Get Relief from Stress - Find The Way To Happiness‎

by Simran Kaur

Relaxation Techniques that reduce stress fast

1. Meditate 

A few minutes of practice per day can help ease anxiety. “Research suggests that daily meditation may alter the brain’s neural pathways, making you more resilient to stress,” says psychologist Robbie Maller Hartman, PhD, a Chicago health and wellness coach.

It's simple. Sit up straight with both feet on the floor. Close your eyes. Focus your attention on reciting -- out loud or silently -- a positive mantra such as “I feel at peace” or “I love myself.” Place one hand on your belly to sync the mantra with your breaths. Let any distracting thoughts float by like clouds.

2. Breathe Deeply 

Take a 5-minute break and focus instead on your breathing. Sit up straight, eyes closed, with a hand on your belly. Slowly inhale through your nose, feeling the breath start in your abdomen and work its way to the top of your head. Reverse the process as you exhale through your mouth. 

“Deep breathing counters the effects of stress by slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure,” psychologist Judith Tutin, PhD, says. She's a certified life coach in Rome, Ga.

3. Be Present

Slow down. 

“Take 5 minutes and focus on only one behavior with awareness,” Tutin says. Notice how the air feels on your face when you’re walking and how your feet feel hitting the ground. Enjoy the texture and taste of each bite of food.

When you spend time in the moment and focus on your senses, you should feel less tense.

4. Reach Out

Your social network is one of your best tools for handling stress. Talk to others -- preferably face to face, or at least on the phone. Share what's going on. You can get a fresh perspective while keeping your connection strong.

5. Tune In to Your Body

Mentally scan your body to get a sense of how stress affects it each day. Lie on your back, or sit with your feet on the floor. Start at your toes and work your way up to your scalp, noticing how your body feels. 

“Simply be aware of places you feel tight or loose without trying to change anything,” Tutin says. For 1 to 2 minutes, imagine each deep breath flowing to that body part. Repeat this process as you move your focus up your body, paying close attention to sensations you feel in each body part.

6. Decompress

Place a warm heat wrap around your neck and shoulders for 10 minutes. Close your eyes and relax your face, neck, upper chest, and back muscles. Remove the wrap, and use a tennis ball or foam roller to massage away tension.

8 ways to burn fat and increase your metabolism

1. Keep those calories burning! Eat small amounts of fruits, vegetables, rice cakes, or other healthy snacks throughout the day. Eating several small meals keeps your metabolism moving at an even pace and your blood sugar level constant. 

2. Eat carbohydrates to keep your metabolic rate up. Eating fruits, whole grains, and vegetables before your main meal signals your brain that you're less hungry. The result is more likely that you'll eat less. Studies have indicated that during digestion, 25 percent of the calories from carbohydrates are burned, whereas only 3 percent of fat calories are burned. Remaining calories are stored as fat. 

3. Avoid eating large meals. Eating big meals causes your blood sugar level to rise. Less fat is burned, and fat storage is triggered. 

4. Drink at least eight eight-ounce containers of water daily. Sipping water throughout the day is important to develop as a lifelong habit. When you drink sufficient amounts of water: body fat is burned, stored water is released, and toxins and waste materials are flushed from your body.

5. Eat foods rich in iodine. Fish is high in iodine and aids the body's production of thyroxine. Thyroxine is produced by the thyroid gland and is essential in the regulation of metabolism.

6. Keep on the move. Physical activity that elevates your heart rate increases your metabolism and burns fat. Engage in an exercise you enjoy for about 40 minutes daily at least four days a week. It is generally believed that after twenty minutes, your heart rate is sufficiently high to burn fat. 

7. Lift (moderate size) weights. Adopt a gentle, consistent weight-lifting program to build muscles and expend energy. For women, lifting weights can give a leaner body mass without the muscle bulk. Do not overdo! 

8. Eat spices. Jalapeno peppers, chilies, and cinnamon, among other spices, speed up your metabolism. Add spices to your daily meals for improved taste and health benefits. For additional help, take advantage of the many resources and helpful guides that will help you in your effort to gain life while losing weight.