Relaxation CDs and Stress Management
Listening to Alchemy can jumpstart your stress reduction program. And it will remain a key element of your overall stress management approach. |
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For maximum success in reducing your stress you will want to add in some other relaxation techniques and stress management activities. These could include some or all of the following:
Exercise
Twenty to thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day would be an excellent addition to your stress management program.
You can do any kind of exercise you enjoy, as long as it gets your heart rate and breathing rate up – walking, biking, sports, swimming, jogging – even sex! It’s best not to exercise vigorously in the two hours preceding bedtime. |
Sleep
Most people need an average of 8 hours sleep per night for good health. Many Americans are chronically sleep-deprived!
Restful sleep is when your body repairs itself, and prepares for the next day’s activities. Not getting enough sleep is correlated with increased levels of depression and anxiety, weight gain, decreased immune system effectiveness, and increased stress levels. |
Diet
A healthy, balanced diet helps your body fight off the corrosive effects of stress. A good multi-vitamin every day is also a good idea, particularly one with plenty of Vitamins A, C, and E – for good anti-oxidant protection.
Try not to eat a heavy meal too close to bedtime, as it may interfere with your sleep. |
Moderate use of alchohol
While it may be tempting to have a few stiff drinks to relax after a tough day, alcohol has some negative side-effects, particularly with more than one drink per day.
Depression, weight gain, negative effects on relationships, and sleep disturbance may occur with increased alcohol intake. |
Relaxation
Deep Relaxation is the most efficient way to quiet your mind and allow your body to fully rest. 20-30 minutes per day is ideal.
That’s easily accomplished by listening to a side of The Alchemy of Peace & Love! |
"But I don’t have time for all this! I have too much going on to just exercise and relax and take it easy every day. How do I fit all this in?"
It’s understandably challenging to do it all! So, many people find ways to do at least some kind of self-care on a daily basis.
Maybe you can squeeze a half hour a day into your schedule for taking care of yourself and dealing with your stress. That’s great! You might take a walk one day, listen to Alchemy the next day, take a bike ride the next day, listen to Alchemy again the next day, and so on.
If it’s not possible to do it all every day, don’t get discouraged and give up. If you at least do something towards your stress management program each day, you will soon begin to see tangible results.
Planning ahead to make sure you will be able to eat good food at reasonable times during the day won’t take any more time – in fact, it will probably take less time than waiting until the last minute to figure something out.
Sleeping even an extra half hour – which probably means going to bed a bit earlier – will actually increase your efficiency. Studies have shown that people who are well rested get more done in a shorter time and with higher quality, than people who are not rested.
As your level of stress begins to diminish, you’ll find yourself looking forward to your half-hour of daily self care. You’re treating yourself – to relaxation, to exercise, to good sleep.
You will feel better and function better as your stress level gets lower. You’ll find yourself being more resilient when dealing with daily hassles like traffic, difficult people, bills. And you will be more efficient, getting more done in less time with less wear and tear on yourself than you had thought possible!
Relax.
Let go of Stress.
Take care of yourself.
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