We are all stressed!!

[gman]

We are all stressed!!
And we all know that stress is one of the root causes of over eating and bad health. Am I right?
So: How do we de-stress? How do we relax?

I've been having success with lots of exercise...but I can't exercise all the time. Humor and laughter are good, but again not always possible or appropriate. In some circumstances I wonder if alternative "resets" to combat stress would help me.

You might be wondering what got me going on this topic tonight? I know someone who is an Alpha Male in a bad way and it is really bugging me...so I read the book Alpha Male Syndrome. Its says you should learn to deal with this person's stress imposed on you though healthy "resets."

So, I'd like to learn about other relaxation methods, such as:
- Yoga
- Breathing
- Mindfulness
- Music
- Massage
If you have had some success with these or other methods, please share it.

Thank you.


Update:
Based on all the great ideas from ADBB members (see thread below), I will keep this entry updated with a running list of relaxation ideas that you have suggested. Here's the list:

Relaxation Ideas

Exercise.
A good giggle.
Learning to say No.
Delegating.
Reading a book.
Taking some me time.
Being thankful.
Helping others.
Yoga.
Meditation.
Singing to music in the car.
Massage therapy.
Swedish massage.
Shiatsu massage.
Breathing.
Walking with music on MP3.
Going to the beach and listening to/watching the waves and the seagulls.
Fishing.
Finding your own space.
Detach myself from the person and consider the source.
Walking and being by the lake-sitting on rocks- watching birds is good.
B vitamins.
Peppermint tea and black teas are soothing.
Playing tennis.
Tai chi.
Tear apart phone books and recycling.
Raw steak.
Living in the moment – see The Power of Now by Ekhart Tolle. Also: A New Earth.
Volunteering your time to organizations (schools, ADBB, etc).
Going up on a mountain and shouting!
Prayer.
Pray a rosary.
Read my Bible.
Sit quietly on my porch, listen to the birds and just be in His presence.
Listen to Christian Praise and Worship music in my car.
Sit and breath deeply.
Singing to favorite tunes.

Thanks!

[jimmie 48]

Re: We are all stressed!!

nice topic, glenn. i'll be anxious to see what kind of answers get posted.

[Lisa]

Re: We are all stressed!!

Well, I had a good giggle reading your post about the alpha male, gman, that's good for destressing, right? .

Actually, I'm on the look out for destressers....exercise is my one vice at the moment

[Elsie150]

Re: We are all stressed!!

Ways I try to destress...Learning to say No helps. As does delegating. Reading a book. Taking some me time. Being thankful. Helping others.

[Lyssie]

Re: We are all stressed!!

Hrm. Okay. I'll give it a whirl.

I use exercise as one form of stress - when I'm in a stressful situation at home it's really easy just to walk away from it and do something aerobic for half an hour or whatever, I love the endorphin buzz afterwards.

I love yoga. I hated having to do nothing for the end of it, but it is seriously relaxing to only think about your breathing and how your body is feeling for an hour - we also added half an hour of meditation to the end of my Hatha class which was awesome.

Being a person who drives in NJ, I have to admit that I think music has saved very many drivers. Including me from having a heart attack at times. In rush hour, I put on some tunes and sing along... If I'm singing I can't be yelling.

My mother is a massage therapist who specializes in doing it as therapy instead of just swedish (relaxing) massages, but even shiatsu can be really relaxing just paying attention to your body and nothing else that's going on in the world.

I don't like the breathing on it's own, but stopping, making yourself breathe slower, and think about things that are making you stressed out and possible solutions works for me too.

Just my 63 cents.

[Neecy]

Re: We are all stressed!!

Great topic!!! I find I turn to music when I'm stressed. I like to either just listen, or go for a walk with my mp3 player. My bf likes a massage.

I just recently bought a book called "Yoga for Wimps - Poses for the flexibly Impaired" and am going to give that a shot - I've never done yoga before.

I also find going down to the beach and listening to/watching the waves and the seagulls very relaxing.

[Swordfish]

Re: We are all stressed!!

Good topic. And yes, stress is a contributory factor of me wishing to stuff my face at times.
I won't go on about the causes, but i find fishing to be a good wind down (as far as the stress bit is concerned anyway ).
Probably because i can get away from everybody and everything.
It's good when you can find time to enjoy your own space.

[ValidRouge]

Re: We are all stressed!!

When I first started yoga, the 5 minute relaxation pose at the end (where you just LAY THERE and do NOTHING) seemed to me to BE stressful. I needed to be DOING something...yanno?? But after a while, I started liking it. I started really relaxing and enjoying that time. It is hard for us alphas to let go of control, let go of the need to keep DOING something, to let the mind relax as well as the body. That was the hardest part for me. But, I love it now.

[gooniegirl]

Re: We are all stressed!!

I'd have to say the best stress reducer is definetly exercise but also find that if I can detach myself from the person (if it is a person) that causes the stress and consider the source it insulates me a bit. Often I will drive alround in my car by myself with the music on full blast (singing really loudly) if I'm really angry and try and vent or sift whatever happened. We are fortunate to have a lake nearby so walking and being by the lake-sitting on rocks- watching birds is good. Meditation is good and taking a B vitamin stress tab every day also helps me. I find peppermint tea and black teas are soothing and play lots of tennis which I love. Come fall.. looking into starting some tai chi (which friends say helps). (When I worked with kids that were violent and furious-I'd get them to tear apart phone books and recycling but I think that's a little extreme for what we're looking for here.)
Raw steak anyone? Good thread Glenn..
Cheers,
Gigi

[soappedaler]

Re: We are all stressed!!

I recommend a book The Power of Now by Ekhart Tolle. Oprah did a series on his book A New Earth which is good too. Gives specifics on living in the moment whcih can help with overeating also.

[Sherri]

Re: We are all stressed!!

Great topic Glenn,
I have found for me to destress is to help others. By volunteering my time. At my daughters school, here on the board and with friends that just need someone to listen to them. It helps me to help others.
Also, when I was huckleberry picking high atop a mountain yesterday, I stopped along the road for the view and got out and just started yelling and shouting out all the things i've kept inside. Vented so to speak. Man, when I was done, I felt a 1000 pounds lighter. Emotionally and spiritually! I really feel at peace today. I thought to myself today,"If someone heard me shouting yesterday that they were probably happy to be where they were instead of where I was."LOL
Sherri

[momtomany1]

Re: We are all stressed!!

If you believe in God above, prayer.

[write2thepoint]

Re: We are all stressed!!

For me the answer is always prayer. Sometimes I pray a rosary, other times I will read my Bible or sit quietly on my porch, listen to the birds and just be in His presence. Prayer has saved me from many things, including suicide.

[IrishMom82]

Re: We are all stressed!!

I have found that sometimes I have very stressful times at work and the thing that works for me is to listen to Christian Praise and Worship music in my car when I'm either coming or going from work. It automatically puts me in a good mood and lifts me. I guess you could say its a form of prayer and it works for me.

[eclectikat]

Re: We are all stressed!!

K... if i missed anyone saying this already I am sorry to be repeatative.

I breath.

Seriously, I sit and breath deeply. Aware of my breath in and out and breathing deeply. In through my nose out through my mouth. Breathing oxygen into my finger tips and my toes... visualizing my blood being oxygenating.

I do this for a few minutes every day.

It sounds amazingly simple and stupid, but it is totally effective.

Try it... right now.

Kathy