http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php Copyright 2009, Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com en-US SPHPBLOG 0.4.8 http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090520-015008
When it comes to scents, as a general rule we don't usually link aromatherapy to stress relief. But the truth is that it can have huge benefits for your overall health and well-being.

Aromatherapy can be beneficial for anyone. Not only does it produce pleasing smells, but it also does wonders to help you relax. After a long day, you may feel stressed and uptight.

As a result, your muscles tense up; you can feel your entire body fill with stress, which can cause your blood pressure to rise. This is the body's natural reaction to stress. Stress caused by a long day or a life-changing event can pour into every aspect of your life.

Because of this you feel tired, overwhelmed. This is an all too familiar scenario for most people, regardless of where you live.

Our lives are evolving constantly. We go to work, and are faced with unending responsibilities and tight deadlines. And of course, there is often no relief for the feelings of stress that course through your body or for the concerns that flood your mind.

Therefore, if you're looking for a reason to lose yourself and reduce stress simultaneously, consider a few simple techniques that involve aromatherapy.

Pour yourself a bubble bath. This is one gift you can give yourself to help lift your stress and give you quiet time for yourself. Pick up some bubble bath solution at the shop. Some popular scents include vanilla or strawberry. Once you pour your bath, immerse yourself in the water. In addition to helping you relax, the warm water will permeate into your pores and surround you in a warm and comforting sensation.

If it helps, light some scented candles, and dim or turn off the lights. Sit in the glow of candles, as the aromas float to your nostrils.

As a stress management technique, aromatherapy is incredibly effective in helping you relax.

Massage oils are also effective in helping you relax. Applying scented massage oils gives you the opportunity to enjoy a comforting smell. The gentle stimulation of a massage also helps to melt away feelings of stress.

Many smells in today's world are actually a cause of stress, and may actually contribute to making you tense. Such smells include the smell of tar and smoke, which are usually a source of worry and anticipation.

In today's busy lifestyle, it may seem difficult and sometimes impossible to find time for yourself. The kids need dinner; the laundry needs to be done; the list goes on and on. Even if you are overwhelmed with responsibilities, lighting a scented candle in the living room, or baking some cookies will give the house a warm, inviting feeling. This may help relax your body and eventually lift your stress.

Another helpful aromatherapy technique that can help alleviate stress is to visit a food market where fresh food is sold. You don't have to buy anything, but by visiting this type of store, you can immerse yourself in the delectable smells of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as the smell of freshly baked goods.

If you are more discerning in your taste, and prefer only sweet smells, forgo the fresh produce market and opt for a local bakery. The scents in markets and bakeries are often reminiscent of old memories, which may actually bring you comfort and help you relax.

Perhaps your grandmother used to bake lemon meringue pie in her kitchen when you were young. If you smell lemon meringue in the bakery, you may be overcome with feelings of warmth and comfort. And you may begin to think of your grandmother.

If you find yourself in this type of situation, enjoy the experience and watch your stress begin to dissipate. Another great thing is that many foods are associated with warmth and happiness. Surrounding yourself with the smells of these foods can recreate these happy feelings and as a result can help you relax.

Aromatherapy can also help boost your mood. Smells have different effects. Some are sensual. Vanilla and chocolate, for example, are both aphrodisiacs. Studies have shown that chocolate is effective in heightening male arousal, while vanilla is generally preferred by females.

These smells, of course, can lead to feelings of pleasure and desire, which have a relaxing effect. They can even produce feelings of euphoria and elation, and are great stress relievers, as they serve two purposes.

First of all, they are pleasing to the nose, but they may aid in sexual desire. The neurotransmitter, dopamine, plays a huge role in sex, as does serotonin. Serotonin is critical to attraction, and actually helps reduce stress and aids in stress management.

So light some candles, and surround yourself with sweet scents. It's nice to know that stress relief could be only as far away as your pantry or spice rack!

By: David Abbie
David has put together a complimentary eBook on "How to Combat Stress and Get On With Your Life" that will help you deal with and manage stress in your life. To download it instantly visit http://www.endingstress.com]]> Aromatherapy http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090520-015008 Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Wed, 20 May 2009 06:50:08 GMT http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/comments.php?y=09&m=05&entry=entry090520-015008 http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090520-014626
Aquarium Therapy for Human Health

In addition to the joy, entertainment, and companionship many animals provide, it has been known for years, that animals can provide many health benefits to humans. Studies have shown that animals can increase longevity after heart attacks, lower cholesterol, and even predict seizures in people. Similarly, studies have found that watching fish in aquariums has many therapeutic effects, including: a notable and beneficial decrease in blood pressure, pulse rate, and muscle tension. In a study of patients awaiting dental surgery, it was found that aquarium watching was as effective as hypnosis, in reducing anxiety.

Purdue University researchers conducted an extensive study, which found that exposing Alzheimer's patients to tanks of brightly colored fish, may curtail disruptive behaviors and improve eating habits. Generally, it is difficult to keep these patients calm, attentive, or awake long enough for them to eat adequately, resulting in a need for costly nutritional supplements and medications. However, when aquariums were placed in the dining room of Alzheimer's facilities, it appeared that the stimulating combination of color, sound, and the varying, gliding movement of the fish held their attention for a relatively long time. They were more relaxed, attentive, and alert, and ate up to 21% more. As a result of eating more, the patients required less nutritional supplementation. There was also a noticeable decrease in physically aggressive behaviors among the patients. For some, even short-term memory may have been stimulated.

These are just a few examples, showing that in addition to both the educational and aesthetic benefits of aquariums, people who care for and watch fish, can reap health benefits as well.

By: David N Janet
Questions?
If you're still unsure whether or not an aquarium is right for you, or if you just have some questions regarding purchasing products, set up, and maintenance, please feel free to Contact Us.
Make aquariums a part of your family experience.
http://www.ocreef.com]]> General http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090520-014626 Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Wed, 20 May 2009 06:46:26 GMT http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/comments.php?y=09&m=05&entry=entry090520-014626 http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090502-212827
Relaxation is that wonderful feeling you have when the pressures of life seem to be non-existent and you have a positive mental outlook about your surroundings, your work and the day ahead of you. Relaxation is really a wonderful feeling and we all should make concerted attempts to enjoy the peaceful feelings that relaxation invokes. Reducing stress, creating peace of mind and just easing all the tension throughout your body has so many positive affects on your life.

Meditation is one way to bring about a sense of calmness, quietness and peaceful relaxation. Meditation allows the mind to settle down and really experience an inner state of calmness. When you use meditation on a regular basis, after a short amount of time you will begin to notice an improvement in your memory and your problem solving skills. The more you use meditation to help yourself relax the easier it becomes to bring yourself to that peaceful state of mind. Using meditation on a daily basis will help you to focus more on the positives in life, you will notice an increase in your creativity and you will find joy in the small things in life. The use of soothing music such as the sounds of nature or symphonic harmonies are perfect for relaxing your mind allowing you to enter that peaceful meditative state.

The use of visualization is another powerful tool that you may use to rid yourself of stress and bring about true relaxation. To effectively use visualization you should find yourself a place where you can be alone with no noise around you. Close your eyes and try to quite your mind then vividly imagine that you are in the most peaceful place you can think of, picture that place in your mind. Completely immerse yourself in the picture as though you are really there experiencing the whole event involve all your senses, feel the wind, imagine how it smells, hear all the sounds allow yourself to be a part of the scenery. The practice of visualization is so powerful it can remove you from the stress of real life in a matter of moments. Practice it often as the more you use it the easier it becomes to relax and really get yourself swept up into a beautiful fantasy. I visualize the perfect outcomes of many events in my life, the more you visualize something the easier it becomes for your sub-conscious mind to accept the visualization as reality.

Slow easy stretching is a wonderful exercise to use to bring you into a state of complete relaxation. When we become stressed our muscles tighten up and get sore leaving you uncomfortable and tense. Slowly stretching the muscles and tendons loosens you up in a couple of ways, first it stretches the muscles helping you to feel like your not all tied up in knots and just the act of stretching takes your mind off anything that may have been causing you stress. Stretching exercises can be done almost anywhere and while your stretching you can add to your relaxation by adding visualization as you perform your stretches. Now you have connected the body and the mind which helps to bring about a complete state of relaxation.

Muscle relaxation is a very effective technique that involves concentrating on one muscle group at a time. When using this technique you focus on tightening and then relaxing the muscle group. Using this method helps to take your mind off any worries you might have and it allows you to focus on the physical sensation of bringing your muscles to a state of relaxation. You should start tensing and relaxing your muscles in your toes then your feet and progressively work your way up through all the muscles in your body in a methodical pattern. You should tense your muscles for five to ten seconds and then relax for 30 seconds then repeat this process for every muscle group. You will find this exercise to be very relaxing and stress relieving as it frees your mind from the pressures of the day.

Bringing yourself to a state of total relaxation takes practice but the benefits you will receive such as stress relief make it all worthwhile. Whether you have a lot of stress in your life or a little and you believe you have it under control, you can always benefit from the many types of relaxation techniques. The use of soothing music such as the calming sounds of nature will only enhance the benefits you receive from using these forms of relaxation. Music therapy itself has the strong ability to bring you into a peaceful state of relaxation or to help you avoid stress altogether by playing it in the background while at work in the car or at home.

By: Howard G Platt
Hi I am Howard Platt and I have been involved with personal development for over 25 years. I have spent a lot of my time helping people overcome problem areas in their lives. I run a website that is dedicated to offering free information to help better peoples lives. I also offer some specialized CDs that are perfect for inducing relaxation and relieving stress. Please visit: http://www.positive-thinking-for-you.com/stress.html]]> Relaxation http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090502-212827 Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Sun, 03 May 2009 02:28:27 GMT http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/comments.php?y=09&m=05&entry=entry090502-212827 http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090502-212015
1. If you're at home and you're working on the computer, take a 5-10 minute break every hour. Dance to one song or play with your dog.

2. If you feel yourself becoming anxious or stressed, get grounded. Pay attention to the feeling of your feet on the floor. Listen to the sound of your breath.

3. Make a list of 5 things you stress about that you can't control. Read the list, close your eyes and imagine putting those things into a red balloon and releasing it. Mentally watch it fly away. Decide you're not going to worry about stuff you can't control.

4. Mindfulness meditation is about nothing more than breathing and being present by clearing all the anxious thoughts. It's transformational. 7 minutes of meditation a day can do wonders. See my author bio (below this article) or my website to listen to my free meditation recording.

5. Make a list of everything you have going for you. Things you're grateful for, strengths, resources and accomplishments.

6. Stop working and hug your kids.

7. Step outside. Stand and observe and look for something beautiful.

8. Do something ridiculous-think of the funniest thing you've ever seen and giggle. It has an amazing way of putting things in perspective.

9. Make a list of all the people who love you no matter what. And then call one of them.

10. Listen to a song you love. Close your eyes and stop thinking. Enjoy the music.

By: Heather Jassy
Heather Jassy, MA, CCC, is a personal coach, licensed counselor, and founder of Empty Space Coaching. She coaches brilliant, inspiring clients throughout the world by phone. You can learn more about her services at http://www.emptyspacecoaching.com ]]> General http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090502-212015 Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Sun, 03 May 2009 02:20:15 GMT http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/comments.php?y=09&m=05&entry=entry090502-212015 http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090502-210755
And not in a positive way. It can, when not addressed, literally kill you. So with that reality hanging over us, it is in our best interest to find ways to relieve stress and to relieve it quickly. It is very much a matter of life and death. No lie. Excessive, untreated stress is not something human beings are meant to deal with and not something our bodies are built to deal with. It is in our best interest to find ways to deal with the stress.

There are of course any number of medications out there that are prescribed for such ailments, prescriptions that can be given after conversing with your doctor. In many cases these medications can help in alleviating many of the problems with stress you might be having. The question is: Do you want to be on medications the rest of your life? What are the side effects? What will happen when you decide you no longer want to be on prescriptions? If you still do not have a mechanism for defeating stress you will be facing the same issues later on in your life. It is something you need to learn how to deal with.

How does stress impact you personally? What is it that you feel? Your body and mind react very individually to the inputs of stress and before you can begin to deal with stress and anxiety you need to understand the signs that your body sends you. For some it will be very physical. Typically migraines and bad headaches are huge tell-tale signs of potential stress.

Weight gain or weight loss are also huge indicators of the impact of stress on your metabolism. Additionally there is the issue of heart rate and blood pressure. In some cases high levels of stress will impact you by causing your heart to race or your blood pressure to rise. You might feel heat emanating from your body,(probably your face) and understanding that this is a potential stress indicator is important for you.

Emotionally, you might find that you get irritable or lose patience. Perhaps you just get depressed and overwhelmed or you try to hide somewhere and hope that it goes away. You might start to cry because you feel like there is too much going on and your stress is overwhelming you. For most people these are all signs of very high levels of stress and anxiety. And aside from the outlets of seeking therapy for intense stress which is prohibiting you from living a normal life or the drugs that you can get prescribed, other therapies are available. Many people do not want to take drugs; many more do not want to talk about their issues to strangers. But there are a few other things you might try.

What makes you relax when you feel like just chilling out? Chances are that this same hobby can be used as your stress or anxiety relief if you figure out how to channel it correctly. In many cases, it is usually something familiar to you that you will use to deal with episodes of stress. One of the things to keep in mind is that you don't want to go so far outside your comfort zone and "reach" for a stress relief that you will never use.

It's great to say you're going to take up yoga or go jogging when you are stressed, but if you don't do yoga chances are you won't turn to something new when you are stressed. You tend to go toward the familiar. Same with jogging. Jogging is a great stress relief but if it's already a chore to get yourself up and jogging chances are you won't look at it for a stress relief. So you need to find the things that work for you when you don't have to think too much about it. Pick things that come naturally and that naturally cause you to calm yourself.

This isn't to say that when you are stressed you should go out and eat a gallon of ice cream. You need to choose something that is healthy for you if you can. There are plenty of unhealthy things you could choose but in the long run you are just asking for another problem. Okay so you have two general rules: Pick something that comes naturally to you that you don't have to work too hard at to enjoy and try to pick something that at the least is not unhealthy for you. That leaves an awful lot of options that you have to choose from.

Finding your own personal stress relief will come from one of three places (or a combination thereof). Your body, your mind or your spirit. What exactly does this mean? It means that anything you will find that relieves stress can be categorized as impacting and/or using one of these three areas of your psyche. If you find the "key" for you, when you turn it up it will turn the stress down. So what exactly are some of the examples of each of these?

Body: Body is very simply any activity that you do that you find relaxing for your body and the endorphins that you get from the activity are successful in reducing your stress. The example of jogging before was with someone who did not enjoying jogging to begin with so it would not have been a good stress reliever. But what if you like jogging? All the sudden it can become a stress relief because it is something you "know" and that you enjoy.

Same for yoga--only if you already know/enjoy it. The connection between yoga and the relaxation that it can give you makes it a great reliever and it touches on body, mind and spirit. This is probably why it is so successful as an anxiety relief. But if you are just learning it and don't have the moves down to a comfortable level you will not find relief when you hit serious stressors, you might even find doing it more stressful because you have to think about it so much.

Mind: There are many things that are available to relax you using your mind. Meditation is a great mind exercise but you need to again practice it regularly for it to be called upon in stressful times. Reading is also a great de-stressor. It takes your mind off of what is stressing you and what is occupying your time.

Additionally in using your mind you can do positive visualization to try to bring your mind to a more stress free place. Many people do cross words or other mental games to get their mind onto another focus. Any activity which uses your mind to alter your stress state by replacing it with something else to occupy your time (and mind) will work.

Spirit: One of the best ways to rid yourself of stress is through the spirit. When talking about spirit we are talking about things you enjoy that lift your spirit and replaces the stress with an activity that you find calming. Many of the fine arts fall into this category as do many hobbies.

Spirit rejuvenation can include things such as listening to or playing music. Taking a long bubble bath in a hot tub. Add fragrant candles to that experience (perhaps some lavender?). Draw a picture if you like to doddle, write in a journal or write a poem. Rearrange some flowers or do some creative gardening. Find something creative to do which forces out the stress and replaces it with the good will of creative juices.

Aromatherapy is a great addition to anything you might do, it involves an additional sense and that is always good when trying to trigger a relaxing response. Try a cup of tea in a quiet room with candles and perhaps some very low music (nature music perhaps?) playing in the background.

Find which of the three work best for your stress level; Body-soul or mind, and then work with it and use it for those highly stressful times. And don't be afraid to find and explore other possibilities. It's like a headache, sometimes the aspirin work and sometimes it's the Advil. You need to be willing to try something different if one thing is not working. Whatever you do, find your key, and use it to unlock the peaceful person inside of you.

By: Patti Lamb
The author is a former guitar teacher and life long musicianwho believes in the connection between music-body-woul-ming-spirit. For more about music, guitar, learning music and other interactions with music go to http://www.AcousticPleasure.com]]> General http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090502-210755 Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Sun, 03 May 2009 02:07:55 GMT http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/comments.php?y=09&m=05&entry=entry090502-210755 http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090215-012430
A panic attack occurs when your adrenal glands overreact to the signal sent by your brain in response to what's perceived as a threat. The adrenaline produced by the adrenals causes the symptoms of panic attack such as heart palpitation, difficulty breathing, sweating, and trembling.

One of the strongest triggers of panic attack is actually the fear of having another attack. As a sufferer of this anxiety disorder you realize how terrifying the symptoms can be that you're afraid to experience it again. That fear however, causes you to be more anxious and hence, more prone to having an attack.

Therefore, the most important factor in dealing with panic attacks is to eliminate the fear of having another episode. You need to be more relaxed and calm, take things easily, and feel good about yourself. There are a number of things that can help you achieve this.

You can try various methods of relaxation but the simplest that you can start right away is breathing technique. You simply inhale as deeply as you can through your nose, hold your breath for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale. Let your stomach muscles assist you in this breathing exercise, and do this as often as you can throughout the day.

Meditation can also help you relax. There are different types of meditations but the simplest is to just sit quietly for at least 10 minutes everyday while focusing on your breathing.

Yoga is another activity that's beneficial in coping with panic attacks. Besides being a good physical exercise, yoga also teaches you to relax and be more calm.

Reading personal development books that help you enjoy life and become more confident is certainly helpful as well. If you're confident, calm, and feeling good about yourself, you will not worry about or anticipate having a panic attack.

The above techniques in dealing with panic attacks are great but it may take a while before you experience significant improvements, especially if you have a severe panic disorder. Unfortunately, many sufferers don't follow through with panic attack self help if they don't see immediate results.

By: Jayden Freeman
There's a proven effective technique in dealing with panic attacks naturally and stopping them on their tracks so you will no longer worry about having them. You can regain the carefree life you once had and embark on a new journey living with confidence. To learn more just click here now!]]> Anxiety http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090215-012430 Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:24:30 GMT http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/comments.php?y=09&m=02&entry=entry090215-012430 http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090215-012003
You might not be able to get rid of all of your stressors, at least not right away. It can take a while to get a different job, a new car or change relationships that cause you grief. An interesting thing is that you may have causes of stress that you aren't even aware of!

In the meantime, here are several tips to help you ease into relaxation. Pick out one and start using it right away.

1. Let your shoulders relax when you drive. Your shoulders can hike up to your ears, without you being aware that they're moving up - until you feel muscle tension and stress. Each time you become aware that your shoulders have hiked up, allow them to drop to a comfortable position. You might have to lower your shoulders many times because they tend to creep back up. They do this just because your muscles are used to doing it. Muscle stress is a stressor.

2. Gently and firmly press your shoulders into the floor or bed while you are lying on your back. Your shoulders are in front of you most of the day. This causes muscle stress. Pressing your shoulders into the floor strengthens your back muscles so they will complain less. Less pain equals less stress.

3. Imagine that you are a stick of butter, soft, warm and pale. You are melting. As you melt, all of your stress melts and slides down to the floor. It evaporates. There is no stress left.

4. Breathing is a wonderful relaxation technique. Simply pay attention to your breath expanding your ribs. On the exhale, feel the movement in your back. On the next inhale, feel your belly expand. When your exhale, feel your belly get smaller. Pay attention to each breath, and if you forget and go back to your stressful thoughts, that's OK. Just start breathing again and paying attention to your breath again.

5. Arrange to have a relaxation massage from a professional massage therapist or from someone who cares about you.

Use these tools to help relax and lower your stress level. Start with one (the "butter" strategy is easy and quick to learn) and, as you can, add another. Then, just melt and let all of your stress evaporate.

By: Kathryn Merrow
And now, I'd like to invite you to discover more ways to relax deeply and to permanently relieve the causes of your stress naturally, without drugs, at http://www.StressReliefStrategy.com]]> Relaxation http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090215-012003 Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:20:03 GMT http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/comments.php?y=09&m=02&entry=entry090215-012003 http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090215-011546
1. Check your diet. Make sure you are eating healthy foods such a fresh produce, lean protein sources, and whole grains. Sometimes stress impacts appetite, either causing a decrease or an increase in appetite. If your appetite is suffering, try carrying around healthy snacks and eating them in small portions throughout the day. If you tend to eat too much as a reaction to stress, try setting a time at the end of the day when you will stop eating. Also, be sure you are not eating when you are distracted, like when watching television.

2. Try supplementation to support your physical health. Like your diet, supplements can help increase your physical health, which helps support your emotional health. A food based multivitamin is a good start - these are generally utilized better by the body than non food based brands. If you don't eat much food that is calcium rich, add this as well. Fish oil is excellent for a variety of physical benefits, including better brain health and cardiovascular benefit. L-Theanine can help alleviate feelings of anxiety, and 5 HTP (hydroxytryptophan) can help regulate mood. It is advisable to check with your health care provider when trying a new supplement.

3. Make sure to start exercising. Check with your doctor to determine the most appropriate level of activity. Cardiovascular exercise is excellent, as it encourages the release of endorphins which help elevate mood and release physical stress. Try to have a regular schedule, ideally 45 minutes about 5 times a week. Any exercise is beneficial, however.

4. Coaching or counseling. Depending upon the severity of your stress and whether there are other accompanying issues, you may benefit from getting some therapy or coaching to help you learn how to prioritize, delegate, manage, and reduce stress.

5. Take some time out each day just for you. Make a list of several things you really enjoy doing. Every day, pick one thing off the list and do it for yourself. Once you finish the list, create a new one and keep on going. It is a wonderful habit to establish.

By: Shannon E Cook
Are you interested in addressing your life challenges from a holistic standpoint, assessing the physical, emotional, and relationship components?

For a free copy of my ebook, "Natural Methods To Fight Depression", click here: http://www.stoptoxicrelationships.com/g ... ssion.html

Shannon Cook is a personal coach and resource guide who has written a number of informative articles and ebooks on the topic of toxic relationships and holistic personal growth, including physical, emotional and relationship health.]]> General http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/index.php?entry=entry090215-011546 Resources For Attorneys sm@resourcesforattorneys.com Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:15:46 GMT http://www.resourcesforattorneys.com/stress/comments.php?y=09&m=02&entry=entry090215-011546