About

About

The only constant, in today’s changing world, is ‘Stress’. It results from our response to a situation. It stalks its way through modernity and creeps unawares onto unsuspecting lives.

A faceless entity, stress manifests itself in a million ways, among the young and the old alike. It is a mental condition that stems from anxiety, which is an emotion that persists among us despite our efforts to counter it.

Although there are different reasons for stress, the common factor is that it is man- made.

High risk group

Stress holds sway on working professionals, retired individuals, healthy and non- healthy persons, housewives, adolescents and even children.

Students

Stiff competition in the educational field and high expectations in the job market are the prime reasons for stress among students. Competition among fellow students, and constant pressure from parents and peers, result in stress soaring among the adolescent and young adults.

Housewives

Modern day women are expected to juggle their tasks, as a result of escalating expectations placed on their ‘weak’ shoulders.

They mould themselves to fit into various social niches-that of wives, mothers, sisters, daughters-in-law, professionals, and active members of the society. This multi-tasking sometimes ‘wear them thin’ and they begin to buckle under the mounting pressure.

Professionals

Today stress can be directly attributed to the present day working scenario. With a booming economy beaming the ‘job - for - all’ slogan, IT companies are mushrooming across the world. Demanding deadlines sleep deprivation and exhaustion being hallmarks of this profession, all is not well with these ‘harbingers of prosperity’.

Stress Effects

Everyone talks about stress these days because stress has assumed a ‘larger- than- life’ form . Its all consuming ‘avtar’ is evident in every aspect of societal life.

Suicide rates among the teens, and also among the elderly, have markedly increased. Violence too, has made an indelible stamp on our daily existence. These are not just indicators of stress, but are also pointers to the fact that little is being done to cope with it.

Although our bodies are, by nature, equipped to cope with stress, there are times when the pressure reaches an all time high and the ‘floodgates’ break open. At such times, stress manifests as physical and mental ailments, many of them aggressive.

Some of the common manifestations of stress include -

• Hypertension or increase in blood pressure
• Insomnia or Sleeplessness
• Cold /flu
• Fatigue
• Chest pain / Heart problems
• Asthma
• Eczema
• Allergies
• Ulcer; irritable bowel syndrome
• Premature aging

Several studies support the fact that stress may play a role in the development of diseases such as Cancer and Diabetes too.

Common Methods of Stress Relief

• Regular exercises such as walking, swimming, cycling and yoga can work wonders for stress.
• Taking part in gardening, socializing, cooking, star gazing and traveling may provide the much-needed break from routine.
• Visiting or inviting relatives or friends over may provide a reprieve from monotony.
• Following nature trails, bird watching, rearing pets such as dogs, cats or parrots.

Gazing at the tide and spending time in the open, are all effective stress-busters

• Joining a Laughter Club may actually be therapeutic.
• Breathing exercises and listening to soothing music can physically relax a person.
• Hydrotherapy, or taking a hot water bath, relieves muscle tension and promotes a good night’s sleep.
• Positive thinking puts a person on the road to a stress-free life- The practice of any of holistic healing method such as Reiki, Pranic Healing, Yoga and Meditation can help to promote positive thinking.

Alternative Therapies for Stress Relief

There are numerous alternative therapies that are widely employed to mitigate stress. A few popular ones are discussed in the section below -

Acupressure-SUJOK

Stress often builds up at the neck, shoulders and lower abdomen. Neck is the main meridian that connects the head and other body parts. It is, therefore, a very sensitive body part, which can easily be affected by stress.

To relieve tension in the neck area, gentle pressure can be given to the two points located at the bottom of the skull. Along with this one can practice neck exercises, also known as Brahma Mudra.

Just kneading the shoulder area will ease the tension. Pressing specific points located at the top of the shoulder muscle can also release tension.

The Third eye Chakra located between two eyebrows also needs to be stimulated to alleviate stress. One can simply place two palms on the third eye chakra and direct the divine energy to that area to relieve tension. This is an easy step that Reiki practitioners follow.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is practiced in many homes without them being aware of it. As the name suggests, this therapy has to do with aroma (scent or fragrance). The source of aroma may be from flowers, plants, incense sticks and pastes.

Flowers such as rose and jasmine and herbs, like basil, emit special scents, which help to relieve mental and physical stress. Placing fragrant flowers in vases in the drawing, as well as bedrooms, will do the trick. Flowers and herbs need to be changed every day.

Burning incense sticks of mild, natural fragrance creates a healthy mood. Same is true of the sandalwood incense sticks and sandalwood paste.

Bathing in the water mixed with the extract of fragrant flowers and plants help immensely in relieving the stress. Along with this therapy one can consume ginger paste mixed with honey or essence of basil leaves and cinnamon mixed with honey to hasten the healing process. The idea is to heal inside and outside.

Color Therapy and Visualization

Seven ‘chakras’ in our body are associated with the seven colours of the rainbow. By internally visualizing these colors, one can burst the stress-related problems.

Following are the colors related to each chakra

Root or Muladhara Chakra ---->Red

Swadishtana or Hara Chakra---->Orange

Manipura or Solar Plexes--------->Yellow

Heart or Anahata Chakra------->Green

Throat or Vishuddhi Chakra---->Blue

Third Eye or Ajna Chakra------>Indigo

Sahasrara or Crown Chakra---->Violet

The following Meditation method works for stress relief. It is part of Color Visualization or Rainbow meditation or Reiki Meditation

• Sit cross-legged or lie down on a mat.
• Close your eyes and direct the vision inward- to the Chakras.
• Visualize white light passing through the Sahasrara Chakra to other Chakras.
• Rotate the light from front of the spinal chord to the Root Chakra and back of the spinal chord to the top. That is, the white light rotates within us keeping the spinal chord as the center point.
• While doing so visualize white light changing to respective colors of the Chakras. One can even meditate on one chakra and one color at a time on one day. This is also known as Chakra Meditation.

It hardly matters whether one is attuned for Reiki or not but Reiki attunement will enhance the power to heal.

Wearing clothes of soothing, natural colors help to assuage bad feelings and emotions. Sky blue and green colors create happy atmosphere. One can overcome depression by decorating the living room or work place with bright colors. Visiting fields and farms to gaze at the greenery helps enormously.

Yoga Therapy

It includes Pranayama, Meditation and Yogasanas Pranayama and Meditation Technique

The simplest of meditation techniques is to close the eyes and concentrate on the breath. The state of the breath is directly related to the state of the mind. Anger and anxiety makes the breath shallow, faster and uneven.

Meditation guides the mind to focus on the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. In due course of time the irregularity is corrected to one of deep and regularized breathing. This brings back peace to a person.

Another way is to mentally project a picture or point or color in front and just direct the inward vision to that. If it is done for ten to fifteen minutes per day it can balance the chakras and bring back peace. It is also known as Alfa Meditation.

Meditation is scientifically proved to be useful in treating patients with mental problems. IT brings a healing effect to the agitated brain and is, therefore, recommended by doctors and psychotherapists.

While Savasana (corpse pose) and Makarasana (crocodile) can bring peace, Pawanmuktasana, Sarvangasana and Halasana can bring mental clarity.

Yogasanas

Nutrition

One needs forty to sixty nutrients to live healthy. Vitamins, minerals, proteins fatty acids and carbohydrates are day-to-day requirements. Vitamin B and Calcium are needed to encounter stress effectively.

Avoiding sugar and fast foods will help in overcoming insomnia (sleeplessness).

Whenever somebody is in stress, he depletes the reserves of nutrients, especially vitamin B, Calcium, Protein as well as vitamins A and C.

In take of orange juice (high in Potassium), potatoes, tomatoes and bananas will alleviate stress. One should increase the intake of calcium rich yogurt, tofu and milk. Along with nutritious food one definitely needs to exercise.

Massage Therapy

This therapy includes the use of herbal oil and lotions to stimulate pressure points. Ayurvedic preparations, yoga and meditation are also included in Indian Massages. The philosophy in this form of therapy is a ‘sound mind in a sound body’. If the body feels good, then the mind automatically relaxes. This therapy, like Reiki, believes in the Self Healing nature of a body.

While applying pressure during a massage, pain or discomfort manifests on the problem area. This pain continues to decrease with time. During a massage, a person is asked to close the eyes and feel the tension release. Massage therapy tunes-up the body muscles and in turn the mind.

Swedish and Kerala Ayurvedic Massage Therapies are presently popular.

Benefits

• Stimulates the problem area and relieves stress
• Increases blood flow and oxygen supply
• Improves immune system and fitness
• Relaxes the body and mind to reduce anxiety
• Streamlines energy flow to the chakras
• Restores peace and well-being

Positive Thinking

It is a proven fact that a positive attitude promotes good health and triggers the ‘happy hormones’.

Every aspect of our life has different perspectives to it. It depends on us to take the best and leave the rest. When events occur that upsets us, we should learn to sieve the good from the bad and stay confident of the good results.

We must remember that challenges are an unavoidable part of our existence and learn to see them as temporary and solvable. Building strong relationships and being committed towards them are sure ways of staying emotionally healthy.

We should have faith in our capacity to achieve and continue to work towards our goal. If we have flaws in our character we should try to eliminate it; in the process we must learn not to get disheartened when the mistakes are pointed out. We must be confident enough to face any situation. This attitude will keep us cheerful all our lives.

Following steps will help developing positive attitude

• Each one is special or unique
• No two persons are alike
• Remember the successes and forget defeats
• Do not give in to other’s demands
• Remain free from superiority and inferiority complexes

One should believe in the principle ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’ and believe that every unfavorable event is a milestone on the road to success.