What Guys Are Saying About Their Health |
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Stress Management
By the time most men reach 40, you've had your fair share of life's high and low points. If life-stress has left you feeling fried, it's time to start practicing stress-busting exercises.
Action Rx:
Besides programming your screen saver to proclaim R-E-L-A-X, try to pinpoint what stresses you out the most and remember to breathe deeply whenever it strikes you.
Take a Deep Breath
Breathing is the key to stress management. You can learn to heal your stress response through careful breathing. When you're anxious or panicked, breathing becomes erratic and you take small, shallow breaths. Slow down: Various studies show that doing breath-centered exercises such as yoga or tai chi can help control even chronic stress. Note: Insurance companies are starting to cover yoga classes.
Deep breathing from the diaphragm, rather than the chest, is the one stress management tool you can use anytime, anywhere, no matter how much stress you're feeling.
Remember this:
- When you're starting to feel the pressure building up, deep breathing can interrupt the stress response. It floods the body with relaxing endorphins, the body's natural pain-killing substances.
- Healing breath work helps you listen to stressful thoughts and let them pass, without being dominated by them.
- By promoting emotional and physical relaxation, deep breathing helps you make a conscious decision to choose a calm, controlled response to stress.
- Besides calming you, deep breathing can also be done at bedtime to help prepare for a good night's sleep.
More Info at ThirdAge
 ThirdAge Guide to Stress Relief
The Rejuvenator
Coping with Stress Forum
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