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| English: Effects of stress on the body. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The Walk in Tub can
help
By Alan Knight
You
might be thinking, “Stress! There is nothing I can do about it.” The bills keep piling up. I can't find enough hours in the day. People are acting like idiots. The truth be told, you have more control over
your stress than you might believe.
Stress management is all about taking charge of your life, your
thoughts, and your emotions. More
importantly, it is about the way you deal with problems. No matter how stressful your life might seem
to be, you can deal with it.
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A
stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life
and the
way you deal with them. Each time you
feel stressed, keep track of it in your journal. As you keep a daily log, you will begin to
see patterns and common themes. Write
down: 1. What caused your stress (make a
guess if you're unsure.) 2. How you felt, both physically and
emotionally. 3. How you acted in response. 4.
What you did to make yourself feel better. Think about the ways you currently manage and
cope with stress in your life. Your
stress journal can help you identify them.
Are your coping strategies healthy or unhealthy, helpful or
unproductive? Let's now look at some
ways to cope with stress.
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Relax! You deserve it. It's good for you, and it takes less time
than you think. You don't need a course
of study. You don't require a weekend
retreat, although that's not a bad idea.
It can be as simple as learning to RELAX.
Meditate. A few minutes of practice each day can help
ease stress. Research has suggested that
daily meditation may alter the brain's neural pathways, making you more
resilient to stress. It's simple. Sit up straight with both feet on the
floor. Close your eyes and focus your
attention on reciting a positive mantra such as “I feel at peace.” Try to sync the mantra with your
breaths. Let any distracting thoughts
float by like clouds.
Breathe
Deeply. Take just 5 minutes and focus on
your breathing. Sit up straight. Slowly inhale through your nose, feeling the
breath start in your lungs and work its way to your head. Reverse the process as you exhale. Deep breathing counters the effects of
stress.
Slow
Down. Take 5 minutes and focus on only
one thing with awareness. Notice how the
air feels on your face when you’re walking and how your feet feel hitting the
ground. Enjoy the texture and taste of
each bite of food.
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Pleasant
music. Research shows that listening to
soothing music can lower blood pressure and heart rate. Create a playlist of songs or nature sounds
and allow your mind to focus on the different melodies, instruments, or
singers. You can also blow off steam by
rocking out to more upbeat tunes.
Movement. You don't have to run in order to get a
runner's high. All forms of exercise,
including aerobics and even walking can ease anxiety and release feel-good
chemicals in your body. Walk through the
park, taking in all the sights and sounds.
Breathe in the air and feel the breeze against your face.
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Self-Hypnosis. Try putting yourself into a deep hypnotic
state by slowly counting backwards from 10, and the time imagining that you are
going deeper and deeper into a state of total relaxation. You can even record the exercise on a tape
player and play it back as you relax.
Say things like, “all the muscles in my back are beginning to relax and ease
tension. My body is getting heavier as
my muscles relax and ease tension.” Do
this also for the feet, legs, abdomen, all the way to the head. By the time you get there you will feel
wonderful.
One
thing we haven't mentioned is how to avoid stressors (things that stress you
out.) It's not healthy to avoid a
stressful situation that needs to be addressed, but you may be surprised by the
number of stressors in your life that can be eliminated.
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Avoid
people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life,
limit the amount of time you spend with that person, or end the relationship.
Take
control of your environment - If the evening news makes you anxious, turn off
the TV. If traffic makes you tense, take
a longer by less-traveled route. If you
can't avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. When you ask someone to change their
behavior, be willing to do the same. If
you both are willing to bend at least a little, you'll have a good chance of
finding a happy middle ground. Poor time
management can cause a lot of stress, but if you plan ahead and make sure you
don't overextend yourself, you'll find it easier to stay calm and focused.
Watch this short video about the feature and options of Walk-in tubs.
In
this article, I have discussed a dozen ways to reduce stress in your life,
including taking a decompressing warm bath in a Walk-in tub. I provide details
for several of these methods and discuss how to remove stressors from your
daily life.
If
you found this article useful or entertaining, please share it with your
friends, family and co-workers. If you have a comment about this subject, leave
it in the comment section at the end of this article.
Would
you like to receive a FREE COPY of our new e-book? Tub King's
Ultimate Guide to Cast Iron/Porcelain Tubs, Walk-in Tubs & Safety Suite
Showers. Fill in the form below and we will send it to you
for free! It is also for sale and you can see/buy it on Amazon.com by clicking on this
link.
Have
a question? Feel free to contact me at the number or email listed at the end of
this article and I will personally get back to you. It’s been my pleasure
sharing this information with you.
Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc.,
and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville,
Florida. He has many years of experience in the antique and senior
bathtub industries. In addition to providing superior products, Tub King has
been honored with “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Awards” for four years running.
If you would like to contact Alan Knight, call (800) 409-3375 or (800)
843-4231; or send an email to alan@tubking.com.
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