Sep 18, 2006 05:50 PM
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The idea is to relax for a longer life. and a more satisfying sexual relationship
Ifyou are like most people, you understand the physical and emotional dangers that accompany stress. You have read that stress can shorten your potential life span by making you more susceptible to high blood pressure, heart disease and gastrointestinal trouble. But if you are like most people, you don't know how to handle stress - how to deal with it and dispel it at will.
The first step is to be able to spot the signs of stress. Take this situation, for example. You have just spent a long grueling day at the office. Everything that could go wrong, did. By lunchtime you began to develop a nagging headache. The end of the day sees you tired and drawn, and now you are expected to rush home to shower and change and be ready for dinner engagement. Traffic is particularly bad and you find yourself on the freeway stuck between two bumpers. The driver behind you has been honking his horn persistently, and although you have tried to ignore him, you are becoming increasingly more agitated.
What happens now is the activity of your nervous system increases steadily. Your pupils begin to dilate. There is considerable muscle tension, beginning around your facial areas, particularly around your mouth and eyes. This gradually extends through your whole body.
You now find yourself short of breath, or maybe without even noticing it, you hold your breath longer than usual. There is a sudden clamping down on the blood flow to your hands and feet. The body is channeling this blood to areas of the body that are used for running and fighting. Those people who are in constant stressful situation may find themselves suffering from a chronic case of cold hands and feet.
You will notice that now your jaw is clenched. This is instinctive and can be compared to the baring of a dog's jaw when he is confronted with battle. This phenomenon, often called bruxism when it occurs during sleep, affects close to one third of the population and is probably partly responsible for the largely increased amount of periodontal disease(dental and gum problems).
Should you decide to get out of your car and engage the honker in a fight your body is now physically prepared for. The increased adrenaline flow will probably give your punches added strength. Should he hit you, you would not feel the pain until some time later when your body has returned to its normal state.
If on the other hand, you sit and stew in your car, your body is not receiving the release it needs. That isn't to say that you should fight anyone who gets in your way. It does mean that you should look for a suitable way to combat stress.
The first step is to concentrate on the physical symptoms of stress and try to alleviate them. Repeat to yourself that you will relax and make a concentrated effort to do so.
Begin by alternately opening and closing your eyes and gently rubbing your fingers over the bridge of your nose and underneath your eyes. Smile inwardly with your whole face to alleviate the muscle tension that begins there.
Now make an effort to continue breathing at a steady and even rate. Conscientiously count as you inhale, then again as you exhale. Wriggle your toes and imagine the warmth rushing through your body as the blood flows through you. Do this repeatedly and slowly make an effort to make your whole body limp. Start by dropping your jaw and tongue, and then slowly let your shoulders sink. When you feel a sudden heaviness overcome you, you are ready to assume normal activity.
This method of dealing with stress shouldn't take longer than a few minutes at the most, and is generally effective under most conditions. You will now be able to think more clearly - and if repeated often enough this method should become a kind of reflex to stress. For most people who lead a busy life, this reflex is often repeated numerous times a day. Those who are familiar with the method claim it even feels good. And who knows, those few moments you spend forcing yourself to relax add up a long period of time, and they could add up to a longer life.
