STRESSED OUT!!

When you think about hypnosis, is the first thing that you visualize someone up on a stage barking, clucking or doing other ridiculously embarrassing things? That's what's known as entertainment hypnosis. It's not hypnotherapy, which is used to manage stress and depression, or help you stop smoking or lose weight. Hypnotherapy is a genuine treatment method that doesn't take control of your mind. It's more of a concentrated state of rest where you permit suggestions to be embedded into your subconscious mind that can assist you to create new ways of thinking. For example, if you are under a considerable amount of stress, the suggestions might be to stop worrying so much or to change some of your habits that are causing the stress.

There are a couple of ways you can utilize hypnotherapy. For starters, you can look for a nearby hypnotherapist and undergo a few sessions to help you get the results you're looking for. Another way of lowering stress levels using hypnotherapy is to purchase a CD or DVD that will help you learn hypnosis. You can even download audio files directly through internet and store them on your music player so that you can listen to them anywhere. Some of these products utilize a mixture of music and video to help you enter a deeply restful state of mind.

Before you begin a hypnotherapy session, you'll need to set yourself up in a peaceful, comfortable environment. Focus on one area of stress per session. You might be experiencing stress related to your work, home life, or other problems. Find a goal for your self-hypnosis session. Focus on one thing at a time, for example, your out of control spending.

Think up a positive saying related to the problem, like, "I don't waste my money on junk food." Or, "I get so much pleasure from putting money into my savings account every month." As you concentrate on your statement, take some deep breaths and picture yourself depositing money in the bank and later opening your bank statement.

Typically, a self hypnosis session won't take long. Many people notice results in just a few minutes, although others find a longer session to be more beneficial. After a few sessions, you'll start to see real results in your day to day life. As you enter the bank next time you make a deposit, pay close attention to each detail so that you can bring it back to mind during your next session. You'll be strengthening the habits that lower your stress each time you unwind and replay the scene in your mind during hypnotherapy.

If asked if your job is stressful, chances are you would answer with an emphatic "Boy is it ever!" Work is by far the leading source of stress in our lives. Nine out of ten people say they experience high levels of stress several times a week. And one out of four of us have high stress levels every day.

What you may not know is that your stress from work may, in fact, be affecting your health. Stress affects the body in many different ways. Some kinds of stress are beneficial. Others can cause serious health problems.

Chronic stress weakens the body's physiological systems and leads to innumerable health problems. In fact, 70 to 80 percent of all disease and illness is stress related.

Major stress related health problems include:

- coronary heart disease
- cancer
- the common cold
- migraine headaches
- warts
- some cases of female infertility
- ulcers
- insomnia
- hypertension

Over $400 billion dollars a year is spent on stress related diseases.

Even more frightening is that job stress is at an all-time high and continues to rise. Gone are the days of working 40 hours a week. The average person now works 60 hours a week which means more hours of prolonged stress and less time to relax.

Job stress even invades our vacation time. According to Anderson Consulting, 80% of people who took vacations in 2000 stayed in touch with the office by taking their laptop or cell phone with them.

There are several indicators you can use to determine if you suffer from chronic stress. Warning signs of chronic stress include headaches, teeth-grinding, back pain (especially in the shoulders or neck), anxiety, and insomnia.

It is important to identify the factors at work that may be causing your stress. Examine the responsibilities of your job. High responsibility jobs can be a source of great stress. Your work environment can also cause stress if it is noisy, crowded, etc. If you have interpersonal problems at work, this can be one of the greatest sources of work-related stress.

If you suffer from chronic stress, there are a lot of things you can do to reduce the stress. Some of the most effective stress management techniques include relaxation exercises, meditation, or taking a short nap. If you are at work and need to reduce stress, try deep (abdominal) breathing, take a short break, or talk to a friend or co-worker.

Ultimately, virtually every job is stressful somewhat. But by identifying and effectively managing your stress, you can reduce its negative effects and enjoy a healthier life.

It will take you to faraway places with white sandy beaches and clear azure skies in the blink of an eye. It will take you back in time to the days of prehistoric monsters or thrust you forward to the Big Brother world of tomorrow. It can even fill your eyes with tears one moment and make you laugh out loud the next.

Reading a good novel or story will open a window to the world and give you a vision of things you never dreamed possible. And the side benefit is, reading is one of the best ways to reduce your stress level and can even help you solve whatever problem is ailing you.

Reading is the great escape and it also works well as a way to relax. When you curl up with a good book, you put the rest of the world and all its troubles out of your mind as you are taken to distant places to learn about different time periods, and expose yourself to new ideas and philosophies. You are essentially taking a vacation of the mind -- but one that can be virtually cost-free, especially if you live near a library.

Of course, reading is also a great way to reduce stress by gaining the knowledge you need to solve problems. For example, let's say you're overweight and this is causing you stress. You find that the more weight you gain, the more stressed you become, which just causes you to eat more. Instead of getting stressed out, why not read a good book about nutrition that will teach you how to plan meals better, so they're low-cal and low-fat. This could very well result in reducing your weight problem and it could even disappear altogether, along with the stress that is bringing you down.

Reading can also be a source of great hope, giving you ideas and inspiration that will relieve your stress. Biographies and rags-to-riches stories about famous people will teach how they overcame their struggles. These stories of triumph might even inspire you to seek ways to overcome the challenges in your life.

Of course, there are also times when reading can increase your stress level. For instance, if you are studying for a test, or reading about tragedies in your local newspaper, you might find your stress levels skyrocketing. That's why it's important to choose your reading material carefully. If you're feeling stressed, why not pick up a book that will relax you. A good travel book, or cookbook, or book of poetry are far better choices than news magazines filled with stories about all the things that are wrong in the world.

Self-help books are also a very effective way to help reduce stress. They encourage you to explore your feelings and they recommend such techniques as listening to soothing music, learning how to play a musical instrument, or just engaging in deep breathing in order to deal with stressful situations.

One of the best stress relievers is reading a good novel. It's the best medicine there is without the side effects of drugs. When you read a good story, whether it be historical fiction or a mystery thriller or a comic novel, it almost always transports you away from anxieties and frustrations. It allows your imagination to run free and then leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated. When you are reading, it forces you to concentrate, to exercise your mind in a way that passively watching TV or a movie can never match.

In the long run, it doesn't matter what you read but how much you read. Try reading while standing in the grocery line, or at the bank, or while pedaling your stationary bike. The more you read, the more you will want to read because you will quickly discover its short and long term stress reducing benefits.

Laughter helps a person to see the lighter side of a problem and keeps the mind cool and calm. Fun means maintaining a balance in life, taking time out, keeping your sense of humor as you pace yourself and being entertained by the downs as well as the ups in life.

Stress relief is not about escaping stress; it's about keeping everything in perspective. Stress is a by-product of the highly competitive environment in which we live, and stress relief, through recreation and laughter, helps you to relax and regain your balance.

Stress is believed to be the primary cause of many health problems today. We all experience it sooner or later. You need to find a way to successfully fight off this invader called stress.

Here are six ways to manage stress in a positive manner.

1. Exercise. Go to the park and walk for 20-30 minutes either every day or every other day. Exercise relieves tension and produces a calming effect. Or maybe joining a gym with a friend would be more to your liking.

2. Talk to your friends and loved ones about the problems you are experiencing. Keeping everything bottled up will only create more problems later on. See a professional, or join a support group with people experiencing similar problems.

3. Music does calm the savage beast. Listen to some classical or instrumental music. Ocean or nature sounds are a perfect way to release stress.

4. Yoga exercises. Sit in a quiet room alone and begin breathing exercises. Choose a mantra which will help you to stay focused.

5. Sleep deprivation can cause stress. Go to bed early. Seven to eight hours sleep can make all the difference.

6. Eat healthy meals. This is an important factor in limiting your stress. Ensure you eat three meals a day, and make an effort to avoid too much caffeine and sugar.

Read more about stress in the Relax section at The Internet Spa .

Stress can wreak havoc on your body, and interfere with your ability to keep up with your daily schedule. Your body has its limits, and once you've reached them, you're bound to experience all sorts of health problems that will severely curtail your activities.

Don't let it get that far. You can put stress at bay by taking some time out to look after yourself. And a massage is the perfect antidote to a fast-paced life.

Schedule in some time to pay a visit to your local health spa or massage therapist and find out what they can offer in the way of some pampering stress relief. There are several different kinds of massage, and you'll want to find out which one is best for you in terms of your specific physical problems, your budget and the amount of time you can set aside for the procedure.

What Kind of Massage is Best?

Before indulging yourself, you need to know what happens during the various types of massage, and what they're best at fixing. Here's an overview to help you make a choice.

1. Hot Stone Massage: This is a particularly good procedure if you suffer from aches and pains in your muscles. The massage therapist will place special heated stones on your body in key locations. The heat from the stones relaxes tense muscles, and you'll find you have greater mobility and flexibility, and less pain. The slow application of pressure and some friction by the therapist will further loosen you up.

2. Shiatsu. Originating in Japan, this technique is similar in some ways to acupuncture and acupressure, but has been practiced for much longer than either of those treatments. Shiatsu therapy corrects imbalances in your body by using the palms and fingers to apply pressure to key locations. It's perfect for treating muscle stiffness and headaches caused by stress. It improves your circulation and helps to promote and maintain good health.

3. Aromatherapy. This is a very luxurious massage experience. The therapist will use essential oils on your body during the massage, most likely lavender which is known for its stress relieving properties. You'll feel soothed and pampered, and your muscles will be loose and limber. During the massage, you'll probably feel calm almost to the point of sleep, but afterwards you'll have renewed energy. Aromatherapy massage is popular with those who suffer from emotional forms of stress.

4. Thai Massage. This massage therapy utilizes a little more pressure than does shiatsu massage, and incorporates stretching similar to yoga. But you don't have to do any of the work. The massage therapist will guide your body through the postures for you. This is excellent for stress reduction as well as improved flexibility and range of motion.

Knowing what your options are is the first step in eliminating stress from your life. If you want your body to feel pampered and your mind to be calm, it's hard to find anything better than massage.

Kim Archer writes about women's wellness. She is publisher of The Internet Spa, where you'll find the information you need to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.