'LIVE A STRESS-FREE LIFE'

Yes, you are busy and, of course, you don’t have time for meditation and deep breathing — so, more often than not, you are a bundle of nerves and are prone to stress that wrecks your routine. Living a streefree life is not an elusive dream, rather, it can be attained easily, if one follows a few a simple rules and modifies one’s lifestyle a wee bit. Here are a few tips that one can incorporate into routine...

IS YOUR MENTAL ARMOUR STRONG ENOUGH?
For being stress-free all the time you need a proper control over just one thing — your mind. Your mind should be inside a protective armour that cannot be disturbed by the little mundane things of life and cannot be moved to disquiet unless you wish to. “And for that you need to meditate, more than once, every single day,”

TRY THIS: You can do this anywhere — while traveling to work in a car, bus or even local train, or while sitting at your desk in office — close your eyes and notice your breathing. Notice how the air feels as it goes up your nostrils. Do this for around eight to 10 minutes and at least twice a day.

CATCH UP ON THOSE FORTY WINKS
Sleep experts continue to reiterate that sleep is extremely crucial when it comes to dealing with stress. Experts say that when we get a good night’s sleep, our stress hormones, cortisol is suppressed and other hormones that improve our resistance to stress are released. Sleep expert Dr S Ramnathan Iyer says, “Getting seven to eight hours of sleep is essential for adults and you must not miss out on that.” And where and how you sleep is also of importance to get a stress free shut-eye. Neuropsychiatrist Dr Rajesh Parikh says, “Avoid keeping mobile phones near your pillow when you fall asleep to avoid the harmful effects of radiation.”

TRY THIS: Whenever you know that your day has been demanding, you should make sure that you retire early that night. Ideally, one should not have a television in the bedroom. Anything that reminds you of work should be kept outside the bedroom to avoid distractions. Stop all the noise inside your head — stop thinking when you are preparing to go to sleep.

DON’T LIKE EXERCISING?
When you exercise, your brain cells are fortified and they are not as vulnerable to stress as they would otherwise be and also, if you are exercising regularly, your stress levels will be minimized naturally.

TRY THIS: Do not be a gym rat all the time. Take to outdoorsy exercises. Brisk walking can really make you feel invigorated and the pleasant exercise can make you get rid of toxins. Or, you could also just spend some five to 10 minutes outdoors, maybe near a water fountain outside your office or some pretty garden nearby.

PET PROJECT
Research has shown that when you spend quality time with your pets you are calmer and stress-free. Pets can gauge your inner turmoil. They can give you some really great moments. TRY THIS: If you have a pet you must make sure to spend some more time with it and play with it. If you do not own a pet then probably you can offer to walk your neighbour’s dog. You could take care of your friend’s pet cat when they are away.

Courtesy: TOI, 15th Feb 2014