MANAGE YOUR STRESS SUCCESSFULLY

REDUCE STRESS

FOUR SIMPLE WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

How do you react when your plans fall through? Do you roll with the punches? Or does anxiety keep you from enjoying life? To a great extent, our personality determines how we deal with stress in our lives, but here are four things to help keep your stress under control:

• Sleep more. It’s very common in our society to have less than 6 hours of sleep a night. But experts keep telling us we need at least 7-8 hours. Not just to rest our bodies, but to rejuvenate our minds. “Tired” and “cranky” seem to go hand in hand. Don’t use your bedroom to watch the news or finish up some work from the office. Make that room your haven, a place to relax and escape the day. Have a hot cup of tea, take a warm bath, or read a book to help you unwind.
• Turn it off. The convenience that cell phones have added to our lives can actually be a double-edged sword. We depend on them so much it seems we can’t live without them. This increased accessibility means not only can our loved ones reach us at any time, but so can work. If your employer legitimately needs to have your cell phone number, make sure you set clear limits on when you can and cannot be reached. Your time off is yours.
• Take some time off. It doesn’t have to be a fancy vacation resort. A day at the beach, or an afternoon at the park will do. Just anywhere you can be and not think about the bills, work, or whatever tensions you may have. It’s important to take time for yourself, so do it! You’ll feel better with a fresh perspective.
• Treat yourself. Sign up for a yoga class at your local gym or community center. The costs are nominal, and you’ll feel more relaxed after even just one session. A monthly massage or a spa treatment is also a great way to recharge.

Stress is unavoidable. But what we do about it is up to us. Experiment with these suggestions and see what works for you!

HOW TO HANDLE STRESS

FIVE GREAT TIPS TO HANDLE STRESS

Stress is such a powerful and harmful force that it is vital that you learn effective stress management techniques to live a successful, happy, and healthy life. We must remember that we will always come across inevitable factors that cause pressure and anxiety on us. What we forget is that it is not really the problems that are difficult to deal with, but our attitude towards them. So basically, the cause of stress is your attitude toward these factors. What is an effective way to deal with stress?

• Identify what makes you stressful and uneasy. Making a list of your stressful experiences is useful. Immediately deal with the issues that you can change, for instance waking up earlier for work in the morning, not leaving things till the last minute, and delegating tasks in case you are taking responsibility for everything. Forget about the issues that you cannot influence like being stuck in traffic.
• Calm down. A few minutes break would do you good. Wash your face, breathe slowly and deeply, and notice if there is tension in any part of your body and release it. You can also listen to relaxing music, or call a friend. Releasing your inner feelings to a friend is a  healthy option.
• It will pass and it will be over before you know it. Remind yourself that the stressful event will end sooner or later and you can see the positive sides of things. At the same time, calm down your emotions and think of what is the best thing to do rather than take your energy away from what needs to be done.
• Know yourself. Ask yourself: What triggers your anxiety? If for example it is your job, then maybe it’s time for you to reconsider whether it would be best to find a less stressful job. You can also make your job more tolerable by allowing yourself to get that needed vacation or leave.
• Learn to use your relaxation response. Just as we all have within us the stress response, we also have an opposite response, which is the relaxation response.
  
  The relaxation response involves two steps. Repetition, the repetition can be a word, a sound, an expression, or a repetitive movement. The second step is to ignore other thoughts that come to your mind while you’re doing the repetition, and come back to the repetition. The technique should be used once or twice a day for about 15 minutes. Sit quietly and choose a suitable repetition, like a prayer, the sound Om, or the word love, or calm. Or you can do repetitive exercise, for instance yoga, jogging, Reiki. When you incorporate this into your everyday life, you become calmer and better able to handle the stress factors. Practice makes perfect and the more you practice and relax your mind, the easier it gets.

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The true causes of stress are not the problems or negative experiences that you encounter in your life; but your attitude toward them. So, the trick is to change your attitude and to develop a relaxed state, because you cannot be stressed and relaxed at the same time.

It is important to understand that what we focus on, we energize. The more you continue to think about the factors that cause your stress, the more energy you give it. So it is vital to let go and focus on relaxation instead.

MEDITATION

Your Way To Reduce Stress

One of the best and most tried and true ways for reducing stress is through meditation. Though it may sound intimidating, meditation has occurred in every culture in one form or another throughout history. The following steps will help you learn to clear your mind and relax (#Ad), and you will be amazed at how the stress seems to just melt away!

Begin each relaxation time by reducing distractions, noise, and interruptions. Give yourself the time and privacy you need. Find a comfortable sitting position, wear loose and comfortable clothing.

Relax and take several deep breaths. Close your eyes and try to mentally focus on one peaceful word, thought, or image. If there is a picture, a memory, anything that tends to calm you, try to picture that. For some people it’s the sound of the ocean, for others waterfalls, and for yet others, the memory of staring off a mountain peak. Clear your head, and let your muscles loosen up, don’t worry about what is going on around you. Relax and enjoy the peace that your image brings to you.

When you feel yourself drifting away from the image, don’t force it to stay. This is a good time to stop. Stretch and exhale deeply as you wrap up. This is the most initial and basic form of meditation. While it would work in and of itself to reduce stress, this is also the basis for several other exercises and meditations. When you choose to push on, you will always want to start with a basic form of meditation and relaxation (#Ad).

As you go into further exercises, concentrate on whatever phrases help you relax. Find the phrase that works for you, and look around for other exercises.

Meditation is a great way to relax, and will do more to improve your health and reduce stress than any medication, and the only "side effect" is a calmer healthier life as a result of your improved mood!

Here is a free 8 minute Meditation Video (< Play Video) to reset your mind - you can practice anywhere.

Recommended Meditation DVD:

> Relaxation & Breathing for Meditation (#Ad)

Learn more about Meditation here:

> Meditation Basics

(Source: yogajournal.com)

Learn how to - 15 Minutes Pranayama (< Play Video)

Open up your lungs and boost your energy levels.

AROMATHERAPY

AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE

Soothes And Banishes Stress

One pleasant way to deal with daily stress and fatigue is to massage it away. For thousands of years, holistic therapies such as aromatherapy massage have been used as a way to refresh and recharge the senses.

A massage with scented oil can help dissolve accumulated stress and toxins. The benefits to be expected from this calming daily ritual include:

• Increased circulation, especially to nerve endings
• Toning of the muscles (< Click) and the whole physiology
• Calming (< Click) for the nerves
• Lubrication of the joints
• Increased mental alertness
• Improved elimination of impurities from the body
• Softer, smoother skin (< Click)
• Increased levels of stamina through the day
• Better, deeper sleep at night

A favorite scented oil used for aromatherapy massage combines olive oil and orange blossom (< Click). Olive oil is well known for its healing properties, both when taken internally and used to lubricate the outer body, while orange blossom oil is a scent that has been used as a stress reliever for years. Together, olive oil and orange blossom offer luxurious skin conditioning with the added benefit of soothing stress-reduction.

BENEFITS OF YOGA

THE BENEFITS OF YOGA

Better Health and Longer Life

Yoga is generically defined as a Hindu discipline that helps unite the body and mind. Aimed at achieving a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility, it is practiced in the West most commonly as physical exercise practiced as part of the discipline.

The benefit of yoga practice is nothing new. It has been recognized for many years as the perfect discipline to help one achieve tranquility, better health, and a longer life.

In this modern age, much has been learned about the benefits of yoga. Yoga practitioners achieve greater mobility, longer life, and internal happiness through their practice of the art. Yoga as we know it today is aimed at uniting the mind, body,and spirit. The mysticism of the Hindu discipline is no longer a myth, and is reachable by all willing to learn.

Yoga practice is roughly grouped into three categories:
- Yoga Postures (Asanas),
- Yoga Breathing (Pranayama) and
- Meditation (Dhyana).

These categories embrace physiological, psychological, and biochemical effects. In addition, clinical studies have compared these results against the Western practices of jogging, aerobic exercise, and weight training, and find results comparable.

There are so many different styles of yoga and practices offered through Yoga studios, community centers, online classes, etc these days that it is hard to figure out where to start if you are new to Yoga.

According to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra there is an eight-fold path leading to LIBERATION known as the 'Ashtanga Yoga System' (or Astanga) or 'Eight Limbs of Yoga (< Click).

Patanjali is known as the Father of Modern Yoga, he wrote the Yoga Sutras.

Recommended Book:

- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, by Sri Swami Satchidanada (#Ad)

SOME OF THE MANY HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA

• Reduced nervous tension and stress
• Decreased muscle tension
• Lowered blood pressure
• A decreased heart rate
• Improved flexibility, range of motion and strength
• Yoga therapy helps with fatigue, headaches, insomnia, back pain, and much more
• Boost your immune system

DIFFERENT STYLES OF YOGA

YOGA STYLES

Many Different Styles and Practices

The most popular style of Yoga in the West today is Hatha Yoga. It is designed to focus on the physical well-being of a person and believers in the practice consider the body as the vehicle of the spirit.

Ananda Yoga, a classical style of Hatha Yoga, uses Asana and Pranayama to awaken, experience, and take control of the subtle energies within the body, and focuses on the energies of the seven Chakras.

Anusara yoga is defined as “stepping into the current of Divine Will”, “following your heart”, and “moving with the current of divine will.” This new style, which was developed by John Friend, is defined as “yoga positions that flow from the heart.” It is heart-oriented, spiritually inspiring, and is based on a deep knowledge of outer and inner body alignment. It is based on the principles of Hatha Yoga and biochemical practices. Students of this discipline base their practice on attitude, action, and alignment.

Ashtanga yoga could possibly be the perfect Yoga for those looking for a serious workout. Ashtanga was developed by K. Pattabhi Jois, and is very physically demanding. A series of flows, moving quickly from one posture to another, is utilized to build strength, flexibility and stamina. This style is not good for the beginning practitioner, as it requires 6 series of difficulty. The physical demands of Ashtanga are not for the casual practitioner beginning the journey of yoga fitness.

PS: Ashtanga yoga (Ashtanga vinyasa yoga) as developed by K. Pattabhi Jois should not be confused with Ashtanga (or originally Astanga) - the Eight Limbs of Yoga - classified by Patanjali as classical yoga, as set out in his Yoga Sutra.

Note: Here is a Link to a DVD (#Ad) if you prefer to practice Ashtanga Yoga at home.

Bikram Yoga, named for its founder Bikram Choudhury, is practiced in a room with a temperature of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius), intended to replicate the climate of India. Twenty six Asanas are performed in a typical session, and focus is on warming and stretching muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Each pose is accompanied by Kapalabhati Breath, the “breath of fire.” Practice of this style promotes cleansing of the body, the release of toxins, and ultimate flexibility. One must be in very good physical shape to practice Bikram Yoga.

Just to list a few different styles and practices of the more popular ones practiced in the West.

We go a bit further into details in "RECOMMENDED YOGA RESOURCES - WHERE TO START AS A BEGINNER".

BENEFITS OF YOGA

PRACTICING YOGA AND YOUR HEALTH

Example - Lower Your Blood Pressure

If you didn’t know by now, yoga asanas (postures) can help you in the treatment of high blood pressure. Yoga asanas can help to stabilize your blood pressure and lower the blood pressure when it’s abnormally high.

Asanas have favorable effects on the nervous system too. By practicing certain yoga asanas you can not only lower your blood pressure, but also reduce the effects of hypertension on the other organs of the body.

There are a few categories of asanas which are recommended to lower blood pressure:

- forward bends,
- sitting,
- supine and
- inversions.

• Forward bends have the best effects on high blood pressure. They can help you the most to lower your blood pressure. These exercises have a calming effect on the brain, the blood circulation to the brain is normalized, and they help you to reduce the stress from the sense organs.
• Specific asanas which have beneficial effects on the nervous system and help you lower blood pressure are
  
  - Uttanasana (< Play Video) and
  - Adho Mukha Svanasana (< Play Video),
  
  which can be practiced with the head resting on props, so the blood circulates more freely into the aortic arch.
• Sitting asanas such as
  
  - Baddha Konasana (< Play Video) and
  - Virasana (< Play Video)
  
  are some of the sitting asanas which can be practiced in order to get a lower blood pressure by the hypertensives, which in most cases are hard breathing. These poses eliminate the tension from the ribs and the intercostal muscles, so they help you to breathe with ease, and help you to lower your blood pressure.
• Other poses which can help you to lower your blood pressure are the supine poses, like
  
  - Supta Baddha Konasana (< Play Video)
  
  Relaxing the abdominal region, the entire body, and bring calmness to the nerves.
• Inversion asanas such as
  
  - Viparita Karani (< Play Video) and
  - Halasana (< Play Video)
  
  revitalize the nerves, assure the control over the lungs and diaphragm. If you practice these exercises on a regular basis, you will lower your blood pressure over time. There are also useful Svanasana and Pranayama, which provide control over the autonomic nervous system. As the senses and the mind are chilling, the blood pressure stabilizes, and in case of hypertension it leads to a lower blood pressure.

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Note: Science of Yoga is a great yoga anatomy and physiology book. The Asana section of the book explains in detail what's going on inside the body during yoga practice. Great Book!

YOGA RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS

RECOMMENDED YOGA RESOURCES - 1

Where To Start As A Beginner - Part I

If you are completely new to Yoga but would like to learn more about it and perhaps sign up for a Yoga class in the near future, you can easily get confused by all the different Yoga styles and practices and many other confusing terms in your very early phase of your Yoga journey.

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOGA STYLES FOR A MOMENT:

A good website to start and learn some of the basics about Yoga is www.yogabasics.com

The website is well structured, has a clean user interface and plenty of content. Many articles are available for everyone. However, there are specific articles that are locked and you'll have to sign up for membership to gain access.

A good place to start as a beginner (on yogabasics.com):

> Yoga101: THE BASICS (< Click)

This website will give you a good overview of the following Yoga styles incl. Definition, Benefits and how to Practice:

• Raja Yoga
• Mantra Yoga
• Kundalini Yoga
• Jnana Yoga
• Karma Yoga
• Tantra Yoga
• Hatha Yoga
• Bhakti Yoga

If you are interested to learn a little bit more about the different Yoga styles and practices the above link is a good way to get started.

However, most of the Yoga practiced in the West is technically speaking Hatha Yoga. Modern Hatha Yoga focuses primarily on the physical yoga practices. Hatha Yoga has a moderate pace and is focused on holding static postures incl. breath awareness. It is beginner friendly and therefore suitable for everyone.

You can learn more about Hatha Yoga here:
> Hatha Yoga: Definition, History and Benefits

(Source: yogabasics.com)

In addition, check out the following link

> Yoga Therapy (Source: yogabasics.com)

Specific yoga practices can have amazing healing ability for certain medical conditions such as insomnia, headaches, fatigue, heart disease, asthma, anxiety, back pain, etc.

Note: It is recommended that you consult with a healthcare professional before starting a yoga program if you have certain medical conditions.

A GOOD WAY TO START YOUR YOGA JOURNEY

(Source: yogabasis.com)

Here is a good link to get you ready for your first Yoga practice session
YOGA FOR BEGINNERS

Next, you need to get familiar with

ASANAS: MEANING, DEFINITION AND PURPOSE

- the physical body positions or Yoga poses

Plus, the 13 different types of yoga asanas

13 DIFFERENT TYPES OF YOGA ASANAS

- anything, from standing poses, seated poses, supine poses, prone poses, twisting poses, balancing poses, core strengthening poses, forward bending poses, back bending poses, hip opening poses, side bending poses, inversions, and meditation poses.

Note: Sequencing a good series of Yoga Asanas (postures) is key to finding the right Yoga balance for a Yoga class or ultimately for yourself.

BONUS MATERIAL - FREE VIDEOS (Click below)

Light on Yoga (#Ad)

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The Yoga Bible (#Ad)

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Qigong Meditation - Basic Acupressure Daily (Click below)

YOGA RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS

RECOMMENDED YOGA RESOURCES - 2

Where To Start As A Beginner - Part II

YOGA ONLINE CLASS

If you are ready to jump right into a Yoga online class you can start with the following link:

YOGANAMA.COM

Namita Piparaiya is a Yoga and Ayurveda Lifestyle Specialist and the founder of Yoganama.

She created her collection under the name of Yogonama TV.

Yoganama TV is a collection of carefully curated Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation classes and videos that you can practice from the comfort of your home.

Styles offered: Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation, Zoomshala.

Note: She offers high quality Yoga sequences for a very attractive price as she does it out of India:

$12 for 6 months when you sign up to get access to Yoganama TV.

Here is one of her free Pranayama collection videos

FREE PRANAYAMA VIDEO (< Play Video)

to get started right now...

For additional free videos visit

Namita's YouTube Channel

ANOTHER VALUABLE SITE TO START YOUR

YOGA JOURNEY

To start and learn some of the basics about Yoga visit www.yogajournal.com

The website has its own section

> Yoga for Beginners

> Yoga for Athletes

- Good articles about Meditation

- Good articles about Yoga sequences with good quality pictures

However, the user interface isn't as clean as yogabasics.com.

Similar to yogabasics.com not all articles are available for everyone. There are specific articles that are locked and you'll have to sign up for membership to gain access.

Additional useful website related to Yoga for Beginners:

Yoga International

has an enormous collection of

- 3,000+ on demand yoga practices

- 700+ meditations

- 100+ pranayama practices

- 2,700+ articles to expand your knowledge

- 300+ courses

Note: You can sign up for a 7 Day free trial, then $19.99/month

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YOGA RESOURCES FOR ADVANCED PRACTITIONER

RECOMMENDED YOGA RESOURCES - 3

Advanced Yoga Practitioner

If you are practicing Yoga for several years and you are interested in taking it to the next level or you are thinking about opening up a new Yoga Studio...

MARK STEPHENS YOGA ... is the place to start.

He is a Certified Yoga Therapist, member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and author of several international bestsellers

Teaching Yoga (#Ad)

Yoga Sequencing (#Ad)

Yoga Adjustments (#Ad)

Yoga Therapy (#Ad)

Yoga for Better Sleep (#Ad)

He offers in-person and online Teacher Training incl. refined Teaching of Asana, Pranayama and Meditation. It also includes in-depth exploration of how to design classes for different styles of yoga, levels of students, etc.

In addition he offers several workshops throughout the year incl. in Cities around the world.

As we wrap up the exploration on "Managing Stress," we sincerely hope you have discovered valuable insights and acquired new techniques to enhance your stress management skills in the coming days.

Your feedback is of utmost importance to us. We are genuinely interested in hearing about how this information has benefited you, specifically the aspects that prompted you to adopt a fresh approach or discover more effective methods for managing stress.

We encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences with us by utilizing our

>> CONTACT US Form

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DIET. WORK. EXERCISE. RELAX. SLEEP.

YOUR GUIDE TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

A Healthy Body Is The Key To A Healthy Mind

By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you can improve your overall well-being and increase your life expectancy.

Take the first step towards a healthier life by reading our eBook, 'YOUR GUIDE TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE', which includes tips on healthy diets, supplements, regular exercise, quality sleep, stress management, time management, and other healthy habits. Use a step-by-step plan to start making healthy changes today.

Additionally, incorporating certain foods, herbs, and plants into your diet can provide excellent health benefits, such as green tea, ginseng, olive oil, and lemons. Click on any of these items to learn more.

Remember, choosing healthy foods is a crucial first step towards a happier and healthier life.

If you're interested in technology and want to cook healthy meals without much experience, consider trying out the HESTAN CUE Smart Cooking System.

>> READ OUR HESTAN CUE REVIEW