Stress is part of life. It is a built-in defense mechanism that has been with us since the beginning of time. Without stress we would not be aware of dangerous situations, nor could we further evolve. It’s an integral part of our being.

In reality, stress isn’t a bad thing. It’s unmanaged stress that leads to problems. Studies show chronic stress can lead to enlarged adrenal glands, gastrointestinal ulcers, suppressed immunity, and a host of other illnesses.

The word “stress” is derived from the Latin word “stringi”, meaning “to be drawn tight”. In medical terms, stress is described as “mental or physical tension that results from physical, emotional, or chemical causes.”

When your body is under stress your adrenal gland releases corticosteroids, which are potent anti-inflammatory hormones. Once released into the bloodstream, corticosteroids are converted to cortisol.

Cortisol is often referred to as the “stress hormone” due to its involvement in response to stress. Cortisol is known to increase blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and decrease efficacy of the immune system. Lowered immunity can set off a chain reaction of physiological effects that can cause damage to the entire body.

There are two main types of stress that people are faced with — acute and chronic. Acute stress is the type that occurs when you are under pressure. It has a short duration and resolves itself once the pressure is off. People oftentimes experience acute stress when they are facing work deadlines or in a rush to accomplish something. Symptoms of acute stress include tension headaches, back pain, heart palpitations, stomach ailments, muscle aches or body pain.

Chronic stress is the type that lasts for extended periods of time. This type of stress is brought on by long-term illness, financial problems, broken relationships, family disharmony, and successive failures in life. Symptoms of chronic stress include headaches, backaches, muscle tension and stiffness, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, heart palpitations, weight gain or loss, skin problems, loss of sex drive, and frequent colds.

Many people deal with stress through the use of prescription drugs, alcohol, smoking, emotional eating or use of illegal drugs. These “remedies” only worsen the stress and can make us more sensitive to future stress.

An effective way to get off the stress merry-go-round is through the use of holistic, or natural, remedies. Two natural modalities proven to reduce stress include hypnosis and meditation.

The practice of hypnosis dates back to the mid-1700s, with Austrian physician, Frantz Anton Mesmer being one of the first recorded practitioners. Hypnosis is a scientifically verified and effective technique used to trigger your natural relaxation response. Engaging in hypnosis on a regular basis can help you create changes in your reaction to stress, while encouraging mental and physical well-being.

Meditation, although there are a number of different techniques that all fall under the category of Meditation, for our purposes here, we will define Meditation as simply learning how to relax and let go of the endless chatter that clutters the mind. There is nothing mystical about meditation. It’s just a matter of taking time to sit quietly, relaxing your body’s muscles, and breathing in deeply then letting your breath out. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? That’s because it is!

Many people avoid meditation and hypnosis because they don’t fully understand how these natural modalities work and because they are unfamiliar with the practice. Both of these techniques can be performed in the privacy of your own home or with the help of a trained professional.

If you are currently dealing with chronic or acute stress, consider using hypnosis or meditation. If you have never used these techniques or are apprehensive about engaging in them by yourself, hire a Certified Hypnotherapist to assist you in the beginning. After you have learned a technique that you feel comfortable with, you can practice it on your own, or with the help of a meditation or self-hypnosis CD.

Tracy Bonczyk of Hypnosis Care has been helping people manage stress through the use of hypnosis and guided meditations since 1986. She is a Master Hypnotist, Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Master NLP Practitioner and has been trained in Guided Imagery. To discover how you can relieve stress and tension in 15 minutes, visit Tracy’s website at www.MiniMeditations.com. Warning: You may have to choose between her CD “Relaxation Vacation” and “Progressive Relaxation”. (Here’s a hint: If you have a great deal of difficulty slowing down and relaxing, your best bet is Progressive Relaxation, until you learn HOW to relax.) To learn about Progressive Relaxation, an effective technique for managing stress, and to find out how to receive your gift from MiniMeditations.com, click here.