The modern world is full of stressors—at work and at home, financial stressors, and personal stressors. The world is simply busier with everyone on their cell phones, tablets, eating out, and trying to squeeze in time for friends and family. These are times when we need to actively find ways to detoxify ourselves from the stressors that bind us.
Chronic stress kills; this is a simple and well-known fact. It takes a toll on major organs, like the heart, and impacts wellbeing and good health. Those who are in a state of chronic stress will experience various side effects, including, headaches, fatigue, emotional outbursts, and others.
The truth is that stress does not have to be tolerated; it can be and should be dealt with. Fortunately, there are ways to de-stress your body and self that are all natural and simple to learn. Everyone should have some of these tools and techniques to fall back on during times of stress and distress.
Yoga
Yoga was originally practiced in the Eastern world and has been practiced for thousands of years. Today, more than 18 million Americans practice yoga, and many more millions worldwide. There are many types of yoga that can have different effects on the body. For example, some yoga is purely relaxing, allowing your body to stretch and calm itself. Other yoga is more energizing, giving you that added boost to get through your stressful day.
Let’s look at some different types of yoga:
Bikram Yoga
This is a challenging type of yoga involving doing around 26 different poses in a room that is set to a temperature of greater than 100 degrees. Also called “hot yoga”, it should be done by people who are medically fit to exercise in such hot conditions.
Ashtanga Yoga
This is also challenging. The yoga poses are done with little break time in between. It utilizes specific breathing techniques that help you focus your mind, de-stress, and keep control over the flow of your breathing.
Hatha Yoga
This is one of the most commonly practiced styles of yoga. It is very gentle and uses poses matched with breathing exercises that relax the body and mind. It is probably the best type of yoga for people unfamiliar with what yoga is all about.
Iyengar Yoga
This is also a gentle yoga, perfectly fit for beginners. It goes at a slow pace and focuses on getting the postures to be as close to “correct” as possible. It makes use of tools like blocks, pillows and belts to help your body ease into relaxing poses.
Kripalu Yoga
This is a gentle, stress-free yoga practice that uses slow movements. The idea is to be able to enter ever deeper mind-body states.
Kundalini Yoga
This is an eclectic type of yoga that utilizes aspects of meditation, chanting, poses and breathing. It is considered a spiritual form of yoga.
Try different types of yoga in different classes with different instructors until you find a style that fits your physical fitness and emotional needs.
Meditation
Millions of people around the world practice meditation and for good reason. Meditation is based on focusing on your breath and becoming in tune with your mind and body; it allows you to relax into yourself, letting go of the stressors of the day. You can use techniques like visualizing yourself in a calm and peaceful place and you can use meaningful sounds called mantras that are highly focusing on the mind.
Meditation can be done anywhere but it is best to start in a quiet place by yourself until you get the hang of it. It all begins with the breath and the instant relaxation you get when you focus on it. As you go deeper into your awareness of self to the exclusion of any distractions, you can pray, you can travel on an imaginary path your mind takes you, or you can simply use meditation to shed your mind of those things that have stressed you out.
Massage
Massage is a special treat for people in serious distress. The skills of a good massage therapist who will use essential oils or similar lubricating oils to massage the tension out of your body are unparalleled.
There are many types of massage, some of which are more invigorating than others. For stress, choose a type of massage that can gradually allow your body to relax and be tended to by the massage therapist, such as a Swedish style massage. At the end of your massage session, you will likely feel warm all over with loosened muscles and a much better attitude.
