The choice of STRESS RELIEF

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it”.

The above quote by Charles R. Swindoll states very clearly why it is so important to learn to manage our daily stress better.

Stress relief techniques like mindfulness, muscle relaxation, visualisation, meridian tapping and abdominal breathing can help calming your nervous system which means you are more likely to respond rather than react to a situation.

When your nervous system is out of balance because you can feel easily overwhelmed by too much stress. You then lose access to your inner resources and to your gut feeling, suffer from loss of concentration and are not able to take everything in with all of your senses working. Because of that you are more likely to either make hasty decisions or take no action at all.

Stress relief techniques are designed to get you into what is called “optimal arousal zone” (Wilbarger & Wilbarger, 1997). The optimal arousal zone is characterised by experiencing just the right amount of stress (which is dependent on individual perceptions and circumstances and is different for everyone), so you are feeling motivated, efficient and achieving high levels of concentration.

When you are in an optimal arousal zone which is a relaxed but alert state, you think more clearly and are better able to make informed decisions. The more you practice stress relief technique and experience being able to bring yourself into that optimal arousal zone, the more you will feel that you have choice in your life and control over your circumstances.

 

References

Wilbarger, P. & Wilbarger, J. (1997). Sensory defensiveness and related social/emotional and neurological problems. Van Nuys, CA: Wilbarger. (May be obtained from Avanti Education Program, 14547 Titus St., Suite 109, Van Nuys, CA, 91402).