These are hard times. People are experiencing record stress levels. They are finding it hard to cope with a variety of anxiety-inducing issues.
But many people are getting inclined towards natural remedies to overcome these problems. Instead of resorting to prescription drugs and popping pills, they have begun to seek natural alternatives for controlling stress and anxiety.
The popularity if relaxing therapies like yoga, massage and Reiki have seen an upsurge during the past few years as people struggle to cope with a range of stresses and mental (and physical as well) burdens. Not only have people benefitted from them for treating stress but they have also helped in the overall improvement of health.
Massage therapy, which was primarily used by women, has found a good number of male patrons. Regular massage can do wonders to your body. It can help improve blood circulation, lessen chronic anxiety, promote natural healing processes, relieve muscle tension and lower blood pressure. By regular massage we mean a massage session once or twice a month.
Originating in the ancient India, Yoga refers to a set of traditional physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines. It is an excellent stress-relieving practice that tones the body and bestows great fitness benefits. It is particularly helpful in managing stress and its good results can be observed even long after the sessions as it helps master deep breathing. If you are able to control you respiration during stressful times, the impact of anxiety on the heart and other body functions is eased. Yoga has also been found to be extremely beneficial in lowering of blood pressure, mood upliftment, boosting immunity and gastrointestinal health.
Exercise, in general, is an excellent antidote to anxiety. Multiple studies have pointed out that regular aerobic exercise can reduce levels of cortisol, the notorious stress hormone which is circulated in the blood stream. While exercises reduce the levels of bad hormones, they help in escalating the levels of feel-good hormones such as serotonin. During anxiety, the levels of serotonin drop down significantly. Exercises can come to our rescue in such cases. Increasing the circulation of such natural chemicals in the body greatly enhances our capacity to deal with situations of distress. The simple act of aerobic activity can be a good way to vent your frustration.
Reiki is another natural practice which has acquired popularity in the last few years. It originated in Japan and is a healing and relaxing therapy in which the practitioner transfers his healing power to the patient through light touch on affected body parts. Reiki is mainly used for treating physical ailments but is often used a relaxation and meditation therapy.
