How to relieve Stress and get your Energy and Vitality Back

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1. Breathe - We have been doing this since birth and yet little do we realize how important breathing is. It's involuntary and costs no money … how can it not de-stress us?

But just for you to be more mindful of those nice deep breaths, here are a few more good reasons for you to take in:

Breathing exercises can…

• lower your blood pressure
• slow down a fast heart rate
• make you sweat less
• help you digest food better

2. Laugh – Crying may be one of the first things we ever did on Earth as babies, but it was never meant to be a lifelong activity. Laughter, on the other hand, plays a much different, happy role in our future.

Seeing its positive effect on people, scientists throughout the years have given a jolly good time in researching about the benefits of laughter. Here are a few so far:

1. Hormones and Happiness – Laughter helps fight hormones with hormones as it reduces the level of stress hormones like adrenaline and increases happy hormones such as endorphins.
2. A Feeling of Freedom – In our bodies, we know that when something’s got to go, it’s got to go. Keep it there, and you’ll feel bad; let it out, and you’ll feel great. The same goes with laughter. Think of it as part of your “emotional excretory system”, for far more than just a boisterous sound to be heard across another county or state is the release of emotions that make you forget all other like sadness, grief, and stress.
3. Harvest Happiness from Helping – If you’ve heard that laughter is contagious, you probably passed a group of people having fun together. Seriously though, it is. So, the more you laugh with others, the more you help them be happy as well—and we all know how good a feeling it is to help others. So if you want to double your happiness, don’t forget to sow some.
4. Be on the Bright Side – In the most trying of times, one of your most effective weapons may just be your sense of humor. Instead of feeling embarrassed because you somehow managed to fall into the juice bowl during a school ball for example, try laughing with the rest of the crowd. After all, any other could be the “The Bell of the Ball”. But only you could be “The Bowl of the Ball”.

3. Sleep – Over the years, scientists have discovered that there’s more to the phrase, “sleeping like a baby” than just sound sleep.

1. A Nightly Escape from Reality – "If you can't cope with it, sleep on it," says Dr. Avi Sadeh of the Tel Aviv University in an article on the Franklin Institute University web site. "Sometimes sleep can help you regulate your nervousness and offer you an escape from stress, particularly when there's nothing you can do about it,” he adds.
2. See the Big Picture – If you’re boss tells you to look at the big picture and you just can’t see it, try sleeping (not at work of course!). Aside from being able to remember better, sleeping, a study suggests, may also be the time the brain sorts through what you learned all day and make connections between them, making you see the bigger picture.

   “Inferences are abundant in the world,” said Dr. Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen in an e-mail to Eric Nagourney of NYtimes.com. “Only a few are obvious. The rest need time and sleep to discover them,” the doctor adds.

3. Sleep to Pass – An exam the next day is stressing even for someone who did study. But a researcher at the University of California, Dr. Michael P. Stryker, says that sleeping could prove very profitable when preparing for an exam. “If you reviewed your notes thoroughly until you were tired and then slept, you'd achieve as much plasticity, or 'learning,' in the brain as if you'd pulled an all-nighter repeating your review of the material,” says Dr. Stryker in an article on the Franklin Institute web site.
4. A Costless Energy Boost – If you really want to get back on your toes, try laying them on the bed first. Lack of sleep is one of the leading causes of a person’s low energy levels; couple it with stress, and it’s just depressing (Seriously. Some scientists believe that people who don’t get enough deep sleep may be more prone to depression.)

Sleep is the body’s time to heal itself and restore balance. So if you want to feel like a million bucks without actually spending a cent, doze away.

Tip for a Clean Sleep: Believe it or not, there is now what sleep scientists call as, “sleep hygiene”. And while washing your sheets is a good idea, here are a few a better sleep and a more energized you:

- There are a lot of good reasons why we sleep at night, but primarily, because it’s dark. So fully darken your bedroom.
- Set your room temperature to a moderate cool (making it too hot or too cold will wake you up).
- Get some white noise (Acoustical or electrical noise of which the intensity is the same at all frequencies within a given band—TFD.com) going.

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1. Aromatherapy – Apparently, a stuffy nose does not only miss the taste of food. As Theresa Molnar, executive director of the Sense of Smell Institute, says in an article on Psychologytoday.com, “Scents can have positive effects on mood, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and physical and cognitive performance.”

From perking us up in the morning to alleviating pain, scents can not only make us smell nice but feel good as well. And this is why many people nowadays turn to aromatherapy for solutions to stress and low energy levels.

To give you an idea, below are a few natural oils which you might find interesting to have at your home or workplace.

1. Perk up with Peppermint – Studies by psychologist Bryan Raudenbush of Wheeling Jesuit University show that exercisers exposed to the scent increase running speed and the number of push-ups they do. “Peppermint scent increases activity in the brain area that wakes us up in the morning,” he says in a write-up on Psychologytoday.com.
2. Lax with Lavender – De-stressing becomes easy with the scent of lavender nearby. Research shows that exposure to lavender can decrease your heart rate, leading to a more relaxed mood.
3. Sleep with Jasmine – More than just an oil for perfumes, jasmine has been found to be a good sleep aid. Scientific tests reveal that the scent increases the brain waves associated with deep sleep. So if you’re craving for a good night’s sleep, don’t forget to put some jasmine in your bedroom tonight.

2. Massage – Rare, if not nonexistent, are the people who walk out of a massage parlor being more stressed than ever.

In fact, in America alone in 2006, one in every six American adults had at least one massage, according to a survey by the American Massage Therapy Association or AMTA.

"Americans are looking to massage for much more than just relaxation," says AMTA President Mary Beth Braun in an article on WebMDcom. "Massage therapy can be effective for a variety of conditions, including arthritis, lower back pain, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, circulatory problems, and recovery from a sports injury."

3. Music - Its de-stressing effects and many other health benefits could be just the perfect excuse to get that latest iPod.

Music can do so much good to our well-beings that there is now such a treatment called Music Therapy. But just what can music do?

1. A Perfect Backup – Getting a massage or soaking in a tub with aromatic oils around you is a good way to relax. But throw in music, and it’s just perfect. Why? Because music sets the mood—the same reason why fitness gyms and aerobics classes play upbeat music in the background, or why romantic music suddenly plays when the leading man and woman in a movie is about to kiss. Music may be in the background, but it certainly helps a lot to make you feel on top.
2. Playing Positive Vibes – Research shows that playing music, especially upbeat music can help give someone have a positive feeling or optimistic view.
3. Making Your Own – While others may not always appreciate it when you’re singing in the shower at the top of your lungs, your body does. The loud vocalization actually releases tension from your body. And that’s not all.

Singing also…
- releases endorphins which help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression
- helps increase concentration
- sends more oxygen to the blood system and brain

“Don’t worry if it’s not good enough for anyone else to hear. Just sing. Sing a song.”

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While many people may picture themselves getting a massage with soothing music and aromatherapy on the side for stress relief, below are unconventional but familiar ways to achieve it. And the best part is, they get to share it with others as well.

1. Wiping Stress Away – Why cleaning your house proves as an effective stress-reliever is obvious. Really.

One, because a clean and orderly house or workplace, for that matter, is a sight for sore eyes—and sore minds.

Two, because cleaning gives instant gratification. The moment you see the windows you look out or the mirror you look in daily gleam with cleanliness because you did something to it, it’s as if your stress was wiped away with the dust and stains that a few moments ago were still there.

Three, because it’s an exercise benefiting you and your fellows. Cleaning made you lose calories and release endorphins into your system. And though they may not say it, the people you live or work with is truly thankful that you removed the unsightly clutter and discouraging dirt that’s been also causing them stress.

2. Roots of Stress Relief – As Dr. Melissa C. Stöppler points out in her article on About.com, gardening can relieve a person of stress in many ways, two of which are:

1. By doing actions like pulling, digging, and planting repetitively, you release physical energy that can be soothing.
2. By focusing on giving your yard vigor, you divert your thoughts from other home or work related worries.

3. Be as Little Children – If you want to be stress-free, learn firsthand from the experts—children. Whether running with them on the park, helping them build sandcastles, or just giving them piggyback rides, playing with kids is a sure way to have fun and take loads of stress off your mind.

And even if you don’t usually have the time, the truth is, even a single hug or kiss from your little one is enough to send all the stress any busy day could ever throw at you.

4. Sex – With all the stress that both husband and wife face at work with their bosses and at home with their families, the two immediately find an exciting stress-relief the moment they close their room’s doors.

1. A Better Day Ahead – A study in an Arizona State University found that sex and physical intimacy made middle-aged women feel less stressed and left them in a better mood the following day.

   And while doing it alone may make one happy, the results did not show the same for women who had orgasms without a partner.

2. Pleasure for Lower Blood Pressure – In the same study above, it was found that those who were placed under stressful situations like solving math problems or speaking publicly but had sex prior to such activities had lower baseline blood pressure and blood pressure rises during the events.
3. Love-making Leads to Lower Stress Response – The results of the study also suggest that having sex lowers the body’s response level to stress during pressing situations, which is good—a response that emotional support alone did not yield.

Source: Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_5023372_energy-boost-unconventionally.html

1. Give love on each day – Why should you help other people? Because you’re really helping yourself.

According to research, you get a rush of endorphins enough to last for hours when you willingly do good to others, says Kimberly Kingsley, author of "The Energy Cure: How to Recharge Your Life 30 Seconds at a Time", in a CNN.com article.

So remember, the next time you want to feel really good, do good.

2. Get Some Life in Your Work Life – In just one day, workers with plants in their workplaces show a ten percent improve in their concentration and productivity, says a research at the Washington State University.

Meanwhile, in Tove Fjeld’s study in Norway, workers with greens installed in their offices were found to have lower levels of fatigue, headaches, coughing and, even, dry facial skin.

3. Let the Sunshine In – Is it any surprise that our solar system’s light bulb that has been on for billions of years now can give us energy?

Though we usually see the sun as a yellow beacon, it’s really its blue light that we should bear in mind, and on our bodies, for that matter. This short-wavelength blue light from the sun actually activates our brains. And this, according to Mariana Figueiro, assistant professor at the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, “Our circadian rhythms are more sensitive to blue light than any other kind," in an article by Alicia Potter on CNN.com.

4. No Tech-time – E-mails, chat messages, fax messages, text messages—being at their beck and call, we get a zap of adrenaline every time we answer them. But being on your toes over time is inevitably tiring, especially for women (even prima ballerinas will complain.) So make sure to give yourself some time away from all this. That chance to check in and connect with yourself will re-energize you, says Kimberly in the CNN.com article.

5. White not Black – "Of all the teas, white tea goes through the least processing," says professor Iman Hakim, M.D., Ph.D., of the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health in Potter’s article.

White tea, like coffee, gives you an energy boost with 120 milligrams less caffeine, which makes it less dehydrating—another key for added energy.

6. Hydrate for High Energy – Planning to workout? Drink water first says experts.

“Nearly every cell in the body is composed of water – without it, they don’t function efficiently during exercise,” says Dan Judelson, Ph.D. of the California State University in Fullerton, in an article on Health.msn.com.

Recently, Dr. Judelson discovered that exercisers who worked out while parched “completed three to five fewer reps per set while strength-training,” said the article.

7. Always Give Thanks – Who knew that saying “Thank You!” could mean so much?

Psychologists Michael McCollough of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis are learning just how grateful people have less stress and more energy in life.

After conducting the Research Project on Gratitude and Thanksgiving, the two doctors discovered that people who practiced daily gratitude exercises had higher levels of…

• Alertness
• Enthusiasm
• Determination
• Optimism
• Energy

Also, these people experienced less stress and depression, and was more inclined to help others, exercise regularly, and progressive in achieving personal goals.

8. Superfoods – While eating these may not give you heat vision or make you fly, these can make lead to giant leaps in your general well being and vitality. So be sure to grab one of these the next time you visit your local grocery store. Here are a few:

1. Dark Chocolate – A health food that’s rich in taste and rippling with deliciousness? It’s not a dream. But it is dark, and oh so full of flavonols. Flavonols have a potent antioxidant property that, research suggests, maintains healthy blood pressure, promotes better blood flow and heart health.
2. Salmon (No. It’s not chicken.) – Just four ounce of this fish and you get a day’s requirement of vitamin D and over half of your B12, niacin, and selenium needs. Also, it’s an excellent source of B6 and magnesium, not to mention Omega-3 and, of course, protein. Super? Aquaman would have been green with envy.
3. Broccoli – It may not be as sweet as oranges, but it’s twice as potent in Vitamin C. (Perhaps that explains the spelling.) Also, broccoli helps boost the immune system, cardiovascular health, and bone-growth.

There are many ways to de-stress and get your energy back. But whatever road you may choose to take, please make sure it’s not one that goes into a dead-end.