Tools to De-Stress

I stumbled onto an article  from Deepak Chopra and Dr Oz called Deepak Chopra’s 4-Step Plan to Stress Less, the same day the topic was on my mind as I was talking to a friend who is having very high levels of stress, and doesn’t know how to tackle it. This  got me thinking, what are my ways to combat stress everyday? I decided to compile what I do, but also do some reasearch on what other people do … to see if I can find new inspiring ways to de-stress or to see if any of these work for you…

first up, what I do:

• Meditation: I am still not the most consistent person in terms of meditation, I wish I actually did do it twice a day, but I try to continue the practice as often as I can. I have also recently tried to start meditating in unusual places or when I am most stressed – a great traffic jam is a great place to start! One of my favorite new things: My meditation garden!

• Biofeedback Games: In my office I have a bio sensor (which is a great glove with cables) and games hooked up to my computer. I personally have software and hardware from Wild Divine, but there are plenty of offerings out there.  These things are great because it takes your body rythms and aids you in techniques to calm down and control your body, through little games.
• Breathing: For me the most powerful medicine is 3 deep breaths. Breathing can do wonders for you, its surprising how often we just forget to stop, breathe and as the saying goes, smell the roses.
• Neuraxan: I am currently very impressed with Biological medicine, and amongst what I am taking, I take something called Neuraxan from Heel Laboratories. It helps a lot with reducing Anxiety levels and balancing sleep. I use to have terrible sleep and this has aided me a lot on getting a proper nights rest – which is the most important thing in my mind to having good health.
• Music: For me really all problems can be reduced with a little dancing and singing my heart out! As Meredith and Cristina taught us in Greys Anatomy: Bring in the 30 second dance party!
• TV watching: I am obsessed with TV it is true, but it is also a great source of relaxation for me – its a way to turn off for me (clearly it also depends on the show… CSI will never de stress a person! on the contrary if you live in a city it might add even more anxiety!). My current guilty light pleasures: Project Runway, Downton Abbey and anything from the Food Network.
• No Expectations: In a way for me the best way to avoid stress was changing completely my outlook in life to prevent stress from actually starting in the first place. The least expectations you have,and the more you appreciate every moment, the less you stress about things and just accept things for what they truly are.
• Massage: I get a massage every Monday. This helps to both my muscular issues and my stress – my neck is always in check! I am obsessive about this because when i dont, i start accumulating tension in my neck and back and its starts spiralling down

So that´s what I do, but I decided to do some research and found some other fun de-stress ideas. Here I link the article (where it’s from) as well as a short list of their ideas. For further reading, please click the links for all the details on their techniques.

Every Day Tips:

• Everyday Health: Exercise, Laugh, Write, Socialize, Take care of yourself, Be kind to yourself, Meditate, Be thankful, Make a change.
• iVillage: Tryptophan, Get active, Practise deep breathing, Listen to music, Stock up on chocolate, Have a hug, Pamper yourself, Have a laugh, Try aromatherapy, Get in the moment
• goodrelaxation.com: A little innocent flirtation,Wake up earlier, Massage your ears, Try visualization, Correct your posture, Practice deep breathing, Use stress relief products
• Allure:  Hypnotize Yourself, (Really) Forgive Someone, Open the Window, Send Yourself Flowers, Pucker Up, Take A Time Out, Take It Easy, Say Om, Go Into The Light, Watch A tear-jerker, Treat Your Allergies, Drop And F-Bomb, Get Busy, Surround Yourself With Beauty, Be A Pescatarian, Play A Video Game
• From the Chopra article at the start of the post:   his 4 tips for destressing: Stress-Less Starter Breakfast, Take a Stress-Less Supplement: Endorphinate, Eat a Stress-Less Snack: Chyawanprash, Try Stress-Less Breathing Exercise: Ujjayi

At Work:

• Marie Claire: Make Plans, Get a Time out, Tidy Office Tidy Mind,  Breathe Deeply, Get The Bigger Picture, Get Help, Decorate your Desk, The Food Factor
• Savy Sugar: Finish the tough stuff first,Make exercise a priority, Savor your snack, Connect with a friend, Congregate at the water cooler, Take five to do something lighthearted, Just breathe, Create a worry list, Turn on mood-boosting music, Make over your work space, Take your eyes off the screen, Get troubles off your chest, Try a quick massage.

How about you- what do you do to combat your stress levels?