Life can surprise us with challenges and hassles at any point in time. For most of us, stress is part of our daily life. In our modern world with jobs, families, loans, bills, and other responsibilities, it’s impossible to avoid stress entirely. 

Stress is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it has to dominate your life. 

Deep breathing exercises and meditation can be effective tools to help manage stress, bring a greater sense of peace, and maybe even avoid a trip to the doctor's office.

And the best part is that these wonderful and effective practices are available to anyone, anywhere, anytime

It’s time to get your glow back!

Chronic stress and its consequences

Stress is a dreadful emotion. It can quickly grip and overwhelm us, tiring out our bodies, disturbing our minds, and draining all our positive energy.  If left unchecked, stress can wreak complete havoc on our lives. 

But does stress affect us all the same way? No, it does not. 

Stress is a relative phenomenon.  What causes stress for one person could be of little concern to someone else. Some people are able to handle certain stresses that would be crippling to others. 

We are all naturally equipped to handle small doses of stress, but chronic stress can cause dire physical, mental, and behavioral consequences.

Scientific research suggests that chronic stress contributes to a host of health problems including anxiety, increased blood pressure, depression, inflammation, autoimmune disorders, heart disease, sleep disorders, diabetes, migraines, memory loss, and many other medical conditions.

How meditation practice helps in chronic stress management

When stress strikes, meditation techniques that stimulate our relaxation response and calm our nerves can be incredibly helpful.

Healthy eating and regular exercise, like these yoga poses, can help us manage the physical effects of stress. In the same way, meditation can help us manage the uninvited worry and anxiety that stress can bring.

We can’t totally eliminate stress from our lives, but with meditation, we can equip our minds to deal with stress in a more peaceful way. Meditation can also improve our mindfulness and our ability to be fully present.

Scientific research from Harvard suggests that meditation is one of the most effective relaxation techniques to help manage stress.  

Not only can you practice meditation during stressful times to find relief, but a regular meditation practice can change your stress response, build your resilience, and keep your mind in the present moment. 

The health benefits of meditation are immense, including better heart health, decreased blood pressure, relief of chronic pain.

Meditation has also been shown to lower levels of perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve awareness, mood, and overall sense of well-being. No wonder meditation programs are an essential part of many complementary and integrative health therapies. 

There are many types of meditation, including mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, and breath-based meditation. These can all help you increase your stress management abilities, and get back to being the best version of yourself. 

Try this 15-minute guided meditation for stress reduction and deep relaxation

Find a quiet spot, sit upright in a comfortable position, and let Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar lead you through one of his many beautiful guided meditations.

Here are 19 short guided meditations from the Art of Living’s Journey App, each led by a different instructor.

SKY Breath Meditation vs mindfulness meditation for managing stress

A 2019 study published by Yale University evaluated the impact of three well-being programs on undergraduate students. The three programs studied were SKY Breath Meditation, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and Emotional Intelligence. 

Of all the programs, SKY Breath Meditation demonstrated the most benefit for students. It helped reduce stress while enhancing mental health, social connection, and mindfulness.

SKY Breath Meditation is a powerful tool to help reduce stress levels. It helps clear out deep-rooted stress in your system and restore your sense of well-being.

Regular practice of SKY can enhance your ability to deal with stress and improve your overall health. Stress narrows our focus and prevents us from seeing the bigger picture. When we're calm, our vision broadens. SKY can help us achieve this broader vision.

With the power of breath, you can raise your energy levels, reduce stress, and find lasting ease so that you’re ready to face your day with confidence.

Click here to learn how to relieve stress using the science of breath.

Join a guided meditation session led by a live instructor

If you’re experiencing excess stress, this free online guided meditation session led by a live instructor could be just what the doctor ordered. Experience the relaxation of breathwork and meditation for yourself.

Click the image below and get your glow back now!!