Amongst the most efficient ways of combating stress are oriental techniques such as yoga or meditation, as well as relaxation techniques. These are simple methods within everyone’s reach, and with very satisfactory results.

Escaping stress

Preventing or eliminating the sources of stress in your life is undoubtedly the best way to end it. But this, under the circumstances that most of us live in, is practically impossible.  For that reason, the best alternative is to try and offset the negative effects it has on our body.  

Stress is the way in which your body responds to a situation it perceives as being dangerous.  It is a mechanism that has enabled us to evolve by keeping us safe from predatory animals, but that has now turned against us to a certain extent. When there is a stressful situation, the body cannot distinguish whether we are escaping from a lion, or simply dealing with a driver who cuts us off on the road. The surge of adrenaline causes a chain hormonal reaction that, if repeated over and over day after day, has negative effects on the body.  

A way of keeping the effects of stress in check is to escape from it during certain periods during the day, entering a state of inner emotional calm and relaxation. Meditation and yoga techniques can help you to achieve it.

Yoga

The word "yoga" means “union” in Sanskrit and it refers to the union of the mind, body and spirit. But the most popular in the Western World is the aspect that involves physical postures combined with relaxed breathing techniques.  Each of the yoga postures has specific benefits and these can be done at a faster pace or more slowly.

There are several schools and styles of yoga, and if you decide to start to practice it you will have to research and find which one is more attractive to you.  But for beginners, yoga classes that are described as “Hatha” are the most appropriate because they involve slow movements and postures and simple breathing exercises. But if you enjoy a more active style of yoga, you should try “Vinyasa” yoga.

When you attend one of these classes, speak with the instructor about the reason why you want to practice yoga, and she will most likely recommend the best avenue for you. If there are no classes available in your area, there are many videos and books with which you can get started, although it is always best to have a yoga instructor.  

The benefits of practicing yoga are many, but amongst the most important are increased flexibility, the lubrication of your joints and tendons and a massage of the internal organs.  The result is a reduction in the negative stress charge on your body.  

Meditation and relaxation exercises

Meditation is an Eastern technique to obtain a time of communion with oneself and relaxation and, depending on the type of meditation, with the universe and God. Traditional prayer in the Western World may be considered a form of meditation. There are many religions that use meditation as a part of their practice:  (Buddhist, Taoist, etc.), others that are not affiliated with any religion (transcendental meditation) and some that are offered as simple relaxation exercises.

Some of the benefits of the practice of meditation are lowered blood pressure and lower stress levels. Many people who practice meditation do so as a part of their daily program, and they dedicate ten, twenty or more minutes to meditating.  

Although each school of meditation has its own method, a simple and effective way of starting to meditate is to simple sit on a chair or comfortable sofa with your back straight. Close your eyes and start to breathe slowly, focusing on an imaginary point in between your eyes. Inhale and exhale deeply and try not to become involved with your thoughts, but simply breathe.

It is very difficult not to think about anything or leave your mind blank, as some meditation manuals suggest.  The most effective methods involve observing your own thoughts as if you were observing a fish in a tank, without becoming involved with them.

Concerning relaxation exercises, one of the most effective is to lie down on the bed and focus your attention on one foot, then another, a knee and so on, until each one of them is completely relaxed, as if floating, until you carry the feeling over to the rest of your body. Relaxation exercises are easier to practice individually, and there are many DVDs in the market that will guide you to learn these exercises.