How do you relax & reduce the effects of everyday stress?

Many people go through life with increasing levels of stress. Stress is a necessary response to have but it is supposed to be a short term response, not a long term response.

Long term stress lowers the immune system, increases the risk of heart problems and the chances of developing cancer, interrupts sleep patterns affecting the quality and the quantity of the sleep and affects relationships and increase the susceptibility to getting addictions.

When you become excessively stressed (which happens when a situation becomes more than you can deal with) the emotional part of the brain takes control. This then shuts down the logical part of the brain lowering your intelligence to that of a young child whilst at the same time shutting down the digestive system and releasing adrenaline and other stress hormones into the body ready to fight or run away.

What is needed is to learn to relax. We all have an Ultradian Rhythm which is a 90-120 minute cycle of stress and relaxation. The relaxation 'dips' are usually about 90 minutes apart. These are times your mind/body is telling you to stop and relax and let it change hemispheric dominance as well as updating patterns in the brain. This is the time you find your mind wandering and daydreaming, or that you want to carry out addictive behaviour, etc...

By using these natural dips to accept them and go with them rather than fighting to overcome them with stimulants etc you can reduce the daily stress level. Using these 'dips' is like eating little and often for the mind/body and emotional wellbeing. It is also useful to have a couple of times a day when you go deeper like before bed to help you sleep, or mid afternoon when your Ultradian Rhythm and Circadian Rhythm and responses from eating food all kick in at once.

A comfortable period of relaxation can boost work productivity and efficiency. Can increase your ability to handle challenges and boost your immune system.

Attached as are two tracks: A deep trance track designed with many metaphors and rhythms and patterns for positive mind/body health and wellbeing (a suitable track for the periods of longer and deeper relaxation). The other track is a shorter track (about 11 minutes) to use in these Ultradian 'dips' and to help you to learn to relax.

I'm interested to know of other tracks or ideas people use to manage day to day stress and what tips other have to share? And what types of tracks people prefer when taking time to relax during a day and why (for example; guided meditation, structured hypnotic induction, authoritarian, permissive, etc, or even no track at all just self induced self hypnosis or using an anchor)?

Tags: circadian, dan, ericksonian, hypnosis, hypnotic, induction, jones, relax, ultradian

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Attachments:

learn to relax.mp3, 2.7 MB
deep trance.mp3, 6.5 MB

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Permalink Reply by Shirley R. Patterson on April 10, 2009 at 5:10pm

I listen to a lot of Steve Halpern's c.d.'s Especially his Inner Peace. I also listen to my own recorded relaxation c.d.

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Permalink Reply by Pattie Freeman CH.t, MST on April 11, 2009 at 12:33am

Stress we all have it and listening to my own find does not help like listening to someone else's recording...I know what I am going to say and knowing me I will start to think more then relax...thanks for sharing the mp3 I will listen to them later on..

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Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on April 11, 2009 at 12:34am

Hey Dan,

I downloaded them both, and listened to them in bed this morning, fortunately (or unfortunately), i fell asleep through most of the deep trance one, althought the bits I remember were good. reminded me a bit of multi evocational technique, but as I say I slept so not a very qualified comment.

I will now, have some coffee, and have another more awake listen.

I have just re uploaded my (traditional Jacobson style) deep relaxation recording in the discussion forum, Feel free to have a listen, if you havn't already.
http://www.hypnothoughts.com/forum/topics/benefits-of-a-daily-pract...

LOve and hugs,

Fable

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Permalink Reply by dan jones on April 11, 2009 at 1:03am

Hi Fable

I've downloaded the track but not yet had the opportunity to listen to it...I look forward to doing so though...

All the best

Dan

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Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on April 11, 2009 at 1:55am

Thanks Dan,

I have now listened to the recordings in an awake state, and enjoyed them both.

I certainly relaxed well, and like the artistry on the deep trance, recording.

Not sure if I drifted off towards the end, as I didn't hear a termination...I did get as far as the hut in the rainforest, and you mentioning that I would respond quicker and better each time... was there an ending after that? or did I drift off? One way to find out... I'll have to listen to it again tommorow.

Love and hugs,

Fable

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Permalink Reply by James Malone on April 11, 2009 at 5:21am

I use a recording by mentalist Kenton Knepper entitled "the Guide." every few weeks, for some reason it really zaps me out.

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Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on April 27, 2009 at 6:43am

LIstened to it a few more times,

Often drifting off and missing the ending,

But last night, listened to it, and although drifting off a few times, I did hear the end, and it appears there is no formal closing of the session (unless I am still mssing some bits.)

I am happy to just drift on either into sleep, or to continue relaxing until I feel like opening my eyes and doing something else.

I wonder if that is your intention (and indeed if you said something to that effect, which I still have not consciously heard?) well good excuse to listen to it again while more alert, and find out)

Either way, I would certainly recccomend it to a friend or two. I think it is rather good, and I can see lots of similarities in style, to some of my work.

Thanks again for sharing these recordings.

Love and hugs,

Fable

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Permalink Reply by bruce on April 28, 2009 at 1:59am

Hi Dan,

Some researchers are beginning to look at disease as a process of inflamation. Inflamation is implicated in many diseases. Recently some research was done on meditations of "Loving Kindness" - a very ancient form of meditation; the results were impressive when it came to reducing long term stress, and more specifically reducing inflamation. If I remember correctly, the reason why this meditation was thought to be effective is because it generates a feeling of 'connectedness' with other people. That seems very valid and important to me, especially in isolated, anomistic western culture.

So your post reminded me that maybe I should use some of the Loving Kindness type suggestions in my daily hypno-nap.

It also makes me think of how a friend of mine used to put her todler to sleep: "think about all the people who love you..."

-B

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Permalink Reply by Tranzkey on April 28, 2009 at 5:54pm

I love your rationality in the introductory text.

Your headline confused me, because a person can find a daily stress reduction by practicing taii chi, throwing a football with a child, or even playing fetch with a dog.

But it is now clear, your interest is sharing ideas about recordings...

There is nothing wrong with your recordings, I relaxed, and enjoyed it, but for me, the hypnotic depth was less than my standards for a therapy level of hypnosis.

I understand, that I always strive for somnambulism, and maybe you were not.

Just trying to share my honest answer in a respectful way...

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Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on May 10, 2009 at 11:13am

Thanks a bunch Dan,

I have listened to both of them a good few times now, and am still very impressed with your style.

I have reccomended it to people in another current discussion thread.

http://www.hypnothoughts.com/forum/topics/downward-trend-upward-tre...

I would love your opinion on my relationships recording Dan.
Downloadable at:
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/685584744/08e905bb682ba3b0c0ac364b4bd87285

Love and hugs,

Fable

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Permalink Reply by Susan French on May 10, 2009 at 11:56am

I learned how to do Transcendental Meditation way back in the day. I've used it off and on for stress reduction. It has never failed me. These days I do that sometimes, sometimes I do self-hypnosis and lately I've been exploring the idea of mindfulness. There is a youtube clip of Jon Kabat-Zinn talking about mindfulness and it ends with a lovely meditation that I also love.

Other than that, I listen to my favorite music whatever that might be. Music always changes my mood.

Susan

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Permalink Reply by Donna Carter on May 10, 2009 at 4:37pm

I would love to listen to this on my ipod.
Maybe one of you people are techi's and can help me open it - NOT in Quicktime.
Since....when I click the link, it takes me to quicktime...it won't allow me to save it...so I can't seem to figure out how to get it on my ipod.
Maybe this was done by design?
Or is it because I am clueless?
Maybe I should ask my son.... crud I hate it when my 11 year old knows more than me about these things!

Thanks so much,
~D.