Today’s lifestyle has unfortunately become synonymous with stress. People often use ‘stress’ or how stressed out they are as a form of social currency – the more you have of it, the higher you are in your own and everyone else’s eyes. Little do we realize, that the price we pay for this currency is with our physical and mental health. Stress is responsible for aggravating the deterioration of our bodies and minds. Individuals who are stressed out are at a higher risk of having heart disease, obesity, and a host of other health issues.

It’s time we stop thinking of stress as something that gives value and worth to our lives and start recognizing it as something that needs to be managed and mitigated as much as possible!

Stress management, just like stress is a term that is misunderstood and thrown around. What does it really mean to manage stress? Popular culture and the advertising industry would have us believe that if you want to reduce stress you need to indulge yourself by spending as much money as you can on their products and services. Stressed out? Try this new face mask! Try our new 1000 thread count bed sheet! Try our new spa package! Replace ‘try’ with ‘buy’ and it’s much easier to see through this façade.

How do we effectively manage stress then?

The best and most effective way to overcome stress can be time-consuming and involves going to the root of the problem – understanding the cause and its effects and trying to stop that process from happening. For a lot of us, however, that is easier said than done. It is not always possible to change our jobs to relieve stress or just ignore our financial struggles. We would just be putting it off for another day!

So, if buying products and experiences isn’t the real way and I can’t tell my boss how much he annoys me, what do I do?!

One way, that is scientifically backed and more self-oriented is Tension Release Exercises or TRE.

Tension Release Exercises focus on the stress that is stored within our bodies. When we are constantly stressed, our mind perceives us to be in danger and activates the Fight and Flight reflex. Always being this state of mind drains our bodies of energy and resources. This is also what leads to higher blood pressure, indigestion, headaches and even causes hormonal imbalances. Another severe side effect of stress stored in the brain is neurogenic tremors. In everyday terms, these tremors are the shaking that some people can experience when they are constantly in an aroused or hyper-alert state because of the activation of the flight and flight system in our bodies.

What TRE does is that it actually triggers the neurogenic tremors, or our natural shaking process to release trauma and stress that is stored in our body. This helps the mind to understand that the body is not actually in danger and helps both of them become aligned again. Once the mind and body are aligned, only then can there be peace of mind and a sense of calm.

TREs are a set of simple exercises that help individuals release tension in the muscles, which in turn relaxes the anxiety of our minds, by evoking the muscular shaking process in the body. Some of the benefits of tension release exercises include –

• Reduction of stress, tension, and post-traumatic symptoms, muscle and back pain.
• Increase in mobility, flexibility and energy levels
• Release of anger and severe anxiety
• Achieving a balance of the nervous system
• Aiding in healing of past injuries and relief in the case of chronic medical conditions

In addition to this, consistent use of these exercises also halts the ripple effects of stress and has the ability of positively influencing one’s relationships at home and in the workplace, thereby leading to less conflict and more peace of mind. So instead of one stressful event pouring over into other events and making them stressful, with TREs, we can break that cycle and instead, have peace of mind in one area pouring over into another area and making that peaceful too! All of this ultimately influences our confidence and self-esteem.

While stress can sometimes be the elephant in the room, managing it doesn’t require equal amounts of strength and power. What is needed is small but consistent changes within ourselves (and not on the exterior like the ad industry wants you to believe!) can truly empower us and aid us in taking control of the story of our own lives and re-writing them the way we want. After all, aren’t all superheroes born from winning battles?

Book a Stress Management Consultation with stress management Experts at Illuminations Well-Being Center where we offer the most advanced, safest and powerful tools to eradicate stress in your life!

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