In a context where stress affects 8 out of 10 French people, knowing natural treatments to reduce anxiety is essential. Stress is a phenomenon of adaptation of the body which allows us to react to our environment. When we are faced with a stressful situation, the brain sends a signal to the adrenal glands to release hormones like adrenaline. These hormones will increase our heart rate , blood pressure, body temperature, etc. in order to bring more oxygen to the muscles and the heart.
The causes of stress are multiple, so it is first important to identify them by analyzing the symptoms and then adopt the necessary advice which will affect our mental health. Angélique therefore introduces us to healthy and effective techniques that relieve stress regardless of its stage and allow us to achieve good health in the long term.
1. Meditation
Among the techniques that today make it possible to reduce stress , meditation stands out as the best solution. Faced with a significant level of stress , our body and mind put in place multiple defense mechanisms to cope with these events. Unfortunately, these protection methods are resource intensive. The body tires quickly and it becomes essential to help your body overcome these intense moments.
By meditating, you significantly reduce the stress threshold. Indeed, regular practice of meditation calms you and eliminates the causes of stress. This method allows you to regularly return to a state of inner serenity to forget the annoyances of everyday life and regain control over the situation that is disturbing you. Meditation will slow down the aging of the cerebral cortex and improve our management of emotions .
2. Yoga
Another quick and lasting solution to relieve stress is to practice yoga. This is a very old relaxation technique, the aim of which is to establish a certain harmony between body and mind. Practiced today in various forms, yoga promotes a good distribution of energy in the body and in the head.
In this state, you adopt a Zen attitude and can better cope with daily constraints.
Different yoga practices exist, here are some of them:
- Naam Yoga
It is a work of self-healing the body and mind . It is enough to stimulate the reflex zones of the hands for five minutes, two to three times a day. Our ten fingers can thus soothe our minds and relieve our muscular tensions!
- Chiropractic
It is a manual medicine focused on manipulation of the spine. The goal is to balance the nervous system to achieve a better capacity to resist stress. This helps your body relax and your mind relax to eliminate the effects of stress .
3. Massages
Generally speaking, stress- related tensions are characterized by tense muscles, which causes pain in the back, head, etc. To remedy this pain, massages represent an excellent solution. This allows you to relax the muscles and thus eliminate the various muscular ailments due to anxiety .
Massage therapy helps reduce muscle tension and better eliminate toxins, it also promotes better physical and mental balance. Massages can both increase your stress and reduce it depending on the areas stimulated. It is therefore imperative to choose your professional carefully to avoid inconvenience and to completely relax. Take advantage of this moment of relaxation to recharge your batteries.
4. Sophrology
One method that works wonders when it comes to managing stress is sophrology. It is in fact an oriental relaxation technique which allows the modification of a patient's levels of vigilance as well as their states of consciousness. During the session, the therapist offers phases of meditation whose ultimate goal is to relax the body. Once the consultation is over, you adopt a positive attitude and can better manage your fears.
5. Breathing
Breathing is also a good method to relieve stress, but to do this you need to know how to breathe WELL! There are different breathing techniques:
- Abdominal breathing:
It is a good treatment to soothe digestive disorders but also relieve fatigue , anxiety and thus stress .
- Thoracic breathing:
When the pressure increases and you are a little on edge, it is important to breathe deeply ! All you need to do is take deep, deep breaths, which then allows you to release your emotions and relieve tension .
- Cardiac coherence:
It is a tool that regulates heart rate variability and aims to reduce or even eliminate stress and anxiety, but also depression and blood pressure . The emotions that trouble us then tend to evacuate more quickly from our brain.
Exercise: perform six inhalations/exhalations per minute for five minutes, three times a day, breathing through the diaphragm while relaxing the entire body.
6. Laugh
And yes it may seem like a simple reaction but laughter has been scientifically studied and it is beneficial for relieving tension and reducing stress . In addition, numerous data indicate that laughter lowers the level of cortisol , the hormone responsible for stress. And even if it is provoked or exaggerated or simulated, our brain will not make the difference so the stimuli sent will be the same.
So in case of stress or anxiety, don't hesitate to laugh, it's safe and good for your health!
As we can see, there are many techniques for managing stress . There are others that can help you deal with difficult situations. It is up to you to choose the method that suits you and to practice it well.
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