subject: Stressed? 3 Of My Best Patients Do This Everyday: From Stressed To Serene [print this page] Stress is an emotional state of mind characterized by the need to work or expend effort to get something accomplished. There are two types of stress, "eustress" and "dystress."
"Dystress" is dysfunctional, often the result of catastrophic and neurotic thinking and is characterized by feelings of overwhelming pressure and manifested in both emotional and physical ways. Common emotional symptoms include tension headaches, a "short fuse," irritability, impaired ability to concentrate, feelings of confusion, helplessness and extraordinary fatigue.
The physical symptoms of "dystress" include dry mouth, palpitations, labored breathing, undue sweating and gastro-intestinal discomfort.
"Eustress," on the other hand, is a positive form of stress that keeps us in condition and physically and emotionally normal and fit. Examples of such behaviors include exercise, studying, concentrating, focusing, engaging in activities of daily living etc.
"Eustress" maintains and improves the functioning of your physical and emotional coping skills to facilitate your navigation of the tasks required for successful living. On the other hand, negative stress, "dystress," imposes undue pressure. This results from inappropriately pressured thinking that impairs, not just your physical well-being, but also aspects of your mental, emotional, and interpersonal behavior.
There are many influences, causing feelings of human "dystress." A very significant one is our survival instinct.
When this is triggered, you might feel abnormally vulnerable to danger. After all, the planet is enclosed in an environment fraught with randomness, danger, threat and even terror.
Also, we human beings know in the back of our minds, that we are subject to being killed or harmed by anyone, any illness or any accident at any time. Knowing this, there are many who worry abnormally, too frequently and too intensely about this uncertainty which, after all, is inherent in life.
You, as others, may also be affected by environmental stress-oriented factors over which you have no control. They may include, but are not limited to, air pollution, undue noise, interpersonal agitation, over-crowding, relationship conflicts, school and workplace frustrations or, mental or physical illnesses which afflict you or those around you.
Everyone is unique in the degree of effectiveness of their coping skills. This also means that we all have different tolerances for stressful events.
Stress Reduction Tips and Techniques My Best Patients Use
Chronic stress can lead to serious mental and physical problems, so it must be managed effectively. Three of my best patients use the following four tested techniques, as a complete stress reduction package, 5 or more days per week.
You can use each one separately, as a technique unto itself, or, as my patients do, us them cumulatively in one package, with each technique being a precursor to the next.
1. Put on some tranquilizing sounds, like music or sounds of nature, like birds chirping, the wind or ocean waves.
2. Light some incense or fragrant candles, then turn down the lights. Turn off your cell, the radio, the T.V. etc.
Make sure you won't be bothered. Next, calmly stretch the muscles of your feet and calves, then your thighs, arms, back, shoulder and neck.
3. Relax your body and mind. Stay still and focus only on your breathing.
Simply observe the movements of your breathing body; detach from your thoughts, observing them and letting them come and go as they please. Breathe deeply, noticing as your stomach rhythmically moves up and down. Simply, notice the movements of your chest.
4. Put yourself into a state of hypnosis. Self-hypnosis is very easy and akin to day-dreaming:
Sit or lay down comfortably then, close your eyes. Calmly say to yourself something like the following:
"The longer I sit here, the more deeply relaxed I become. I feel more deeply relaxed, with each single breath I take ."
Repeat this. As you do, you will slowly become less attentive to the outside world and become increasingly more inwardly focused.
Important: As you do this, thoughts will automatically come and go through your consciousness. Do not attach any meaning or emotion to them.
Spend a couple of minutes just observing them, detached, not reacting to them, as if they were floating far above you inside a cloud. When ready, after you are totally relaxed, simply open your eyes and return to ordinary consciousness.
