Between the job and house and the kids, we are too tired to do anything extra by the end of the day. We could all use more energy. The most common cause of fatigue is stress. Stress causes tension and tension zaps emotional and physical energy. There are many things that we can do to help boost our energy levels.
Exercise makes you tired? That is a fallacy. Exercise actually releases tension and helps you feel more energized. It stimulates the cells and circulates the blood and oxygen in the body. It also makes the body produce endorphins which make you feel full of energy. Depression can cause us to feel sluggish and tired. Exercising doesn’t have to be strenuous either. Dancing, raking leaves, and swimming or playing tennis are all great forms of exercise and stress relief. Exercise also promotes sound sleep.
As we said before, stress can sap energy, making us feel sluggish. So, by decreasing stress, we can inadvertently increase our energy level. When we are happy and not depressed, we feel better mentally and physically. Some other ways to decrease stress include:
-Listening to “easy listening” music, “Sounds of Nature” cd’s or classical music. All of these have been found to have a relaxing effect. Conversely, hard rock, loud, harsh music can over stimulate and actually cause tension. Read more…
How often do you find yourself saying, “I’m so stressed out!” If you’re like many people, such a statement is a part of our everyday lives. Often we don’t take the time to relax our bodies and minds, refresh our outlook, and give ourselves much needed time away from the pressures we face on a daily basis. Unfortunately, over time, ignoring the buildup of stress can affect both physical and mental health. Along with draining our energy and decreasing our level of performance, stress can also wear down our bodies, contribute to emotional imbalance, high blood pressure, decreased circulation, headaches, depression, and overall poor general health. Below are a few simple strategies you can bring into your life that can help you free your body and mind from tension.
1. Breathing
Breathing right can help improve your posture and lung capacity, as well as your peace of mind. The great thing about utilizing breathing techniques to decrease stress is that you can use them anytime throughout your day: at work, in your car, on the phone, even waiting in line at the supermarket. The first step to breathing properly is to become aware of how you breathe. Awareness is always the first step to making a conscious change. Most of us use our lungs sparingly; our breaths are shallow because they’re surrounded by tension. To try deep breathing, place your hand on your lower abdomen. When you inhale, concentrate on pushing your hand out with your belly first, then filling up the rest of your lungs so your breath comes in bottom to top. In this way, you are using the full capacity of your lungs. Inhale through your nose and exhale out through your mouth and take long, slow breaths. Even after doing this just ten times consecutively, you should feel your shoulders drop a bit, and your neck extend upward. (Note: if you become light-headed while deep-breathing, switch to your regular breathing pattern and resume deep breathing when the feeling has passed.) If you practice this type of deep breathing just once a day for five or ten minutes, you will soon become so familiar with the technique that you can put it to use anytime without even thinking twice. Soon you’ll be going through your day breathing deeply and feeling great. Read more…