Do you realize that you could be feeling stress without even realizing it? It's true! Many people fail to recognize the signs of stress and mistakenly believe they are handling all of the stressors of life without a problem. Therefore, it is important to be able to recognize the signs of stress and, more importantly, to know how you can relieve yourself from it.



Recognizing Stress

There are many signs of stress that you should look out for, with many of them being physical. If you are experiencing unexplained ulcers, heartburn, headaches, or hives, you may be undergoing a great deal of stress. Other physical signs include pain in the shoulder, back, and neck, muscle tension, and high blood pressure.

If you are under a great deal of stress, you might also experience irritable bowel syndrome, unexplained weight loss or gain, panic attacks, or irregular heartbeat. You might also become more susceptible to colds and or to the flu or you might deal with unexplained dental problems.

Insomnia, fatigue, depression, and irritability are all signs of stress, as are cold or hot flashes, difficulty with concentration, and sudden mood swings.

Stress Causes

There are many things that can cause you to feel stressed out. These include:

? Abuse

? Birth of a child

? Crime

? Death

? Drug or alcohol abuse

? Financial worries

? Illness (self or family member)

? Job change

? Moving

? Poverty

? Relationship difficulties

? School

? Sexual changes (impotence, menopause)

? Weather

Dealing with Stress

There are several things you can do to help deal with stress. Taking a nice vacation can be a start and provide short term relief, but it is best to find a method for stress relief that can be used on a day to day basis. Three great ways to relieve stress include meditation, yoga, and Tai Chi.

With meditation, you focus all of your thoughts on a single word, phrase, or object in order to clear your mind of all other thoughts. By tuning out the outside sounds and sights, you can find true relaxation. Often, it takes several meditation sessions to learn how to do it successfully. But, once you master the concept, it won't take long for you to feel relaxed and refreshed after even just a few minutes of meditation.

Yoga is another great method for relieving stress. This specialized form of exercise also helps tone your muscles at the same time. By using these specialized stretches and body poses, as well as the unique breathing methods, you will increase the flow of oxygen to your body and help your body work in a more efficient manner.

A third way to find relaxation is to learn Tai Chi, which is an ancient form of martial arts practiced by the Chinese. These slow moving movements are combined with deep breathing exercises, which aid in reducing stress as well as helping your body become more flexible and balanced.