Don’t let stress suppress your life

Know about stress and how be to be stress-free

Stress, tension, and anxiety have become part of our daily routines; it has impacted our lives hugely and has become everyone’s behavioral trait. We see every task of our life as a new tension. Even getting a few hours of rest seems like a mission to some of us. Being in stress all the time results in releasing of chemicals into the blood, thereby affecting our health and giving birth to a new form of tension related health problem. Tension and anxiety hamper your body and mind in different ways, for example, you sometimes even forget to drink water, skip meals and are not able to interact properly with others. Stress may lead to health problems like asthma, diabetes, headaches, indigestion, etc. If stress is not managed it may affect a person’s psyche. 

Signs of extreme stress

The trickiest thing about stress is you don’t realize you are getting used to it. You don’t understand what is going on inside. It may seem normal how your body reacts to certain situations but, eventually you get used to it. Therefore, it is important to know the signals and symptoms of stress. Symptoms of stress can be divided into four categories. 

• Emotional Signals- Feeling of isolation and loneliness, depression, agitation, always irritated, unhappiness, anxiety. 
• Behavioral Signals- Smoking a cigarette, consuming alcohol, taking drugs for relaxing, excessive or no appetite, lack of sleep or sleeping too much, nervousness.
• Physical Symptoms-Dizziness, constipation, pain and aches, infections, abnormal heart beat rate.
• Psychological Symptoms- Loss of memory, negative attitude, poor judgment, unstoppable thoughts, lack of concentration. 

Causes of Stress

The factors that contribute to stress are known as ‘Stressors’. Causes of stress can be of two types- internal causes and external causes. 

• Internal Causes of stress- Always expecting worse, stubborn mind sets, negative inner self, not able to accept reality.
• External Causes of stress- Peer pressure, relationship problems, financial burden, trauma or injury, poor work conditions, death of a close one.

Health Problems due to stress

Stress can damage almost every system in your body. From immune system to digestive system, reproductive or respiratory system and lead to health issues. Common health problems related to stress are-

• Heart Disease
• Skin infections
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
• Neurological Problems

How to cope up with stress 

• Healthy Diet- Tasty and healthy food is one of the best stress busters. A diet full of carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, vitamins can help you in combating stress and keeps you always energetic.
• Exercise- Engaging yourself in some kind of physical workout increases the amount of blood flow in your body and maintaining your heart beat rate. Regular workout involving running, walking, swimming, yoga, and aerobics can be beneficial in relieving stress.  
• Link with others- Hanging out with your friends and family can also help in dealing with stress. Complementing and helping others can bring a lot of change within you. Spending time your pet also keeps your mood fresh.

International Day of Yoga: Why Yoga is better than hitting the gym

While deciding any type of exercise over the other, your approach and purpose behind making a choice is very important. Let's say yoga is the best. But, it is not like an intensive 15-day routine that will help you lose extensive fat in a week. Though, if you seek complete health, it is the perfect option for you.

In this age of race and competition, what we continuously aim at is achieving a balance. That is what yoga teaches us; to balance, not only through physical postures, but throughout several facets in our life. According to Patanjali, yoga is 'Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha', or the cessation of mental fluctuations. Calming the mind is what yoga is all about. So, gym or yoga? Which is better? Let's find out.

Why Yoga is Good For You

Tones the Body and Mind: Going to the gym mostly trains only the physique. It strengthens the muscles and makes the body sturdy and well-built. Yoga, on the other hand, tones the body as well as the mind. Flexibility is attained when you practice different asanas (postures); these make you lean. But yoga is not merely about the asanas, as it also includes various breathing practices that ensure a healthy and peaceful mind.

No Equipment Needed: Except for the fact that you must be awake, yoga requires no preparation or any heavy equipment for a workout. It can be practised anywhere. All you need is perhaps a mat (a carpet works too). That is definitely affordable.

No Risk of Injuries: Another point where yoga wins over training in the gym is that it is free from any risks of physical injury. You do not have the chance of accidentally hurting yourself because you lifted weights, or because you were in an uncomfortable position. In yoga, you move and stretch with ease, and only where you can.

Improves Metabolism: Metabolism refers to the chemical processes within our body that break down matter (food) to produce energy components like proteins. Digestion is an important element of metabolism. Yoga improves your digestive system. If you do not feel hunger, you would start to, or if you tend to overeat, you would begin to cut down on some comfort food.

Non-competitive: The environment in a gym is different, where you tend to compare yourself with the people around you. How much faster, how much better than others can I do, is the goal while you are walking on a treadmill or in an aerobics session. You tend to simply follow the group in a gym routine. On the contrary, yoga requires you to focus on yourself, no one else matters. You may be a little bulkier than others, but the shape of your body is not important here.

A Stress Buster: After a heavy workout at the gym, you may experience fatigue and tiredness. Alternatively, with yoga, which mostly ends with a few minutes of breathing and meditation, you don't experience that. It is a powerful stress buster, as it heals you from both, the outside and inside.

Healthy Eating Habits: A routine in the gym may make you feel hungry after exercise, and also stressed out at times. You may end up consuming as much calories as you burned, or even more. The goodness of yoga lies in that it naturally directs you to healthy dietary habits. You tend to eat at the right times, and the right quantities of highly nutritious foods.

Breathing Connects the Mind and Body: Mindfulness, being in the present and introspection occurs, of course, when one practises yoga. Any change in our emotions alters our breathing pattern. So, our breath is the only powerful tool to control our emotions that further helps us maintain a healthy body. We learn about our body through a variety of postures. The mind-body union, which is the basic underlying concept of 'yoga' also, improves memory and the ability to concentrate.

Saves Time and Money: One of the simplest reasons of why yoga is good is that it saves a lot of time and money. You need not waste your time in travelling to the gym, nor adjusting yourself to the gym timings. Also, the fees you pay to get in shape seem a waste when you again put on weight, because you discontinued the exercise. Yoga saves you all that trouble.

Physical exercise combined with meditation inculcates happiness and peace within. So, especially today, when most of the stress is mental and psychological, yoga provides a better way to find your own self, and accept it happily.