Stress reducers and relaxation

Everyone is being bombarded with all kinds of stress in their lives.  Too many bills, not enough income.  Food costs too much.  Tragedies occur. Car repairs.  Dental bill.  Things come up that we weren't expecting.  No matter the stress causers in my life, I have had to come up with stress reducers to help me cope.  Without which...I might be...admitted to an institution...

 I am deficient in magnesium when I don't supplement because my body does not like to absorb it well.  Therefore, I take magnesium  along with my multi-vitamin on a daily basis.  Magnesium deficiency can cause many symptoms.  Here is a website that explains it well.  I have anxieties as well and have found that taking a daily dose of a good form of magnesium is very helpful in reducing my stress and anxiety.

I recently heard about the book called The Miracle Ball Method from my sister-in-law.  I tried out a couple of the exercises in the book while we were visiting them.  I was amazed at how relaxed I felt after I completed it.  It may not work for everyone, but it could be something that truly helps you.  This book also contains helpful information about deep breathing.

One of my good doctors, whom I respect, taught me how to use deep breathing to help reduce my anxieties.  It is wonderful!  If you can MAKE the time to do it, it can help you feel very relaxed.  Below is more info about deep breathing.

Quote about deep breathing:

Have you ever noticed how you breathe when you feel relaxed? The next time you are relaxed, take a moment to notice how your body feels. Or think about how you breathe when you first wake up in the morning or just before you fall asleep. Breathing exercises can help you relax, because they make your body feel like it does when you are already relaxed.

Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. This is because when you breathe deeply it sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body. Those things that happen when you are stressed, such as increased heart rate, fast breathing, and high blood pressure, all decrease as you breathe deeply to relax.¹

Key points

• The way you breathe affects your whole body. Breathing exercises are a good way to relax, reduce tension, and relieve stress.
• Breathing exercises are easy to learn. You can do them whenever you want, and you don't need any special tools or equipment to do them.
• You can do different exercises to see which work best for you.

For more info about deep breathing go here. Another set of instructions are posted here.

If you are the scripture reading and praying type of person, then here is an idea for you.  I can't take credit for it. I got the idea from a dear friend a few years ago.  She said that if you "book end" your day with scripture reading, it will make a huge difference!  And she is right!  I am not good at keeping up the practice all the time, but when things get really crazy, I start reading once in the morning and once at night.  Along with that, make sure you are having your morning and evening prayers.  

Another idea...get a notebook and before going to bed write down everything that is running through your mind.  Keep the notebook and pen or pencil handy so that if you wake up and can't shut off your mind you can write down what you are thinking about.  This will help you to clear your mind; shut off the chaos, and go to sleep.  

Now...go find what works for you, get relaxed, and find you Zen place.