Health & Wellness

Stress has become one of the most commonly used words in our daily lexicon and a cause of depression. Things which are supposed to bring us joy like relationships, occupations and materilistic possessions are now becoming the very causes for our elevated stress levels. We all face stressful situations throughout our lives, ranging from minor annoyances like traffic jams to more serious worries, such as a loved one’s grave illness. No matter what the cause, stress floods your body with hormones. Your heart pounds, your breathing speeds up, and your muscles tense.

After a long day at work, the idea of de-stressing for most individuals is zoning out in front of the TV. We do not seem to grasp that while we are watching TV we are bombarded with images that are far from helping us combat stress as we are not activating the body’s natural relaxation response. This response can be activated by practicing deep breathing, meditation, Tai Chi, Zen, Tao and Yoga. Not only will these activities elevate your mood and reduce stress levels, they will also boost your energy and make your body more supple and agile.

 Our bodies when stressed are constantly in a fight or flight mode wherein it analyzes situations as an emergency and this is what leads to depletion of our physical, mental and emotional health. By activating the relaxation response you bring your body and your mind into a state of equilibrium, while also relaxing your muscles and increasing the amount of blood flow to the brain.

 meditation makes you re-imagine life without strife.

Don’t procrastinate. Meditate and celebrate!

There are various techniques that can be used to relax depending on your constitution in order to provide you with the best results.

– Guided imagery technique in which you conjure up soothing scenes, places, or experiences in your mind to help you relax and focus. You can find free apps and online recordings of calming scenes—just make sure to choose imagery you find soothing and that has personal significance. 

– Repetitive prayer where you silently repeat a short prayer or phrase from a prayer while practicing breath focus. This method may be especially appealing if religion or spirituality is meaningful to you.

-The best techniques for people who get angry easily (fight response) are meditation, deep breathing and guided imagery.

 -Whereas, for those of you who crumble and withdraw under stressful situations (flight response), you need to perform rhythmic exercises, yoga and massage therapy.

 While relaxing make sure that you are wearing clothes that are not too constricting and you are not disturbed by any mobile devices.

 Breath focus. In this simple, powerful technique, you take long, slow, deep breaths. Sit comfortably and breathe in deeply through the nose and fill your abdomen up to full capacity. Exhale through your mouth and push out as much air as possible as the abdomen contracts. Continue breathing in through the nose and exhale from the mouth. If its difficult to breathe deeply while sitting, the same can be done while lying down.

 Another relaxation technique is while lying down, close your eyes and bring your focus to every individual part of your body from the toes all the way to the top of your head. Mentally ask each part to relax while breathing deeply before moving on to the next part. This is an excellent technique to slow down your brain and re-configure your constitution.

 our lungs breathe air borrowed from nature. 

Water in us is borrowed from the oceans, bones and muscles from the earth.

We borrow fire from the sun. 

Nothing is ours; we simply recycle everything from nature we have earned.

Other relaxation techniques include running, walking, swimming, dancing etc. These are especially effective as the rhythmic and repetitive movements create a flow, which can be very relaxing.

Yoga and Tai Chi both reduce anxiety and stress levels while improving flexibility, strength, balance and stamina. By focusing on the movements we are able to keep our mind in the present moment. It is best to practice with a certified trainer in order to avoid any injury to your body.

knives need to be sharpened, fruits need to be ripened and minds need to be brightened.

Senses need to be heightened, sins need to be slightened, and deeds need to be whitened.

It is important to make time for relaxation in your daily schedule. We have included situations in our daily lives, which elevate our stress levels. It is only fair that we take precautionary measures daily to combat the same.

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Dr. Mickey Mehta
Global Leading Holistic Health Guru and a Corporate Life Coach