What Else Excercise Can Do For You

Physical activity can clear your mind and keep stress under control. Some people like to run or walk by themselves, while others prefer team sports or group workouts. Any type of exercise will do the trick, as long as it is regular. Exercising once a month will not do much to relieve stress. Here are some more tips for exercising:

- Learn to relax. Relaxation is often difficult for people suffering from the effects of stress, but it is necessary. A technique called progressive relaxation can be helpful. This involves tightening and relaxing the major muscle groups one at a time, being aware of each sensation. Start at your feet and work up to your head. Tense the muscles for a count of ten, concentrating on the tension, the let the muscles go lax and breathe deeply, enjoying the sensation of release.

- Get sufficient sleep each night. This may be difficult, because stress can keep you up at night (unless you are one of those people who welcomes sleep as an escape), but it is very important. The less sleep you get, the more stress will affect you, the more your immune system will weaken, and the greater your chance of becoming ill will be.

- Try mediation. Many people find that regular meditation helps them to relax and handle stress. Meditation does not have to have spiritual or religious connotations. For example, you can meditate on a word such as “peace,” “calm,” “relax,” or “warm.” Or you may find it helpful to meditate on a pleas¬ant person, place or event. It is good to have a store of pleasant thoughts to draw on during stressful times. While meditation can have some short-term benefits, it is more effective when practiced on a daily basis. Try meditating twice a day for ten to twenty minutes each time.

- Practice deep breathing. This can be done when facing a stressful situation – at home, at work, in your car, or elsewhere. Holding your breath is also good for relieving stress. Inhale deeply with your mouth closed, hold your breath for a few seconds (do not wait until your are uncomfortable), then ex¬hale slowly through your mouth, with your tongue placed at the top of your teeth, next to the gum line. Do this four or five times, or until the tension passes.

- Monitor your internal conversations. The way we talk to ourselves has a lot to do with how we feel about ourselves, and our environments. Telling your¬self, “I should be able to handle this better,” or I shouldn’t have let that idiot cut me off in traffic,” or “I’ll never get the hang of this computer,” only adds to the stressfulness of situations, and does nothing to resolve them. Learn to listen for-and then make yourself stop these futile inner conversations.

- Identify the sources of stress in your life. This can be an important first step in managing stress. Take a stress inventory periodically to help you under¬stand what is causing you problems.

You can use the following list of major stressors as a starting point:
o Death of a spouse or other close family member
o Divorce.
o Death of a close friend.
o Legal separation from spouse.
o Job loss.
o Major Injury.
o New marriage.
o Scheduled surgery.
o Change in family member’s health.
o Serious trouble at work.
o Increased responsibility at work or at home.
o Sexual problems.
o Change of jobs.
o Child leaving home.
o Change in residence.
o Major change in diet.
o Vacation.