We live busy lives. From rushing between appointments to balancing work and personal lives, finding the right mix can be challenging. In fact, it is not uncommon for individuals to struggle with stress, anxiety, and depression as a result. Learning how to release stress can be a crucial tool in living a more productive and fulfilling life.
So, how can you release stress? Good question. Ask a dozen people, and you will get back a dozen different responses. While some people prefer exercising, other people prefer time with friends.
One way of letting go of stress with a proven track record for working is meditation. Having been successfully employed for millennia, meditation provides one of the best ways to release stress. Provided below is a brief guide on how to release stress, as well as why doing so is so important.
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A Stressed Out Nation
Every year, the number of people with stress or anxiety disorders increases in the United States. WebMD lists some sobering statistics when it comes to the influence of stress in our lives, as well as the ways that meditation can be beneficial. The Anxiety And Depression Association of America take their research a step further by pointing out that roughly 40+ million Americans are struggling with anxiety disorders.
In addition to increasing the chance of becoming sick, anxiety disorders go a long way in removing joy and meaning from everyday life. Finding a way how to release stress is the best way to ensure that you stay healthy.
How To Release Stress with Meditation
As mentioned before, meditation is a powerful way to remove stress from your body. This is done through a meditation exercise.
Simply put, a meditation exercise is a period of time that you put aside to meditate. It can be done by yourself, with other people, be guided, involve sitting still, involve moving or incorporate countless meditative techniques for maximum benefit.
It is important to remember when learning how to release stress that what works for you may not work for other people and vice versa. Learning how to release stress involves playing around with what works for you and then expanding on that.
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Developing a Meditation Practice
For a brief guide to how to release stress through meditation, then the following example may help you. Set aside 10 minutes in a quiet room where noise and interruption are kept to a minimum. Sitting with your back straight, begin focusing on your breathing. Push all thoughts aside, and instead focus your attention on the slow inhale and exhale.
After a few minutes, begin allowing thoughts to come in. Only consider thoughts that speak to the moment and ignore anxious thoughts about the past or future. Focus on how you feel right now and track those feelings to their destination. Be sure to continue breathing deeply this entire time.
If and when nothing else comes to mind on its own, you can begin digging and exploring the anxiety or stress you are feeling. Ultimately, you will get far better at finding a cause. You may find it challenging to learn how to release stress in this way at first, but you will get better.
How to release stress through meditation depends entirely on your ability to put time aside for the exercise. In reality, you only require a few minutes a day to learn how to release stress. While you may be tempted to spend a half hour or longer, understand that the amount of time is far less important than the quality of that time.