Staying "grounded" when your head is running away with you...

Many times in life, our thoughts get muddled together and we find our head running away with our emotions. Anxiety, depression and chronic stress become a part of our lifestyles.

After a while, those stresses become overwhelming and we look to quiet ourselves with varied substances.

Self-medication becomes the "simple solution" - but then our solution NEVER ends up being as easy as we thought and our "simple solution" soon becomes our major problem.

So what can we do to help reduces those uncomfortable stressors that make life seem unbearable. The solution is a simple one - and it requires no medications and no "mood altering" substances.

Here are ten "quick fire" methods to ease stress and reduce tension...

1. Exercise - a quick run, dynamic stretching or doing an activity like basketball, boxing or soccer can help release endorphins and reduce the stress hormone, cortisol.

2. Animals - petting or playing with a pet for as little as 10 minutes has been shown to reduce cortisol production dramatically in stressful situations.

3. Hug it out - just like petting animals can reduce cortisol production and stress, the safety and security represented by a long, supportive hug can be equally effective in stressful situations.

4. Stop to smell the Roses - actually Lavender, Chamomile, Lemon or Sandalwood, as well. All are great for creating a feeling of well-being and relaxation in the body, because of their effect on the hypothalamus and pituitary glands in the brain.

5. Don't tune out, Tune In - listening to soft mellow music like jazz, blues, classical and light instrumental music can induce a relaxing effect. The slower the tempo the more relaxing the effect. Certain natural sounds like rain, waves and thunder can also reduce anxiety and stress in certain people.

6. Just float away - No, actually float away stress. The weightless feeling of floating in water can relax the mind and the body, as well as allow a person to more effectively meditate and reduce their stress. It allows a person to gain an internal focus by reducing external sensory influences.

7. Don't let it eat away at you - Eat away at it !! Nutrition is one of the key elements in reducing stress and maintaining a healthy attitude. Proper levels of B-vitamins, Magnesium, GABA and Glycine in a person's diet has been shown to reduce cortisol production by enhancing serotonin levels.

8. Reduce your caffeine and nicotine intake - Although many people believe smoking and drinking coffee "relaxes" them, they actually have the reverse effect. While caffeine can "boost" a feeling of energy - it also increases cortisol production in the body (a key cause of stress). Nicotine, on the other hand, increases the production of dopamine (the feel good neurotransmitter) - but only for a short timeframe. The result is a drop in dopamine levels which creates an anxiety (or craving) for more nicotine. In essence, the individual goes through a series of nicotine withdrawal symptoms within an hour of smoking.

9. We're almost finished so take a deep breath - Really, take a deep breath !! Diaphragmatic breathing (or belly breathing) allows you to be able to take deeper, more controlled breaths. This breathing practices actually slows the heart rate and give the body a feeling of relaxation as more oxygen flows easily to more parts of your body.

10. So let's get started - really get started on tasks. Procrastination causes us to have to rush through our projects and causes undue stress and anxiety. When we have a deadline for a project (whether real or imagined) - we create stress for ourselves in attaining our goals. The quicker we get started and complete the project, the more time we have to sit back, relax and feel accomplished in our tasks. Feeling rushed because we procrastinated only leads to additional stress and anxiety.

There they are... Ten easy ways to reduce our stress levels and for us to feel more mentally "grounded" and healthy. Stress has the ability to affect us both physically and mentally. The better suited we are to reduce our stress naturally - the less likely we are to chemically quiet our discomfort with other substances.

So now all you need to do is pick your favorite one from the list of nine methods and make certain you follow the Tenth to start to develop more positive ways to relieve your stress and anxieties.

Best of Health to you and your loved ones !!