Stress Busting Techniques
	One of the most effective ways of dealing with stress is to learn how to relax effectively. Here's a brief review of some of the best techniques: The Ten-Minute Chill Out This entails sitting or lying down quietly for ten minutes to clear your head of clutter and fill it instead with pleasant, tranquil thoughts. You shouldn't read, or watch TV, or walk around. Just be - and let your mind drift. Orgasm People don't often say this in polite company, but there are few things more relaxing in life than the aftermath of an orgasm. It doesn't cost anything, and you don't even need to do it with anyone else - so don't go having unsuitable sex with any old bod just to get rid of your tension! The post-orgasmic phase makes you tranquil and soporific and it should also remove all the knots of tension from your head and shoulders. Relaxation Tapes These really work so long as you do them daily. There are many brands - some of which are available from chemist or health food shops. Hypnosis/Self-hypnosis Hypnosis, in my opinion, is the jewel in the crown of relaxation techniques. Not only does hypnosis/self-hypnosis helps people feel relaxed, and it also buoys them up so that they feel better about themselves. Many practitioners - myself included - believe that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. In other words, even when someone else 'hypnotises' you - you're really doing it yourself. I certainly believe that going into the deeply relaxed altered state that we call hypnosis is a matter of choice. The hypnotic state is an entirely natural one - it's not some weird kind of imposed magic. In fact most of us lapse into it several times daily. When you walk to your local post office and, having got there, you can't remember crossing the road, then you've really been in a hypnotic state: your mind has been elsewhere while your body has been working on auto-pilot. So, can you learn to do it by yourself, or do you need to pay for a session or two with a professional? There are people who find they can take themselves down into a deeply relaxed state. Others learn it from tapes or books. But I certainly enjoyed going to an expert for my first experience of hypnosis, and by the time I came away after an hour, I had the tools to practice it on my own. Most qualified practitioners will agree to show you methods of self-hypnosis during that initial session. Meditation Meditation used to have a rather 'hippie' image, but nowadays it's a much more mainstream activity. There are several different kinds of meditation - some of which have strong religious overtones - but the essence of meditation, like hypnosis, is to bring total relaxation to the person practising it. Certainly, the deep relaxation that can be achieved through meditation is very similar indeed to the hypnotic state. Different methods may vary, but often meditation requires you to spend twenty minutes twice a day sitting, focusing on the present and clearing your mind by repeating a mantra - which just means a special word of your choice. The word is usually just a sound that has no particular meaning. We all have to find our own routes to stress busting - and this could very well turn out to be yours. Massage There are several different types of massage and several different governing bodies - please see details at the end of this article. But I think that word of mouth is as good a way as any of finding a masseuse who's trained, good and completely professional and trustworthy. Massage is wonderful for ridding the body of tension. It's also useful for people who are not just stressed but also unhappy. The feel and touch of someone's healing hands on your body can make you feel nurtured and cared for and result in a lift in your mood. Aromatherapy Aromatherapy is reputedly the fastest growing complementary therapy. It doesn't suit everyone, but it is now much more widely recognised as a stress buster and is being used not only in health clinics and gyms but also in hospitals and hospices. It's based on the healing properties of essential oils. But whether or not you believe that these oils can actually cure physical problems, there's little doubt that vast numbers of people enjoy the feel and fragrance of beautiful emollients on their skins, and find the practice of aromatherapy very relaxing. Yoga Yoga is a form of exercise which is quite demanding. It's certainly not easy to put yourself into some of the positions, but it does leave those who practise it feeling very refreshed and relaxed afterwards. It tones up the body and helps make it more supple, but it also has a spiritual dimension, and most people who do yoga regularly do seem to become more poised and peaceful.