The standard massage treatment has flourished recently to include much more specific treatments concentrating on various areas of the body. You may not be aware that there is most probably a massage treatment for your particular ailment.

Swedish massage therapy: This is the most common type to be offered by masseurs because it is very gentle and relaxing. The masseuse will use long strokes, kneading and circular movements on superficial layers of muscle using massage lotion or oil. The result is a refreshed, calm and renewed feeling for the body.

Aromatherapy: The reason why it is called such is because one or more scented plant oils are used during the session. During the session, you will select the oil you want to use. In fact, the most popular one is lavender as it is well suited for stress related conditions together with an emotional component.

Hot stone massage: Heated smooth stones are placed on certain parts of the body to help loosen those tight muscles and balance energy points in the body. At times, the masseuse may also apply gentle pressure especially for those who have muscle tension.

Deep tissue massage: The massage technique is specifically designed to target the deep layers of body muscle and connective tissue. Here, the masseuse will use slow strokes better known as friction techniques across the grain of the muscle. The distinctive feature of deep tissue massage is that it is used on those that have chronically tight or painful muscles, repetitive strain, postural problems and recovery from injury. You will often feel sore for the next day or two.

Shiatsu: This massage therapy originated from Japan. Here, the masseuse will use localised finger pressure in a rhythmic sequence on acupuncture meridians. Each point is held for 2 to 8 second designed to improve the flow of energy and help the body regain balance. Those who have tried it say that it is relaxing yet firm. The best part is that there is no soreness afterwards.

Thai: This is similar to Shiatsu because it aligns the energies of the body using gentle pressure on specific points. Part of the session also includes compressions and stretches as you are moved in a variety of postures just like yoga but in this case, you don't do anything except go with the flow.

Pregnancy: For women that are expecting, they can opt for a specialist pregnancy massage. The benefits it was designed for are the relief of aches and pains, reduce swelling, relieve stress and reduce the ailments of anxiety and depression.

Reflexology: The can also be known as foot massage as the procedure involves applying pressure to parts of the foot. It is believed that the foot in fact corresponds to certain body organs and systems so if this is worked on therefore the whole body will benefit.

Sports: This is designed for people involved in sports activities. This type is designed not only for professional athletes but anyone involved in sport since it helps prevent and treat physical injuries.

Back & Neck: Unlike reflexology that focuses on the feet because it represents special points in the body, this one simply relieves tension in the back and neck caused by lifting heavy objects or driving for long periods of time.

By: Michael Tasker
What if you could you could heal, improve, relieve, relax, even arouse just with the power of your hands? The beneficial effects of the various massage therapies available are too often ignored as a natural method of easing common ailments Discover how you can harness the power of your hands and be able to massage with confidence at http://www.massagedvd.info.

When anxiety attacks you unexpectedly you are caught unawares and put in a spot where you really don't know what to do to stop anxiety. As much as it is really handy to call people and rely on support, where possible, it is always handy to be prepared and armed with tips to combat anxiety - it helps you deal with anxiety in a prepared manner.

Here are some tips that you can try straightaway:

1. Stop whatever it is you are doing, become completely present to whatever it is that is happening to you. Find the nearest comfortable spot and sit down. Pretend you are a very limp and lifeless rag and let your arms and legs hang really loose. Slowly, expel the air from the the pit of your stomach.

Slowly, very slowly inhale air through your lungs until it reaches your abdomen. Do this a few times.

Lots of times, lack of oxygen can trigger off anxiety symptoms or a resemblance of anxiety symptoms.

This should help you in relieving anxiety. Plenty of times not breathing in properly, especially in the abdomen area can create similar symptoms of anxiety.

2. If you are at home when you feel an anxiety attack coming on, indulge in a soothing and relaxing bath. This should help in relieving anxiety. Warm water has healing and calming properties and invariably you come out feeling much more relaxed. Include soap bubbles and aromatherapy oils if they are handy. Even a warm shower can help overcome anxiety.

3. Keep a bottle of pure chamomile aromatherapy oil. When you need to control anxiety, just open the bottle and inhale the aroma from the bottle. Chamomile has very calming and soothing properties and should help you to overcome anxiety and earn a good night's sleep.

4. Try basic natural energy healing techniques. One of the simplest and basic things you can do for yourself is lie down comfortably. Rub your energy point in the middle of both your palms with your thumbs, rub the tips of your fingers and visualise a calming light blue healing energy flowing through your palms and finger tips. Rest your palms on your abdomen and visualise that the healing energy is melting away the anxious energy in your abdomen. Visualise yourself having overcome anxiety and feeling very relaxed and calm.

5. Living in the present moment can be the most powerful way of dealing with anxiety. Lots of times, we indulge in the negative past memories or we catastrophise the future or want to get rid of our current feelings of anxiety. None of these help. Think of it this way, this is what we have always done in the past and it has not helped you - if anything, it could possible have led you to the current anxiety situation. However, if you experience the feeling, be with it, and simply observe - it can disappear. Usually, feelings and thoughts are transient and have a short span of life. Sometimes the feeling that is being watched - simply disappears. Before you know it, you would have overcome anxiety.

6. Simple Physical Exercises can help you significantly in relieving anxiety. If committing to fitness regimes in a gym seems formidable, at least make the effort to go out for a walk regularly, even 15 minutes a day can do the trick. Physical activity certainly releases endorphins in the brain that makes you feel calm and uplifted.

7. Draw your anxiety - you certainly do not have to have pretty pictures or a professional artist. Keep a stack of colour pens/pencils/crayons. Express yourself in colours. Your anxiety may look like a grey cloud, or an angry black dog, or a brown rock or just a grey rough ocean. Whatever, it feels like just draw the first picture that appears in your head. The beauty of this is, having completed the drawing of your current state of mind - you can change that state of mind - by simply changing the drawing to something cheery - a sunshine filled flower patch, a simple smiley face, a huge cat chasing the anxiety down the road etc. Drawing actually interrupts your thoughts and can be used as an external tool to direct your thoughts towards sunshine, energy and cheerfulness. Try it for what it is worth!!

However, do not forget to ensure you seek professional help to talk through your problems.

By: Vidhya Raghavan
The author is an experienced trainer/facilitator and coach based in Melbourne and has over 15 years experience in coaching people out of anxiety. She is also an author who has recently published an e-book "How To Overcome Anxiety in 7 Days Or Less". For more information, please visit http://www.howtoovercomeanxiety.com.

Oil aromatherapy is a popular method used by many to reduce stress and scent the interior air of your home with a pleasant flower or herbal fragrance. There are a wide variety of aromatherapy oils available, lending themselves to a plethora of different purposes. You will find aromatherapy essential oils available as or used in essential oil blends, massage oils, hand and body lotions, flower waters, as well as in herbal bags designed for use in your clothes dryer.

Oil blends utilizing aromatherapy oils are readily available for your use in an aromatherapy diffuser and other types of aromatherapy products. The key to getting the most scent out of your oil aromatherapy is to heat the oil, and in order to do that you will want to use some type of aromatherapy diffuser. You can apply heat to your aromatherapy essential oils by using a candle, a light bulb, or an electric heater. A light bulb diffuser is a hollow ring that fits over the top of a light bulb. You put a few drops of oil in the ring, and then turn on the light to begin heating the oil and releasing its pleasant aroma. This option takes up practically no room, yet can effectively scent a room. A candle diffuser places a shallow basin above a tea light. These aromatherapy products are highly decorative and function as both a useful and attractive room accessory.

Other aromatherapy supplies you might want to keep on hand include massage oils. Vegetable oils are combined with aromatherapy essential oils to create an oil perfectly suited for your next massage session, yet can also be added to your bath for a luxuriously scented soak.

Hand and body lotions can also contain fragrant essential oils. These wonderful lotions smooth your skin and moisturize it if it is feeling dry and flaky. At the same time, you will also enjoy the fresh scent of the essential oil, which may help to lift your mood and improve your emotions. Unscented lotions are also available, so that you can add your choice of essential oils and make your own custom fragrance lotion.

If you prefer a lighter fragrance, then you might enjoy flower water. A combination of distilled water and essential oils, it is a subtle way to add fragrance to your body, your bath or any room in your home or office.

Oil aromatherapy, used in conjunction with appropriate aromatherapy supplies such as light bulb or candle diffusers, will make a sensational way to add fragrance to your life.

By: Anne Harvester
Anne Harvester is a homemaker extraordinaire with years of experience in crafts and homemade gifts. She provides tips for home made gifts using aromatherapy oils.

Cortisol is a chemical substance produced by the adrenal glands. When the levels of cortisol in the blood stream become high the HPA axis feedback mechanism turns off the corticotrophin-releasing hormone. This is a signal for the brain and adrenal glands to decrease the production of cortisol. Under continuous periods of stress this feedback system becomes ineffective once it becomes stuck in the fight or flight mode.

Some amount of cortisol in the blood stream is essential for life. It is necessary for normal brain, immune, muscle, blood sugar function, and blood circulation. One initial symptom of adrenal fatigue is high levels of cortisol. If the high levels of stress continue and the adrenal glands are deteriorating, it causes a decline in cortisol production.

Cortisol deficiency can cause Addison's disease, which is a potentially fatal illness. Excessive production of cortisol is equally damaging. The Adrenal Stress Index is a saliva test that can determine if your cortisol levels are too high or too low. Too much cortisol can cause abdominal obesity, high blood sugar,muscle wasting, bone loss, immune shutdown, brain (hippocampus) atrophy, poor wound healing, thin wrinkled skin, fluid retention and hypertension.

High cortisol can cause increased fatigue/decreased energy, irritability, impaired memory, depressed mood, decreased libido, insomnia, anxiety, impaired concentration, crying, restlessness, social withdrawal, and feelings of hopelessness.

Chronically high cortisol may also lead to many diseases like cancer, ulcers, heart attacks, diabetes, infections, alcoholism, strokes, skin diseases, psychosis, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and possibly Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. High Cortisol may contribute to obesity as it causes metabolic disruptions including insulin resistance. It also induces "stress overeating," especially in women.

An Adrenal Stress Index is a simple saliva test with which you can determine if your cortisol levels are too high or too low. For the test you will have to collect saliva samples four times during the day, which determines a diurnal cortisol rhythm. If high cortisol levels or adrenal fatigue is discovered quickly it enhances your chances for recovery from more serious health problems.

Here are a few ways to reduce high cortisol:
1. Use cortisol-reducing supplement
2. Eat at regular intervals throughout the day: Avoid skipping meals, as it will create a cortisol release. 3. Excessive carbohydrate intake creates cortisol release in response to constantly elevated insulin levels. Have complex carbohydrates instead.
4. Utilize stress reduction techniques at peak cortisol times: meditation, self-hypnosis, or simply lying on the floor doing belly breathing for 10-15 minutes can help to reduce stress and thus cortisol levels.
5. Get to bed on time. Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
6. Avoid stimulants: Stay away from energy drinks that contain ephedra-like compounds and caffeine. Stimulants shift the body into sympathetic dominance, or the "fight or flight" mode. Stimulants can also disrupt your sleeping patterns.

By: Valerie Balandra
minute workouts are even better. Valerie Balandra NP is the owner of Integrative Psychiatry a holistic mental health practice that offers adrenal stress testing, supplements, and natural treatment for adrenal fatigue, anxiety, panic attacks, and other stress related problems. For more information on adrenal fatigue and high cortisol visit http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/ad ... tigue.html

Most of us suffer from stress at some level, but can stress really lead to death? The answer might surprise you.

Many people assume that traumatic experiences like the death of a spouse or loved one, buying a home, or losing a job would be the greatest cause for stress. But everyday aggravations might be the biggest cause of all. The repetitive small stresses of things like housework, irritating noise, high gas prices, the rising cost of living, and too many responsibilities can far outweigh that of major traumas.

According to Webster's Dictionary, stress is defined as "strain" or "pressure." When we become stressed, the effect to our physical body is no different. Our body responds to any internal or external stimulus or interference that upsets normal body functions or disturbs mental or physical health.

Our initial response to stressful situations is to be anxious, irritable, and tense. But prolonged stress can develop into diseases that lead to reduced immune response-we are more prone to illness.

Simply stated, stress allows your immune system to fall down on the job. It can heighten your risk of cancer and autoimmune disease, as well as increase your risk of infections. It also increases your possibility of arterial aging, heart disease, stroke, impotence, memory loss, and early wrinkles of the skin.

Stress hormones can alter blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. Also, diabetics under stress may not take proper care of themselves. They might not exercise enough, may drink more alcohol, not eat properly, miss medical appointments, and forget or not find time to check their glucose levels.

Continuous stress can also create a vicious cycle of sleep problems: if you don't sleep, you're even more stressed. And if you're more stressed, you don't sleep. It's a brutal cycle and one of the greatest causes of insomnia.

Chronic stress can also lead to anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders can affect your mental and physical health and well-being.

There are many effective methods to reduce daily stress. Simple stretching in the morning, practicing slow breathing techniques, yoga, meditation, massage, and regular exercise are all positive means of reducing stress.

It's not likely the immediate effect of stress on your body will kill you, but the long-term affects from living under stressful conditions can lead to terminal illness.
Making an effort to moderate or even eliminate the things which cause you stress in your life is the best way to live healthier and happier.

By: Carol Denbow
Carol Denbow is the author of Stress Relief for the Working Stiff, How to Reverse the Embalming Effect. Visit http://www.booksbydenbow.weebly.com to meet the lovable and stresses out character, "Frank."

Stress is a part of daily life. Everyone has stress. Some people appear to have more stress than others. Stress is one way we react to specific events in our life. There are times when you might feel that too much is happening at once and feel overwhelmed. Other times, you feel the pressure of time or a deadline and realize you need to take care of something before it is too late. Having been in a similar situation before will create anxiety. How we perceive a situation will effect how we respond to it. There is good stress and bad stress.

Good stress can be a motivator. Knowing that you have an obligation to address and a timeframe. That type of stressor puts you into action in order to meet a deadline. Or you might be in an unexpected situation where you need to make a split second response in order to avoid danger. This could be slamming your foot on the brake to avoid an accident. Anticipation of a competition or performance will cause tension and nervousness prior to the event. This nervousness is due to an increased flow of adrenaline going through your body. Your body is preparing for the "fight or flight" syndrome. The release of adrenaline prepares your body to take the steps to deal with the situation, including improved focus, strength, stamina and heightened alertness.

People also have bad stress in their lives. Whether we perceive a situation as being stressful or not depends on previous experiences. One person might see being in a multi tasking job as very stressful, feeling overwhelmed and becoming anxious about their work. Another person might find multi tasking enjoyable because they continue to stay busy and time goes by faster. Your body is capable of dealing with stress for short periods of time. When the stress is ongoing i.e. dealing with a divorce or bankruptcy, this can wear a person down. Long term stress contributes to feeling tired, overwhelmed and contributes to lowered immunity.

The body's reactions to stress

Once you view something as being stressful, whether positive or negative, your body reacts to that perception. The response is a survival technique and a defense mechanism. The reaction is referred to as the "fight or flight" response. Either you are going to fight the attacker or you will choose to flee from the threat. This includes increased heart rate and blood pressure, perspiration, hearing and vision become more acute and hands and feet might become colder since blood is being directed to larger muscles in preparation for a fight or to flee. Your body is being prepped to handle the situation. When the threat is over, your body will return to normal.

If your body has difficulty returning to normal, then you would experience stress overload. This is when you stress out too much or have ongoing stress in your life and never get a chance to relax. Pressure in your life might be too intense or go on for too long without a break. People that have experienced trauma are likely to have stress overload. If trauma is not resolved then you might become hypervigilant, a sense of being overly aware of possible danger. You might always be "on guard." Stress overload has an emotional and physical effect on the body. This could include panic attacks, depression, sleep problems, physical pain i.e. headaches and allergies as well as abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Having unresolved trauma will effect your perception. Situations that might not have caused tension prior to the trauma can have the ability to create anxiety after the trauma. Becoming aware of how your perception has changed and seeking support to address the trauma issue can be helpful to reduce ongoing stressors and to reduce anxiety. Seeking counseling that focuses on cognitive perceptions will help to decrease hypervigilance and will help to reduce the likelihood of continuing to be retraumatized. In addition, your body has memory of the event as well. Being able to release that reaction to the memory of the event from your body will help to reduce stress overload and triggers.

Stress and control

Stress is contributed to the desire to be in control. This not only includes control over yourself, but control over other people and your environment. Trying to control others and your environment, however, is impossible. You only have control over your own thoughts and actions. In order to relieve stress and anxiety it is important to let go of trying to control things outside of yourself. We are unable to foresee the future and cannot control what events will happen next. Focusing on future potential problems contributes to anxiety. On the other hand, people are able to prepare for things that might occur and have a plan of how you would like to respond to events. This could be as simple as having a repair kit in your car for getting a flat tire or preparation for an interview and the questions that might be asked during the interview process.

Part of living life is that things always change. Change is normal. How you perceive something will impact how you react to it. This is where the fight or flight reaction occurs. You can decide to be proactive and address the situation. Making a choice to take care of things when they occur. Or you can expend a lot of energy avoiding issues and letting them build. Taking action will actually help to reduce stress and anxiety in the long run. In addition, there will be a feeling of empowerment as you begin to deal with problems as they arise. Trust your intuition and creatively think of all ways you could resolve the issue at hand. Even if you try to tackle a problem and don't succeed, you could then view this as a temporary setback. Review what happened and try to approach it differently. Setbacks can be temporary. Find who your friends are and develop a support system. Another option is to seek counseling in order to have someone that is impartial as part of your support system. You don't have to always take care of problems by yourself. Ask your friends, counselor or other support persons what they think about a situation. They might have ideas that you would not think of on your own. Learning to address problems as they occur will help you to change your perception of things from problems to challenges. Doing so will continue to help you build your sense of self esteem and empowerment. Identifying challenges as they occur, developing a plan to deal with the challenge, asking others for their point of view, taking action and keeping focus on the goal you are working toward will help to strengthen your resiliency.

Steps to reduce stress

Each one of us is a unique individual and we all have different experiences throughout our lives that affect our perception. What might be a stressful event for one person, might not be viewed as stressful for someone else. In addition, some activities are more stressful than others. Self care including eating well and getting enough sleep are important for stress reduction. Making time for doing activities that are relaxing is preventative to reducing stress overload. Relaxation is important, but there is no one right way to relax. Some people find that sleeping or going to the beach is relaxing. Others choose to be involved in an enjoyable activity or hobby as a way of relaxing. The goal is to find an activity that allows you to escape from everyday worries and problems. There is no right way to do that. Relieving stress can be done by meditation, exercise or doing an activity. Making the time to care for yourself is a priority that helps to reduce stress overload.

As you focus on making positive change in your life that will help to reduce stress and anxiety, be forgiving of yourself if you don't resolve your problems immediately. Being critical of yourself is very easy to do, especially when people close to you have been critical of you for a long period of time. That critical voice can be very loud when you don't get it right the first time. A suggestion is a positive response to the changes you are trying to make and to be forgiving of yourself when things don't go perfectly as planned. These are some suggestions that might work or to come up with your own.

"As things develop, I will, through listening to guidance from my unconscious, adapt to changing circumstances and grow with them."

"I may not get what I want when I want it; I trust that things will work out in their own good time, for my ultimate benefit, as long as I remain calm and peaceful."

"I may not get what I want at all, and yet, in remaining calm and attentive, I may discover something else that I need even more than what I thought I wanted."

How you perceive a situation will affect how you respond. Whether you choose to address the issue or to avoid it. If you have a negative perception then you are more likely to experience anxiety and not be able to effectively take care of the problem. This will then reinforce that you have no control over the outcome and reinforce the perception of being helpless. On the other hand, a positive perception will help you to find a way to deal with the challenge you are presented with.

If you choose to take responsibility for your feelings and actions then you are more likely to have a positive outcome. This will reinforce the sense of resiliency and empowerment. Breaking old patterns of behavior is difficult, especially when trying to do it by yourself. Being willing to look at yourself and to identify changes you would like to make takes a lot of energy and time. The more effort you put into making a positive lifestyle change, the greater the feeling of accomplishment you will experience. Develop a support system, whether family, friends or a counselor. Having someone that helps you to make positive change will increase the likelihood that the change will be long term instead of temporary.

By: Loren Fogelman
Read more articles written by Loren Fogelman at http://www.kolpiacounseling.com

If you had to find a single best, one-size-fits-all solution to reduce stress, it has to be laughter. Laughter is the purest form of human expression that transcends all ages, castes, creeds, religions and other differences.

Time and again, research has shown that laughter is the best medicine. It lowers your blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, and boosts your immune system. These, as you might know, are characteristics of a stress free body. Laughter is a natural killer of stress because it loosens the body and makes you feel carefree.

The most important thing that laughter does to you is causing movement. It makes you shake, move and giggle. This helps relax the body and releases endorphins - the natural painkillers in the body. Combine this with the greater intake and use of oxygen in the body and you have the perfect recipe for relaxation and stress reduction.

Stress and anxiety can easily be cured through laughter. And you don't even have to laugh loudly, even a smile works wonders. When you get up in the morning, make it a habit to smile a big grin that brighten ups your face. Think of nothing, just smile. Now, get out of your bed and start your day. You'll never feel stressed throughout the day.

People often ask how to relieve stress and look for some magic pill that can help cure them. We often overlook the magic pill that's in use since we were born - laughter. Laughter will not only help you manage stress, it will make you a happy and gleeful person overall - someone people would love to hang out with.

I usually read up a joke book and laugh at even the stupidest joke inside it just to get my mind off stress. You may rent some comedy movies (there's a whole plethora of them) or join a laughter club or even start one yourself. You can visit a comic show or just hang out with friends cracking jokes. The key is to take a break from the normal thought processes of the brain and find inner peace.

So laugh - louder and more often because it will make you feel light, alive and healthy. And you'll not even know where the stress went all of a sudden. Make it a point to laugh at least three times daily until it takes the form of a habit. Remember, the world's only free medicine is laughter so use it plenty.

By: Sagar Mehta
Learn more about the signs of stress and how you can manage stress easily at http://www.howtofightstress.com

Music can be a great tool to help you relax and get rid of the day to day stresses that effect you. It is such a powerful tool that there are even music therapy courses that focus specifically on the subject. For the casual user, it is important to ensure that you choose the right kind of music though to get the most benefit from it.

Many people may believe that loud or fast paced music is not good for relaxation but this is not necessarily true. It could be that you enjoy heavy metal music and that after a dull and boring day working in an office job, getting home and listening to a vibrant track by your favorite artist may be just the thing you need to help you forget the stresses of the day and focus your mind on something else.

Music can bring back both good and unhappy memories so it's best to avoid anything that may remind you of an upsetting or distressing situation. For example, if you remember a track from a friend's funeral then you may associate the feelings that go with that. Focus instead on music that brings back happy thoughts for you.

As well as the more mainstream and contemporary albums available you can also buy CDs that are designed specifically to bring on a relaxed state of mind. This tracks tend to have rhythms that bring your mind into a state of deep relaxation and are popular with anyone who practices yoga or meditation. They can be good for helping you drift off to sleep if you are suffering from insomnia.

The great thing about music for relaxation is that it does not stop you from performing other activities at the same time. There is no reason why you can't simply carry on with some of those chores or tasks you need to accomplish about the home at the same time.

You can use music to wake you up in the morning if you have an alarm clock with a radio or even better, with a cd player built in. You can also listen to music on the way to and from work in the car. This can help relax you for the work day ahead and minimize any stresses you may feel on the road.

So the next time you have some tasks ahead that you feel will cause you some stress, try to see if there is a way you can incorporate music into it to help you relax more.

By: David G Johnston
If you would like to get more information on how to get the best stress relief, then please visit our information resources site at http://www.beststressanxietyrelief.com where you can find articles and links to similar topics on the subject.