PLAY A GAME

Okay this really cool and will be fun!  Ready for this?  To help relieve stress – Play a game!

The reason playing a game, especially one that presents a challenge can effectively help you reduce stress – is that your attention is centered on the game, taking your mind off of the problem(s) for awhile.  Thus your mind has a chance to rejuvenate, which helps you overcome tension.  Just what games are stress relievers, depends on you and what you like to play.  Whatever you choose to play, be it a board, video or computer game, even an outdoor game with, in addition to focusing you mind on the task at hand and forgetting the source of the stress, has the extra added benefit of removing tension from the body.  The best part is, you don’t have to wait until you get stressed out to do this.  Play anytime, start your day off with a little fun and end it with a little fun, and in-between time may be a lot easier to deal with.  Remember that the purpose is to give yourself and your mind a chance to relax – oh and have fun!

To get you started, here are a couple of links for free computer games:

Stress Reducer Desk Top Destroyer:

http://mystressmanagement.net/download-stress-reducer-desktop-destroyer.html

Stress Relief Paintball:

http://mystressmanagement.net/stress-relief-game-paintball.html

References:

Admin, Initials. (2012, March 16). Stress relief from everyday life. Retrieved from http://www.stress-institute.com/playing-games-highly-effective-way-to-reduce-stress/

Malgaj, L. (2009, July 06). Reduce stress easily by playing stress relief games. Retrieved from http://www.articlealley.com/article_969482_24.html

Breathing

http://www.jango.com/music/Anna+Nalick?l=0

And Just Breathe ,,,,,,Just Breathe

Oh Breathe, Just Breathe

That’s right full, deep, cleansing breaths which can be done anywhere, at anytime, by anyone to help you relax.  When you breathe deeply, the more oxygen you inhale, enabling you to counteract the negative effects of stress. 

Breathing is an automatic response of the body regulated by the brain according to the carbon dioxide levels in the body.  When under stress, breathing patterns change becoming shallow instead of deeply from the diaphragm increasing carbon dioxide in the blood which can prolong symptoms of stress.   ("Better health channel,").

“The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible in your lungs.” ("Help guide.org," ).  There are different techniques for deep breathing, but when you feel stressed, take a few minutes and try the steps outlined by Help Guide.org:

·         Sit comfortably with your back straight.  Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.

·         Breathe through in through your nose.  The hand on your stomach should rise.  The hand on your chest should move very little.

·         Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much as air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles.  The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.

·         Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls.  Count slowly as you exhale. 

If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor. Put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale. 

1, 2, 3….And Breathe, Just Breathe!

References:

Better health channel. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Breathing_to_reduce_stress

Help guide.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_relief_meditation_yoga_relaxation.htm

WALKING TO RELIEVE STRESS

  

The baby is crying, children fighting, your boss has gotten on your last nerve, significant other has no clue, life’s challenges are overwhelming  - and you have finally reached the point when you feel  you cannot take it any more – What can you do?   

Exercise is a great way to not only get fit, but to relieve stress.  One of the quickest and easiest things you can do just about anywhere, to get away from it all is Take a Walk! Stress can cause a lack of concentration, making it difficult to focus.  Walking as a form of exercise and to relieve stress releases endorphins, the happy hormones, which help balance the chemicals in the body, allowing it to fight the feelings of depression and anxiety.  ("Fitness health zone")

Where you walk, will depend on where you are and what time of the year it is.    One great place to walk which you may not think of is the Mall.  Many malls open earlier than the stores, and groups of “mall walkers” come in for the exercise and association with friends.  Benefits to walking in the mall include:

• Out of the weather: Inside a climate controlled mall, walkers can dress comfortably and not worry about wind, rain, snow, ice, heat.
• Away from the traffic: No intersections to cross, broken glass or bushes obstructing the path, auto fumes or rush hour.
• Security: Walking with others and with mall security on duty.
• Restrooms and water: always nearby in the mall. ("About.com,")

Not near the mall, that’s okay, there are plenty of places for you to go.  Be creative, think outside of the box if necessary, but go take a walk and find your happy place.

For more information and tips please visit the following websites which were used as references:

About.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://walking.about.com/od/beginners/a/mallwalking.htm

Fitness health zone. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fitnesshealthzone.com/healthy-living/walk-to-relieve-stress-must-know-tips/

Laughter Therapy

Mirth is God's medicine.  Everybody ought to bathe in it.  ~Henry Ward Beecher

Listen!  Can you hear it?  People or children laughing.  Can you feel that smile start?  Wait for it…….. There it is, you start laughing too.  Laughing is infectious.  Have you ever paid any attention to how good you feel after you’ve had a really good laugh?  Well believe it or not laughter is actually very good for you, and it has been scientifically proven to have a healing effect.  

Laughing is found to lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, increase muscle flexion, and boost immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being. ("Holistic.com humor,").

• Belly laugh greatly helps in muscle relaxation. When you are laughing, the muscles inside your belly that don’t participate in the laugh get relaxed. Once after you finish laughing, the muscles that participated in the laughter begin to relax.
• Laughter therapy greatly reduces at least four of neuroendocrine hormones that are associated with response to the stress. These hormones include: cortisol, epinephrine, dopac, and growth hormone.
• Laughter strengthens your immune system.
• While laughing, you will forget about the pains like aches, arthritis, etc.
• Laughter greatly provides better cardiac conditioning, particularly for those who are unable to do physical activity.
• With laughter, women get greater benefit than men in controlling high blood pressure.
• Belly laugh empties your lungs from excess air and cleanses them. This is same as deep breathing.  ("Alternative medicine zone," )

And there are no side effects or contraindications to laughter! 

It’s Free, Fun and it Feels Good, So Laugh Away!

Get sound effects & royalty free music at AudioMicro.http://www.audiomicro.com/laugh-cartoons-comics-funny-free-sound-effects-45583

Try Guided Imagery for Relaxation -

Guided Imagery is defined by  the Academy of Guided Imagery  as “a wide variety of techniques, including simple visualization and direct suggestion using imagery, metaphor and story-telling, fantasy exploration and game playing, dream interpretation, drawing, and active imagination where elements of the unconscious are invited to appear as images that can communicate with the conscious mind.” ("Academy for guided," )

Guided Imagery has been used for thousands of years, by many cultures, and can be used for just about any area of your life.   “Imagery had been found to be very effective for the treatment of stress. Imagery is at the center of relaxation techniques designed to release brain chemicals that act as your body's natural brain tranquilizers, lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety levels. By and large, researchers find that these techniques work. Because imagery relaxes the body, doctors specializing in imagery often recommend it for stress-related conditions such as headaches, chronic pain in the neck and back, high blood pressure, spastic colon, and cramping from premenstrual syndrome.”  ("Guided imagery, holisticonline,com," ) 

Take a few minutes now, to take a 5 Minute Vacation or try Mind-Body Relaxation by Susan Castle:

http://www.relax-online.com/imageryonline.htm  

OR:  Follow these links for tips on how to create your own personal imagery.  

http://stress.about.com/od/generaltechniques/ht/howtoimagery.htm

http://www.pacdv.com/sounds/ambience_sounds.html

My personal favorite is listening to the sound of sea waves while imagining being on the beach as I relax.   

Try it! 

References:

Academy for guided imagery. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.academyforguidedimagery.com/whatisguidedimagery/index.html

Guided imagery, holisticonline,com . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.holisticonline.com/guided-imagery.htm

Welcome!

ARE YOU BUSY?  FEELING FATIGUED? 

 

If you are like me, between work, home, family and for some of us school, that’s all you can be – busy!  Keeping up with everything can be very overwhelming, frustrating and stressful.  So what do we do?  We keep going and pray we don’t drop too many balls at once.  Well, if for no other reason than for your mental health’s sake, it’s time to start taking care of yourself, even if it’s just for 15 minutes a day.  Everybody deserves a little “Me” time so for the next few weeks, I’ve decided to post ideas that can help de-stress and best of all, cost very little to nothing!  I hope you enjoy some of the tips, and can use them to revitalize and energize.