and should be performed on a regular basis, even if a partner isn’t 100% in the mood. The key here is for both partners being proactive and considerate of the other partner. Also, only use your bed for sex and sleeping. Never read in bed.

But what if sex is not possible due to work or other reason, the answer is focus your chi (inner strength). Shaolin monks of China are celibate and divert sexual energies toward strengthening chi through physical exertions such as standing on the head or crossing the legs and supporting the body with the finger tips for extended periods of time. After refocusing and harnessing chi, Shaolin monks are capable of withstanding trauma from spears and blunt weapons that ordinary humans can not. Am I suggestion that if regular sex is not feasible that you shave your head, move to China, and do a one handed hand stand on your index finger? No. Though you probably would lower your stress, it’s just not feasible for most of us. The next best thing is physical exertion.

Physical exertion is defined differently depending on your physical abilities and body type. Giving yourself a good physical workout will have similar effects as sex in that hormones are released into your brain which will give you pleasure and a feeling of relaxation. Experiment and find out what activities safely give you the most reward i.e. walking, running, jumping on a trampoline. Sustain the workout for a minimum of 30 minutes 3 times a week. The point of this exercise is to stimulate your brain not weight loss. If you level of fitness improves consider reevaluating your fitness goals and push ahead. If you are not in the mood to exercise just think of it as giving your partner sex when you are not in the mood…you’re being proactive and it will payoff in the long run!

Sleep Imagery – What a peaceful meadow…Ahhhhh.

Hopefully by the time you go to bed you will have utilized the above techniques so that you have as little on your mind as possible. This next technique will help you clear your mind even more and allow you to drift peacefully into sleep where your subconscious will take over and nurture your mind. The object is to clear your mind of dynamic thoughts and replace it with simplified peaceful images. It takes effort and requires focus. Allow yourself to clear your mind and to forget about tasks that need to be accomplished. Remind yourself that you have written them down and that they are not going anywhere. If a task was important enough for you to write it down in your notepad, than it is important enough for you to let it go for the evening, rest up well and tackle it effectively after you are energized. This requires focus.

Come up with three minimally dynamic images that represent a peaceful scene. Some examples might include a rolling green meadow in the spring with a soft breeze; a smooth drifting journey through the solar system and outer space; or the flowing pattern on a giraffe’s neck. As you lie down to rest breathe deeply and begin to imagine your peaceful image. Visualize and recreate minute details of your peaceful image exploring the space of the image i.e. move around in your image. Avoid making your picture busy and try to maintain non-vigorous movements. For example with the field image a proper way to imagine this would have a breeze that is very gently rolling over the grass. If the wind is violent and violently pushing the grass, you are adding dynamics to your peaceful image, which might excite you and prevent you from sleeping. Float or walk through the mead, do not run. With the example of outer space, a proper way of visualizing this would be drifting like an asteroid. The improper way would be for you to visualize shooting through the universe like a speedy comet. Try not to get caught up in violent events such as the storms of Jupiter or radiation from the Sun. Think of empty blank space. With the example of the giraffe focus on the animal itself, put a smile on its face. It is not a good idea to add dynamic images such as lions since a lion might stalk the giraffe and add excitement to your peaceful image. Alternate between the three images until you are relaxed and your mind begins to fade into dreamland.

It Is Up to You

Now it is up to you. Remember that these techniques are to be utilized together and are to be used over a period of time. Hopefully you can utilize these to your relaxation advantage. Good luck and relax well!

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