Stressed Enough Yet?

Are you stressed enough yet? Have you hit your limit and know that it's time for a change? Stress can sneak up and hit you when you're not expecting it. And when it does, watch out.

Excess stress can manifest itself in a variety of different ways...with emotional, behavioral, and even physical symptoms. The symptoms of stress vary enormously among different individuals. People may experience an increase in the breathing rate or feel breathless, have cold clammy skin or feel flushed. Some may experience heart palpitations, dry throat, or difficulty speaking. While most of these physical/psychological symptoms of stress will disappear when the stressor is eliminated, if the trigger persists then some of the symptoms can continue as well.

Common physical symptoms often reported by those experiencing excess stress include:

Sleep disturbances

Muscle tension

Headache

Fatigue

Gastrointestinal disturbances

Because prolonged high levels of stress hormones affect the immune system some people have more frequent respiratory infections and slower recovery rates. Others complain of arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, and asthma.

Common emotional and behavioral symptoms that can accompany excess stress include:

Nervousness

Memory disturbances

Inability to concentrate or stay focused on tasks

Feeling "burned out" at work

Anxiety

Easily frustrated or angry

Changes in eating habits (anorexia, overeating)

Loss of enthusiasm or energy

Mood changes

Loss of sex drive

The prolonged, uninterrupted, unexpected or and/or un-managed effects of high stress hormones can result in increased toxin levels in the body, which could result in:

Heart disease or heart attack

Stroke

IBS, Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis

Anxiety disorder

Autoimmune diseases

Of course, none of these signs or symptoms means for certain that there is an elevated stress level since all of these symptoms can be caused by other medical and/or psychological conditions.

There are many stress management techniques available to help you cope with the issues that come with every day life.

The first step in stress management is determining just what is stressing you out.Once the stressors are identified, you need to identify what can and can't be changed. When you recognize what can be changed, you can make an organized plan to work toward that change. Sometimes just working toward a change can reduce the intensity of the stress and your response to it. It helps when you can put things in the proper perspective.

One of the often overlooked, but vastly important stress management techniques falls under the heading of prevention. It can't be stressed enough the importance of eating healthy, nutritious foods; drinking lots of fresh water, getting adequate amounts of exercise, and most importantly, plenty of rest. Although alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine may seem helpful in the short term, they will increase you reaction to stress and decrease your body's immunity in the long term.

Perhaps you would benefit from a relaxing massage. You could try learning breathing techniques, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi - (see http://www.beginningtaichi.net for free lessons on tai-chi), self-hypnosis, or biofeedback to gain voluntary control over your muscle tension or blood pressure.

Listening to or playing music is another great stress reducer. Music has charms to soothe the savage beast. Researchers have found that certain types of music (Mozart, Vivaldi, & Bach) will actually decrease stress levels and increase beta-endorphins (the feel good hormones) in the brain.

Stress is serious business. Always remember...there is help and there is hope.

Melanie Hirsch- HEY!!!! Get your FREE 5 1/2 minute quick to calm relaxation audio today by going to: http://www.Quick2Calm.com right now. An incredible Stress less Secret Guide is included too. Guaranteed to help you relax, feel better, and regain focus. Melanie has worked in the field of personal growth, coaching, body work, energy medicine, and hypnosis for the last 17 years. She is committed to changing the world one mind at a time. Her Stress Management program is available at http://www.PutStressToRest.com

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