I have just published a lens designed to give a complete introduction to stress management techniques on this site on ONE page.
This page contains background information about stress, videos stress relief aids and links to essential information on this site.
You can check out this new page by clicking here.
All the basic to intermediate stress management meditational techniques have been covered on this website. If you learn and practice the techniques linked to on the main page of this website you will manage stress better making you healthier in general and you will have more energy for mental and physical tasks.
Through this blog I will be covering many more techniques for stress management that also enhance your mental and physical performance. I will also be outline the different forms of stress in our culture and how we as individulas can deal with it. Learning how to block stress from external sources is something that is essential for our modern age.
Selective stress blocking is one of the keys to keeping your mind-body system functioning well AND having the energy to live a bountiful life.
This site is accepting guest article contributions.
All articles must be original and unique.
One link to your website/webpage can be included at the bottom of the article.
All articles must be related to managing or reducing stress in a person’s life.
Here are a couple of guest articles published today that you can review as examples:
Guest Article: Managing Stress with Better Nutrition
Guest Article: Journaling to Manage Stress
To send in your contribution/questions send an email to abbas at instantstressmanagement.com
NOTE: Not all articles will be accepted.
This is a basic meditation technique which is very useful to just relax. Regular practice makes it a good meditation for stress management as well. Let’s call it “The Empty Mind Meditation”
Preparation:
Relax your body completely.
Take in 4 deep breaths, repeating “4” to yourself as you exhale.
Then take 3 deep breaths, repeating “3 when you exhale.
Now take 2 deep breaths, repeating “2” when you exhale.
Finally, take 1 deep breath, repeating “1” as you exhale.
At the same time, focus your mind on a pleasant image. Imagine that you are a passive observer of something very relaxing where there is repetitive motion.
Example: relaxing on the beach, watching the waves go back and forth or just lying in the grass and watching as the clouds move by overhead.
Finally, now you want to cause your mind to go completely blank. As you are focusing on this repetitive movement, begin to envision a blank form.
Maybe this blank form will arise as ‘gaps’ in your thoughts. I.e. there are always gaps in thought, become aware of yours. Allow these gaps to expand.
Tip: If you get lost in thought and notice, then you are already succeeding in the meditation. As you NOTICED.
Allow each thought to pass as easily as it came in, expanding your awareness of the ‘gaps’.
Weight loss can be a pain. Just the idea that you have to lose a certain amount of weight causes stress. To help with weight loss stress management I have put together these audios. They are designed for relaxation - with affirmations to motivate, focus and help you with your determination in succeeding in weight loss.
Good Luck!
Depression is an extremely stressful experience. This is true for the person who is depressed as well as those around him/her.
In depression a person is not only focused on a very negative perspective but they are also so used to feeling negative chemicals released with their negative thoughts and emotions that it can become an addiction. Then pushing yourself to be happy followed by downswings of depression causes the bi polar behavior pattern.
The most obvious way of dealing with depression is through drugs prescribed by a qualified psychiatrist.
Before you read the following understand this, 1. you must always consult with your doctor before pursuing an form of therapy or self therapy; 2. Sometimes you have to consult more than one doctor, remember electric shock therapy (now mostly frowned upon) was a staple for mental therapy by many qualified psychiatrists for years. In addition to this the drugs for anti depressants will tell you on their labels that these drugs may cause suicidal tendencies (i.e. the anti-depressant can make things worse - especially in teens) and the effects may wear off after a while. In other words, you have to be self-aware and conscious of any therapy you do.
Since negative chemicals are released into the body with negative thoughts and focusing on negative thoughts is one of the symptoms of depression, then using a means to alter your focus to one of positive perspective will automatically reverse the feelings of depression.
To help anyone reduce the stress from depression in their lives I have put together the following mp3s. To remove depression, listen to these audios and the anxiety relief ones everyday for 30 days.
Depression Relief - Part 1 - Assistance
Depression Relief - Part 2 - Deep Relief
Depression Relief - Part 3 - Optimism
Yes, this requires some work but the effort will get easier the more you do it. Also, its free self-therapy that works (read throught this site carefully to understand all the scientific evidence supporting the stuff here)
Just imagine how you might be once the depression is gone and push forward.
For further help listen to the white light meditation on the main page of this site and check out the links on the left of the page.
Anxiety is a condition in which stress increases to such a degree that a persons breathing becomes short and the focus of the mind is solely upon what is causing the stress in the first place. Fainting or hyperventilation are amongst the side effects of suffering from an anxiety or panic attack.
One easy yet powerful way of taking care of anxiety is to consciously relax the mind and body. The following audios are designed to do exactly that.
To deal with a panic attack or help someone else with anxiety relief then listen to this relaxing audio at “relief from anxiety and panic attacks”
For a more complete release of stress and anxiety listen to this audio…it’s in video format so I can make sure this is not used at inappropriate times as it has binaural beats and therefore has built in relaxation.
Maintaining a good posture, when you stand and sit, has an unconscious impact of making you more alert and confident which are stress relieving attitudes in themselves. It will also reduce the stress on your body that bad posture is sure to bring.
Technique; Take in a few, good deep breaths as you sit up very tall. Put your feet flat on the floor. At the same time angle your thighs slightly toward the floor, arch in your lower back slightly, gently push your sternum (chest bone) back and then relax your shoulders.
As your posture continues to align, you will begin to relieve stress and tension in your muscles. Do this exercise twice daily and you will find yourself naturally attain a better good posture every day
Studies have shown that a genuine smile releases endorphins into your bloodstream, relieving stress and even rejuvenating your entire mind and body. The smile meditation is easy to do and very effective at feeling good, refreshed and re-energized really quickly.
· Think of something funny to start you smiling. It could be an event, a movie, a cute baby or even a puppy. Anything to bring a good smile on your face.
· Imagine this smile spreading over face, down your neck and into your body.
· Meditate on the smile till your whole body begins to feel like a ‘big smile’.
If you need to relax to prepare yourself to do this meditation properly then pick a technique listed on this blog. Listen to some relaxing nature sounds or do the video exercises on the main page of this website.
Chanting is an age old way of meditation and prayer. In the yogic system from India there is a technique of chanting called a “mantra” where you repeat a word, such as “Om”, on the exhale of a deep breath.
In the Relaxation Response Technique, Dr. Herbert Benson MD recommends using a mantra but says you can use English numbers to do this. Such as saying 1 on the first exhale, 2 on the second and so on. This technique is eventually the same as the yogic Om technique and you can practice either one. You can use any word on the exhale as long as you follow this basic technique which is:
Take a deep breath filing your belly and then exhale very slowly while saying your chosen word such as “one, “Om,” or “I am.” Say only one word per entire exhale. When you run out of breath, take another breath and do it again.
Here are mp3’s which can help guide you in some mantra practice. The tracks are designed to work with any one of the words “One,” “OM,” or “I Am.” (Note: ‘I Am’ is considered to be the meaning of OM).
Try out this 3 minute OM track first.
When you have done the 3 minute one a couple of times, you can try out the five minute track for a slightly longer guided mantra practice session.
Many breathing techniques for stress relief have been described in earlier posts. Now I have added 4 new mp3’s to help you practice 4 different breathing techniques. Find which one you like and most and use it when you need some stress relief.
Here are the tracks and their descriptions;
The first track is called “Continous Breathing Exercise”. It’s pattern is a basic ‘In’ and ‘Out’ pattern.
The second one is called “Breathing Pattern with A Pause”, which means you hold your breath in between inhales and exhales.
The third is called “Triangle Breathing Pattern”. This one guides you through a pattern of 1 :1:1:0, which means one second inhale, one second pause, one second exhale and no pause( 0) before the next inhale.
The “Square Breathing Pattern” goes in the pattern 1:1:1:1.
As stated before, breathing has an automatic calming effect on your nervous system. So pick a breathing technique and use it regularly to manage your stress better than before.