Stress Relief Without Medication!

By Josh Murphy
Stress Relief Tips Weekly

Stress is our biological response to increase stimuli. This means that when our bodies encounter something new, different, or difficult we might have a physical or psychological reaction. Too much stress or stress that does not reduce over time can cause physical or psychological problems such as severe anxiety attacks.

Extreme stress is often treated with medication. Medication can help to alleviate the symptoms of chronic stress, but it does have obvious draw backs. There is a daily commitment to taking medication, medication may not work for every individual, and medication often comes with unpleasant side effects.

Medication isn’t for everyone. The side effects and daily regiment can be overwhelming for some. Stress management techniques can help these individuals lessen their daily stress without the use of medications. There are a variety of techniques that can be incorporated into daily activities to reduce the overall effect that stress has over our lives.

A daily walk will help alleviate stress. Regular exercise helps reduce stress by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain while releasing chemical endorphins that cause feelings of happiness and wellbeing. Walking is an excellent form or low impact daily exercise that can be incorporated into any busy schedule.

Our brains are constantly bombarded by information. Aside from the sights and sounds of our immediate environment our brains much also deal with the constant disorganized chatter of televisions, cell phones, and coworkers. Our brains need time to process and absorb this information. Try giving your brain a break by listening to calm, relaxing music.

Information overload can cause stress to escalate beyond our ability to control it. As information devices (cell phones, laptops, pdas, mp3 players, iPhones) become an integrated part of our daily interactions we find ourselves victim to constant stimulus they represent. Turning off the cell phone and laptop in favor of listening to classical composers or soothing sounds of nature will help reduce the amount of stress you feel.

Hobbies are an often overlooked stress reducer. Devoting time to a hobby each week can provide a sense of accomplishment and help shift your thinking from problems and decisions to something more pleasurable. Craft projects, golfing, reading, collecting, or other hobbies can offer valuable time for your mind and body to relax.

Stress not only affects your mind, it affects your body as well. A body under stress will experience tighter muscles along with more frequent aches and pains. A massage can loosen up those muscles and release chemicals in your brain that help combat stress and improve the immune system. Professional massages may be cost prohibitive for some, but never estimate the healing power of a good ‘ole fashioned backrub from a friend.

Withholding or stifling emotions can cause intense amounts of stress. When we are faced with difficult situations we may feel the need to cry or scream. Suppressing those urges repeatedly can cause our stress levels to increase. Managing, not repressing, emotions is vital to reducing the stress in your lives. Anger is a common reaction to stress. Often people repress anger because it is perceived as a negative emotion. A certain amount of anger is normal and necessary for a well balanced personality. Channeling anger in a productive manner can help reduce stress. Use anger to motivate yourself to make changes in those things that upset you. Or if the anger is fleeting consider expressing your anger by using a punching bag, pillow, or exercising.

Stress can take the joy out of life. Learning to control stress can lead to happier, more fulfilling existence and a healthy body and mind. Without or without medication stress can be managed and reduced. There are many ways to reduce stress so experiment to find what works best for you.