Preventing stress

There are several things that can be done to prevent stress. The essential is to limit the number of things you feel you need to do or take care of. To give time to yourself and your own relaxation in spite of duties hanging over your head.

• Get your life organized so your ambitions are realistic.
• Organize your economy.
• Have fun when you take time off.
• Exercise.
• Do meditation or yoga.
• Proper rest and sleep.
• Ask for help and use your social network.
• Know the symptoms of stress and react when you notice them.
• Don't let minor things stress you.
• Focus on the positive and stop all negative thinking.
  

Don't take on more projects than you can realistic cope with and manage. Make a plan and prioritize which projects are the most important and leave the less important ones for later. Deal only with one project at a time and don't try to do everything at once.

Money can be a major emotional stress factor. By having your economy organized and making sure that there's savings and not too tight a budget, you can avoid a lot of stress.

Taking time off is taking time off. Don't spend the time you've scheduled as free time doing other chores and duties. When you have free time, make sure you're doing things that are fun and relaxing. Planning to have leisure time is important and stick to that planning. This is when you've scheduled yourself to relax. Relaxing and having fun is just as important as work and projects.

Physical exercise is a great stress-reliever. By working your body you tire it, so you can get a proper deep rest and sleep. The brain can let go of the stresses and reconstitute itself and charge for the next day. There are many health benefits to exercising. Physical work-out has a positive effect on many stress related problems. Exercise also allows for the brain to relax while you're exercising and the physical strain releases hormones that makes you feel good.

Meditation and yoga are good means to help the brain relax, as well as the body. They are structured exercises which can be a lot easier to follow than tryin on your own. They are aimed towards relaxing and strengthening the mind and body.

Sleep and complete relaxation are essential to managing stress. While we sleep our mind and body heals itself from the strains of the day. It is during sleep that babies grow, it is during sleep we deal with the impressions and problems we have faced during the day. When your sleep is sound your body completely relaxesand can let go of tensions that have built due to stress. Lack of sleep can cause depressions and lowers your immune system.

Asking your social network for help can help you manage your stress. Nobody says you have to do everything on your own. Friends and family are here to help and support you. In most cases they'll be more than happy to give a hand when it's needed, just like you wouldn't hesitate to help them if they're in need. Delegate your workload and accept that others might not be able to do it as well as you can do it. If you're too stressed while doing things, you can't do them as well as you want anyway.

If you know the symptoms of stress you can catch it before it becomes a real problem. Preventing stress is much better than healing stress. Learn what warning signals your body and mind sends you and act on them instantly. You can use your sleep as an early indicator if stress is affecting you. When you notice the signs, pause and stop up. Give yourself that treat, drop that chore, sleep in that morning to prevent stress becoming a problem.

Decide what is important to you and what is unimportant. By letting go of small things and not allowing them to stress, you can lift a considerable burden from your shoulders. Try looking at your own life and notice how many minor things that annoy you. Prioritize and decide what is important to you and what doesn't really matter. Is it that important to have the windows washed every week? Does it really matter if the person in the queue before you is in a bad mood? Does it really matter that the neighbour's dog is barking?

Positive thinking can change the world. By focusing on the positive things in our life we affirm ourselves and learn to value what we achieve and are capable of. Negative thinking is a downward spiral and will become self-enforcing. By focusing on the positive we empower and strengthen ourselves, it makes our mood better and fights depression.

Train yourself in focusing on the positive and stop all negative thoughts as they appear. Turn the negative thoughts around to positive. Teach yourself to see the positive in any situation and push the negative away. Do not allow yourself to dwell in negative thought patters but recognize them as a destructive behaviour that will not change your situation or reduce your stress. Negative thoughts also stops you from acting and giving your best effort. Positive thoughts makes heavy burdens lighter.

Source: http://www.netdoktor.dk

Symptoms of stress

The main group of people with stress and health issues is women between 30 and 40. It's the period in life where many have home, job and kids to look after.

Managers and self-employed people also have a higher risk of developing stress.

Your body will always tell you if you're not taking good enough care of yourself.

Symptoms of stress can vary depending on personality and the type of stress you are exposed to. Most often it's annoyance and sleep problems are the first signs of stress, and it develops over time if not dealt with. Many turn blue or short-tempered, feel their memory is getting worse and there's a risk of developing an actual depression. Other people may experience physical symptoms such as tiredness, headache and dizziness.

Stress can develop into serious illnesses and mental issues.

The symptoms on the list can also be signs of other diseases and imbalances. Always consult a doctor if you are concerned or in doubt about your health. This is always a good way of taking care of yourself.

The symptoms can be:

Physical signs:

• Tension, headache and/or breathing trouble.
• Quick tense movements.
• Back pains and stomach troubles can in some cases also be a sign of stress.
• Tiredness and low energy.
• Sleeplessness and interrupted sleep.
• Changed eating habits, loss of appetite.
• Panic attacks, tension and nervousness.
• Lack of concentration.
• If you begin to forget small things, and at times important things like meetings, etc.
  

Emotional signs:

• Impatience, having a hard time waiting even if it's just a few minutes.
• Multitasking and that you have a hard time sitting down and enjoying the result.
• A constant feeling of lack of time, that you hurry even if you have enough time.
• That you speak quickly, interrupt others and have difficulties listening to what others tell.
• If you're often or always critical, annoyed or angry with other people.
• Fear of problems which you usually manage.
• An unexplainable anxiety.
• Feeling very emotional, close to tears over even small things.
• Different behaviour, including changed drinking and smoking habits.
• Isolating yourself or feeling isolated from other people around you.
• Negative thoughts and comments about yourself, failing to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
• Loss of interest in things apart from what must be done.
  

The risks of stress are many, for instance increased chance of heart problems and depressions, and other diseases we already have a latent risk of developing (think allergies, asthma, diabetes...). Odds of surviving after cancer treatment are also affected by stress.

In addition, mundane issues we face on a daily basis have a way of growing and turning worse when we're stressed.

Sources and further reading:
http://www.netdoktor.dk/
http://www.helpguide.org/
http://www.samaritans.org/

Starting the massage

The initial contact serves several purposes.

First it makes the receiver familiar with the giver’s hands and energy. It prepares the body for the massage and communicates that it is time for treatment and enjoyment.

For the giver it serves another purpose as well. During the initial contact the masseuse gets a sense of what parts of the body are tense and in need of attention, where the energy is low, where the client might feel uncomfortable about the touch and so on. It also serves to attune the two people together and harmonise their energies to obtain the best result.

The oiling is the next step in preparing the body for the massage. For the masseuse this is yet another occasion to evaluate and discover where the body needs special attention and healing.

A good oiling also unifies the body and bring the client to a relaxed state where he can accept the touch and the massage that will happen next. The essential oils used in the massage oil are applied to aid and support the massage that will be given as each essential oil has special properties and synergies.

During the oiling the receiver becomes familiar with the masseuse and a competent oiling creates the foundation for a good and trusting massage. This is when the masseuse shows her confidence and skills so that the receiver can let go in trust that it will be a good experience. The oiling also is a start of the actual massage, as it prepares the muscles for further treatment and is an important step towards complete relaxation.

Setting the mood

Lighting, candles, scent and music plays a great influence when setting up a room for your massages.

Candles and lighting can make a big difference to a room. Candles provide a warm light that increases the temperature of the room both physically and mentally. There has been a primitive acknowledgement in the fire element of protection, warmth and survival since the earliest days of man. Controlling and using fire is one thing that truly set us apart from the other animals, and even today fire tends to captivate us and embrace us.

With modern lighting it is possible to create this atmosphere of protection and warmth without the risk of live candles. Coloured light bulbs and special lamps further expand the possibilities.

Scented candles can serve not only the purpose of providing light, but also to give the room a fragrance. You need to be careful in choosing which candles you buy as some are very perfumed and will become overwhelming for the client, as well as yourself. The larger a room is, the more strong scents can be used as it'll be diffused. Incense and aroma lamps of various sorts can also be used.

Fragrances affect us much more than we're aware of and moods can be changed rather profoundly. Just think about how the scent of fresh bread can make your mouth water, the fragrance of a flower make you remember a romantic situation, how the scent of foods or washing powder make you recall your mothers home, or how the smell of sewer can make you feel ill.

I'll cover scents and aromatherapy at a later time and explain more about scents and their affects on our mind and mood.

Finally music is important for the setting as well. It serves several purposes. First off, it helps shut out all outside sounds that might disturb a massage session. Be it a car passing by, a child shouting, rain on the windows, a door slamming. All these are sounds that can distract the client from letting go and accepting the massage fully. They can bring the client out of her relaxed state and make her unconsciously tense her muscles or even become stressed.

Music also aids in setting a mood. It can support the massage in several ways.

Music helps finding the best rhythm for the massage and the techniques employed, it supports the massage style you use (for instance Hawaiian music for the Lomi Lomi massage), and give you an idea of how long is left before the time is up (provided you know the compilation/album you're using) and allow you to focus on the massage instead of watching the clock.

Lastly, there's a lot of music out there which aids with meditation and relaxation. As such the music can help the client with relaxing fully on all levels as well as helping you obtain and maintain a balance of positive energy and calm mood. This will ensure that the client gets the best massage possible.

All in all, there are many things to take into consideration when giving a massage, and the environment is at least as important as your health or the massage oil you use.

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Décor and Room and Colours and Moods

Décor and room

Setting the mood is important when you give a massage. The surroundings influence how we feel and is the first step in creating a good massage for your client.

The room in which a massage takes place should be warm and welcoming. It should be so warm that the client can lie naked on the massage table without feeling cold, but cool enough that the practitioner doesn't get too hot and is incapable of performing a good massage. In general this means a room with a temperature around 25-26 degrees Celsius.

Tidiness is another important aspect to creating a welcoming atmosphere. The room should be clean and ordered. Cleanliness increases your credibility and professionalism. It supports the statement that it's a proper business you're running and that there's nothing dirty going on behind the scenes.

By having your room tidy and ordered you give the impression that you have the situation under control, that you're organized in your business and you remove unnecessary distractions that might cause unease or confusion for the client.

There is a practice originating in China called Feng Sui which has now spread to the rest of the world. It deals with how to arrange objects in order to create harmony and improve the energy of the room. Though common sense does take you a long way and it's not necessary to become an expert in Eastern philosophy to create a welcoming environment.

What furniture and objects you have in your practice depends on your personality, the types of massages you give as well as which signals you wish to give to your clients. The decoration should match who you are and reflect yourself at least on a professional level.

Giving a massage is a very personal exchange and your credibility and trustworthiness will be questioned if you clash with your surroundings.

The same is true for the massages you give. It is hard to set the mood for a nice Oriental massage if all the décor is Manhattan style. If you offer several different massages which doesn't fit into one style, you should look at your overall theme instead. Do you work with a holistic approach or a more physical one, are they inspired greatly by Eastern or Western ideas, is there a lot of alternative health in your massages, or are they more beauty and wellness minded etc.

Finding what your general massage theme is will aid you greatly in choosing a decoration and set-up that corresponds with what you offer to your customers.

Related articles:
Setting the Mood, Signals sent via massage environment