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Try slow instead of go. Put down the palm pilot and step away from the computer. A fast-paced lifestyle creates a high level of stress. We can’t sleep at night (too busy thinking about what we have to do tomorrow), we don’t have time to exercise or eat right, and downtime is a distant memory.

Grab hold of the reigns before it’s too late. Appreciate the importance of doing absolutely nothing.

According to the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard University, between 60 percent and 90 percent of all medical office visits in the United States are for stress-related disorders.

eDiets psychologist Dr. John Sklare says the most common causes of stress are “relationship difficulties such as heartache, divorce, serious illness or injury to you or a family member, caring for dependents such as children, bereavement, moving, changing jobs or schools, money problems, and taking on too much responsibility.”
But not all stress is bad. Dr. Sklare says “sometimes it can be a strong motivating influence.”

It is proven that planned relaxation reduces anxiety, calms the mind and helps the body recover from everyday rush and stress. By taking one day, one night or one afternoon as your own, you are doing your heath and well-being a big favor in the long run.

Here’s the plan: Don’t plan anything. Do what you feel like doing, but be sure not to make a day of errands out of it. Part of this process is learning to say “no” -- as difficult as that might be.

We all have different levels of stress to deal with. Dr. Sklare describes it like this, “Whether your nature is intense, easy-going, active or passive, your ability to cope with life is dictated by your temperament. Think of it like the idle of a car. Some idles are running very fast, some very slow and some in the middle. Some of you operate like a race car and some like a model T. Balance, however, is the key. Learn to be proactive about bringing more peace and relaxation into your world.”

Once we can learn how to inject calm into our lives, we will begin to lay the foundation for an overall improvement in our quality of life.

Listen to some relaxing music, take a long soak in the bath, walk in the park, grab a magazine and just lay down. Make sure you don’t find yourself rushing around without reason. Many people reduce stress by taking a “mind-vacation” where they visualize a calming scene (i.e. the beach, a sunset, a spa). Another easy way to relax is to laugh; so grab a funny movie or a funny friend and have a good time!

And if these solutions sound like they won’t even make a dent in the surface of your stress, there are deeper forms of relaxation.

Meditation is more than just sitting still, it is a calming practice used around the world! One of the most popular forms of meditation is “mantra meditation.” In this type of meditation, students use a mantra, a phrase or word that is repeated to invoke calm. Also, there is “mindfulness meditation” in which you focus your attention on the thoughts and sensations around you. Try these meditations with some deep breathing and focus your mind whether it is for a few minutes or an hour.

“The important thing is to find what works for you," Sklare said. "For some, relaxation can be found in something physical like swimming or walking, whereas for others, it may be something more cerebral like reading or doing a crossword puzzle. The lesson here, however, is this: Find what kind of relaxation works for you, start working it into your life today and life won’t stress you out later.”

http://www.ediets.com/news/article.c...9/cmi_2200141/