Search Results for: stress

December 1, 2023 By Satish Kurapaty 1 Comment

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO OVERCOME STRESS

There is no escape from stress. Stress has become an inseparable part of urban lifestyle. Research studies across the world continually uncover new ways in which stress can negatively impact both the physical health and emotional health of a person. With so much at stake, shouldn’t we learn how to battle and overcome stress?

Not only depression and anxiety are associated with Stress, people with excessive stress seldom respond to treatments. This increases their vulnerability to common ailments like the flu, common cold and even heart diseases.

Now that you know how bad stressing over that deadline can be for you, here are 5 simple and easy ways that will empower you to beat stress:

Spend time with yourself – Stay away from your smartphone/computer/tablet and spend some time with yourself. The reason behind your stress can be an overload of information that happens as a result of being constantly connected with the world through your devices. Ensure you make time for yourself; even a 10 minute break where you switch off all devices and spend some quality time enjoying nothing but the silence will help you feel more stress-free at the end of the day.

Stop stressing over stress – A little bit of stress can actually do you some good. A small amount of stress can be the trigger that pushes you to the optimum level of productivity. It’s just stressing to the point that you’re always stressed out which does you harm.

Take relaxing baths – Most of us feel better after a hot bath. It relaxes sore and tired muscles and takes away the stress. It’s been discovered that a bath washes away negative thoughts and feelings like remorse, post-decision doubt, and guilt. So go ahead and spend some extra time soaking in hot bath/shower and you will feel more relaxed.

Follow your passions – It just cannot be that you do not have any passion or hobby. In the busy schedules that we have one often forgets that they have a hobby that they can pursue. Pursuing your hobbies can do more than just build your skill set. It also helps you beat stress. Pursue activities those are enjoyable and stimulating to the brain. This will only uplift your mood and even lowers blood pressure levels.

It could be cooking, playing, painting or listening to music doing something you are passionate about.

Make time to exercise – Believe it or not, more often than not your stress is a result of frustration. And exercising is the best way to channel all anger and frustration in to doing something constructive. It also releases serotonin in the body that uplifts your mood, makes you feel energized and keeps the harmful impacts of stress at bay.

Believe me, it’s not that hard to beat stress. As long as you keep in mind that the goal is to still all inner ‘chatter’ and focus on unwinding and relaxing. It doesn’t always have to be yoga and meditation; simple fun activities that you enjoy doing are just as effective in battling stress. The key to stay stress-free is to experiment, explore and be open to new ideas that could quiet your mind and make you deal with your problems more effectively.

If this article helped you, let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can find more articles and techniques to beat stress here. You can also reach out to a GOQii Coach for expert guidance by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

July 12, 2023 By Divya Thampi Leave a Comment

Three Powerful Relaxation Techniques For Immediate Relief From Stress

Tight deadlines, erratic working hours and sometimes being unable to manage the work-life balance can take a toll on your health. There are many factors that contribute to stress and if you find yourself feeling sad, anxious, angry, confused or scared without explanation, you are not alone. The specific reasons for stress are as varied as the people themselves but there’s hardly anyone who can escape the clutches of stress. How does one remain grounded and feel a sense of equanimity? Here’s help!

Powerful Relaxation Techniques You Can Practice

Following are three go-to relaxation techniques that therapists use to help their clients relax. Not all techniques may work for everyone but at least one of these should work for you.

1. Progressive Muscle relaxation

This exercise is very effective in lowering stress levels and can also reduce physical problems like headaches or stomachaches that accompany feelings of stress. This practice also improves sleep. When you are stressed your muscles tighten without your conscious awareness. Regular practice of PMR helps you to become aware of the difference between a tensed muscle and a completely relaxed muscle, thus improving your ability to recognize your bodily response to anxiety and mitigate it.

Sit down on a chair with a backrest such that you are sitting erect but not tensed.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Once you breath slows down, progressively tighten one muscle group (neck and shoulders or upper arm and lower arm) at a time for about 10-15 seconds.
Once the time is up, release the tension in the muscles completely with a long exhalation and observe the sensation in the relaxed muscles.
Continue this with each muscle group from head to feet.
You could do this 2-3 times a day and even before going to bed.
Avoid doing this with any part where there is a sprain or other injury.

2. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Also known as belly breathing, it is the optimal way of breathing as it actively engages your diaphragm. Belly breathing leads to improved oxygen flow to the rest of the body. This kind of breathing triggers a relaxation response by stimulating the vagus nerve, the longest nerve emanating from the brain. This nerve has a significant role to play in reducing blood pressure, heart rate, improving calmness, relaxation, and digestion. When engaging in breath based meditations most people practice belly breathing. Chest breathing is something we learned to do as a reaction to stress. For belly breathing, follow these steps:

Sit comfortably or lie flat on your bed or any other comfortable surface and relax your shoulders.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Breathe in through your nose for 2-10 seconds (according to your capacity).
Feel the cool air moving through your nostrils into your abdomen, making your stomach inflate. During this type of breathing, make sure your stomach is moving outward while your chest remains relatively still.
Press gently on your stomach, and exhale slowly for about 2-10 seconds.
With every exhalation you will notice the stomach deflate under your palm
Repeat these steps several times and observe your body relax.

3. Guided Imagery

This is a focused practice that involves all or most of the 5 senses, to kindle calming responses in the mind and the body. Guided imagery uses imagination to take one to a calm, peaceful place, internally. This is a powerful tool that has a positive impact on blood pressure, breathing, oxygenation and heart rate. It can reduce pain and also improve the healing process of the body and mind. Our body reacts the same whether we experience something in reality or imagine it. So when you imagine yourself sitting in a beautiful green meadow and watching a clear stream of water flow over smoothened rocks, your body responds as if you were actually in the meadow.

Sit down or lie down comfortably and close your eyes.
Take a few deep breaths to help you relax.
Imagine a scene that is calm and peaceful. This could be a beach, a meadow, a valley, the mountains or a riverside, according to your preference.
Visualise the scene and slowly add some details, like a gentle breeze, fragrance of the grass, gurgling sound of water or the chirping of birds. Is the sky a clear blue or do you see fluffy white clouds?
It helps to visualise you walking through the scene and experiencing the beauty and serenity using all your senses.
And as you walk through the scene and go deeper you feel more and more relaxed.
Continue to breathe slowly and experience the sense of peace that envelops your body and mind. Think of a word or sound that you can use in the future to help you mentally return to this place.
When you feel ready, gently bring yourself back to the present. Tell yourself that you will feel relaxed and refreshed when this is done and slowly open your eyes. Notice how you feel right now.
You could also use a recorded guided imagery audio, which is generally available on many of the free versions of meditation apps.

If these techniques helped you, let us know in the comments below! Find more articles to help you manage stress here. For further guidance on managing stress and lifestyle, speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching.

#BeTheForce

June 6, 2023 By Sunita Arora 3 Comments

Deep Breathing Techniques to Help You Beat Stress

Picture this: You’re sitting at your desk, tackling mountains of paperwork and crunching numbers on Excel like a keyboard wizard. Just when you thought you had it all under control, bam! You’re summoned to a meeting and bombarded with even more projects. Your desk is now drowning in a sea of paperwork, and you find yourself juggling tasks like a stressed-out circus performer. Deadlines loom ominously, and stress levels skyrocket. It’s like being trapped in a never-ending desk nightmare. Yikes! But fear not, for there is a simple solution to vanquish stress in this chaotic scenario: Deep Breathing!

Deep breathing is the secret weapon you’ve been searching for, and it doesn’t require any fancy equipment or a specific time and place. It’s a stress-busting technique that works wonders! When you take a moment to breathe deeply, your brain sends signals to your body, coaxing it to relax. By incorporating deep breathing into your routine, you can reap all the incredible benefits it has to offer.

What Are These Magical Benefits?

Zen-like Calm: Deep breathing has the power to soothe your mind and nervous system. You can literally feel the stress melt away!
Oxygen Boost: Ah, sweet oxygen! Deep breathing helps you take in more of this life-giving gas, nourishing your body and brain.
Heart Party: Your heart deserves some love, and deep breathing delivers. It lowers your heart rate, respiratory rates, and blood pressure, giving your ticker a much-needed break.
Sleepy Time: Need to catch some Z’s? Deep breathing is your go-to sandman. It helps you drift off to dreamland, soothes your muscles, and even speeds up your meditation mojo.
Stress Ninja: When tension strikes during exams, interviews, or dreaded deadlines, deep breathing comes to the rescue. Consider it your trusty stress-busting sidekick.
Energy Flow: Deep breathing helps clean and rejuvenate your body’s energy channels, like a refreshing spa day for your inner chi. It keeps your heating and cooling cycles in check, so you can stay balanced and invigorated.
Breath of Fresh Air: Say goodbye to shortness of breath! Deep breathing prevents pesky air from getting trapped in your lungs, making you feel refreshed, centered, and ready to take on the world.

Now that you’re armed with this knowledge, let’s dive into two simple yet effective deep breathing exercises.

1. Simple Abdominal Breathing Exercise

Feeling anxious? No problem! Try this relaxation technique that you can perform anywhere, anytime – standing, sitting, or lying down.

To practice this technique, you need to:

Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Your abdomen should expand and your chest should rise slightly.
Exhale slowly through your mouth. As you blow the air out, purse your lips slightly, but keep your jaw relaxed. You may hear a soft “whooshing” sound as you exhale.
Repeat this breathing exercise for several minutes.

Begin with just 5 minutes. If you feel 5 minutes are too long, you can start with just 2 minutes. Increase the time when you begin finding it easier and comfortable. You can practice this multiple times a day.

2. Equal Breathing

Now, let’s take deep breathing to the next level with some equal breathing magic. This technique focuses on inhales and exhales of the same duration, usually between 3 and 5 counts. Once you’ve mastered it, you can do it during yoga, or even while conquering your daily activities.

To practice this technique:

Take a comfortable seated position and breathe in and out through your nose only.
Count during each inhale and exhale to make sure they are even in duration. Alternatively, choose a word or short phrase to repeat during each inhale and exhale.
You can take a slight pause after each inhale and exhale if you feel comfortable (normal breathing involves a natural pause).
Continue practicing this breathing technique for at least 5 minutes and you can increase the duration up to 10-15 minutes.

So there you have it! Deep breathing is your ticket to a calmer, more relaxed you. Remember, stress may try to trap you at your desk, but with these breathing exercises in your arsenal, you’ll be the master of stress, deadlines, and paperwork mayhem. Take a deep breath and let the relaxation flow through your veins like a cool breeze on a sunny day. You’ve got this!

#BeTheForce

March 4, 2023 By GOQii 1 Comment

India Is Still Stressed Says GOQii’s Annual India Fit Report 2022-2023

With the pandemic far behind us and life returning to normal, you would have thought that stress levels would reduce but unfortunately, that is not the case. Through a survey conducted among 10k+ Indians, to understand how Indians are coping post-COVID and if stress levels have increased or decreased, we found that stress still continues to plague Indians. Since 2021, the overall percentage of people suffering from stress has gone up.

Why Is India Still Stressed?

The current work environment globally and in India has been quite stressful. From tech companies to startups, employee layoffs have become a daily affair. The problem of over-hiring, cost pressures and funding challenges are all posing problems for companies and especially start ups. The current work environment and financial instability are the top 2 major factors impacting the stress levels of Indians

26% of Indians are stressed due to their current work situation and 17% due to financial instability. 14% are stressed due to Relationship troubles. The current work environment has become stressful with long working hours, lack of job security, low wages, and growing competition.

Since last year, job losses, pay cuts and mental health issues have become more common. With the economy in a state of flux, many people are worried about their future prospects. People are unable to deal with or find ways to tackle the situation. This has led to a lot of anxiety and stress.

Are Women Stressed More?

Our gender study showed that women are more stressed than men. Compared to 2021, we see that stress levels among women has increased from 25% to 27% in 2022.

Some of the key reasons attributed include pressure to balance family, work and health issues. Gender inequality is a major contributor to the higher stress levels among women in India. Despite advances in education and economic opportunities, women are still not treated as equals to men in many spheres, including in the workplace, in decision-making roles, and in the home. This lack of equality causes them to feel undervalued and leads to higher levels of stress. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and stress.

Women in India often face pressure to balance their responsibilities at home and at work. Women are often seen as the primary caregivers in many households, and they can face considerable pressure to take care of their families while also succeeding in their careers. This can lead to overwhelming levels of stress.

Speaking about the study, our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal said, “Our study indicates that the current economic and financial instability is creating unprecedented stress among people who are struggling to stay afloat in a rapidly changing world. The mounting uncertainty is the basis of the high stress levels which can be controlled with a balanced diet, changes in lifestyle and appropriate sleep patterns. We at GOQii believe that preventive healthcare is the future and the only viable, long-term solution given the huge load on the healthcare system in India. Stress & Mental health has a huge impact on physical health and overall quality of life, hence addressing it sooner with a healthy and wholesome lifestyle is the only way ahead.”

To know more about how stress is affecting Indians and the severity of stress levels in India, download the India Fit Report 2022-2023 here.

If you’ve been feeling stressed and want to learn how to manage stress, click here or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO OVERCOME STRESS

Deep Breathing Techniques to Help You Beat Stress

What Are These Magical Benefits?

1. Simple Abdominal Breathing Exercise

2. Equal Breathing

India Is Still Stressed Says GOQii’s Annual India Fit Report 2022-2023

Why Is India Still Stressed?

Are Women Stressed More?

What’s Your Excuse?

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Prioritizing Health: Kuntal Goswami’s Post-Pandemic Pursuit of Wellness

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