The central theory of this book is the irony of the stress response—it evolved in physical environments very different from the social and psychological ones of today. Instead of being stalked by a saber-toothed tiger, today it is traffic jams, board exams, terrorist threats, bomb attacks in the city and worries over money.
Continue reading Stress Relief: Techniques for Stress Management
The 1930s and the 1940s saw a great deal of scientific progress in the field of stress physiology after Selye dem-onstrated the effects of stress on rats. Scientists determined the main hormones released in response to stress were epinephrine, glucocorticoids and prolactin. Additional research uncovered the superb control mechanisms of the body that regulate the amount of these hormones released into the bloodstream. In engineering jargon there are multiple feedback domains for each hormone.
Continue reading Stress Relief: Stress Management— A Scientific Background
We all understand that we slow down as we age. As the body ages it seems to lose some of its capacity and it takes longer to get things done. I still remember my days from school when I would get up and be ready in 15 minutes. These days it takes me over an hour to do the same things and get ready for office. This point is also brought home when engaged in sports or during exercise. Setting out to beat a personal best established when our legs were years younger, we fall short and become convinced that we simply did not perform at our best.
Reading through the literature on stress, we can find some psychological answers to coping with stress that are far from simple to implement in everyday life. They emphasize the importance of manipulating feelings of control, predictability, outlets for frustration, social connectedness, and the perception of whether things are worsening or improving.
Massage
Massage reduced levels of glucocorticoids and epinephrine in depressed mothers with infants. A study at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School found that massage therapy also improved sleep and reduced the mothers’ depression.
Continue reading Stress Relief: Breathing Exercises to Reduce Stress
The preceding sections have given a number of suggestions to reduce stress. In this section, we will cover a technique that is quite controversial but claimed to be effective. This technique, advocated by the psychologist David H. Barlow for treating anxiety disorders, is surprisingly simple to explain, although its philosophical and clinical implications are anything but.
Continue reading Stress Relief: Unconventional Technique for Stress Relief
Our senses are constantly bombarded with noises and smells. Some are pleasant and some are invasive. While much of this sensory input may be beyond our control, we can use the senses to relieve our stress, including our sense of humour!
Continue reading Stress Relief: Relieve Your Stress Through Senses
Derail Your Train of Thoughts
Try to slowdown and stop the everyday onslaught of thought that wears you out—especially the kind of circular thinking that gets you nowhere. It is important to avoid getting into such state of circular thinking that does not lead to any obvious solution. Perhaps there’s a simple thought or quote you can use to help you derail your train of thoughts and initiate your relaxation response.
Continue reading Stress Relief: Some Practical Suggestions for Stress Relief
Common usage of the word ‘evolution’ conveys the idea that living things in our world have come into being through processes starting from a primeval mass of subatomic particles and radiation, over approximately 20 billion years.
Continue reading Stress Relief: Introduction to the Theory of Natural Selection
Derail Your Train of Thoughts
Try to slowdown and stop the everyday onslaught of thought that wears you out—especially the kind of circular thinking that gets you nowhere. It is important to avoid getting into such state of circular thinking that does not lead to any obvious solution. Perhaps there’s a simple thought or quote you can use to help you derail your train of thoughts and initiate your relaxation response.
Continue reading Stress Relief: Some Practical Suggestions for Stress Relief