How to Relax (and Lower Your Cortisol Levels): A Golden Key to Your Health
by Mary Maddux

Would it surprise you to know that a recent study called the "Study of Women's Health across the Nation" demonstrated that stress is directly linked to weight gain? Probably not!

I'm sure many of us have noticed that when we feel stressed, we start to eat (or shop, or smoke, or bite our nails, or…) What's interesting, however, is that the link between stress and weight gain is not just the tendency to overeat when stressed, but the fact that the body produces a hormone called cortisol in response to stress, and increased cortisol cause the body to store fat! So, even if you are watching your diet, stress can cause you to gain weight!

You can find lots of advice about how to stop overeating in response to stress, but when you feel stressed out, it is very difficult to follow good advice. Some will suggest that you find ways to reduce the stress in your life.

We can do this to some degree, but the fact of the matter is that life in these fast-paced times is stressful.

What we need to do is directly reduce the impact that the stress is having on us, as well as changing how we respond to the stress.

One of the best ways to do that is to learn to relax.

Relaxation's Link to Reduced Weight (and Much More!)

Relaxation is one of the most important keys to good health. It can help lower cortisol levels, and is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress.

In writing this article, I was reminded of the fact that I once had a problem with my weight which, believe it or not, I hardly ever think about anymore. I used to over-eat, snack frequently, and even did some "binge eating" in my time.

Whenever I felt stressed, I would reach for food. What's remarkable is that after struggling with this for years, the problem completely disappeared, and as I look back on it, the key was relaxation.

I didn't do anything specific to change that habit. I simply learned some easy ways to relax and made relaxation a top priority in my daily routine.

As a result, I not only felt better, but I was taking better care of myself and making healthy lifestyle choices quite easily. In fact, there were a number of problems that got better as I became more relaxed and learned to cope with stress -- difficulty sleeping, smoking and much more.

Over and over again, I have seen this same thing happen in the lives of my clients and students as they learn to relax.

Using What You Already May Know

I was very fortunate to learn about the effects of stress and how to relax early on in my life. I started to meditate back when most people had never even heard the word (and also looked at me funny if I mentioned it). I learned other ways, also, to relax, including breathing techniques and yoga. These days, meditation and yoga are pretty much "household words."

Times have changed and we are very fortunate to have this awareness of the effects of stress on health, as well as how to cope with stress.

Usually when I counsel people about coping with stress, I find that they are already aware of ways to reduce stress. They have even tried things already that are very effective for them. The challenge is that they don't use the things they already know.

It can be difficult to change habits, and it takes motivation. Unfortunately, often that motivation comes in the form of a physical condition that has become so uncomfortable or even life-threatening, that we finally take action. I'm hoping to inspire you to take action before developing a major disease.

Just knowing that most diseases are stress-related or stress induced may not be enough, because it is so hard to break old habits. Usually we need to introduce change gradually, a little bit at a time.

Therefore, I'm suggesting below some very simple things that you can start to do to relax. They may seem obvious, and they are, but often the solutions to our problems are right under our nose -- we are simply overlooking them. Try making a habit of doing some of these simple things each day. Even if you start with just one minute a day, get started!

All of these suggestions are extremely simple and easy to do, and yet it can be hard to shift gears. Therefore, I've created a CD - Pure Relaxation: Guided Meditations for Body, Mind & Spirit - to help people relax effortlessly.

In it I've captured the essence of everything I've learned over the years about how to relax.

It's not a series of instructions giving you yet another thing to do. Instead the guided meditations help you to let go of effort, invoking the body's natural relaxation response.

My voice-guided relaxations are accompanied by relaxing, soothing music thanks to my husband, Richard, who specializes in music for relaxation. It's designed to be an ideal tool for stress-reduction, helping you to relax naturally and effortlessly. Using it repeatedly helps to develop a "relaxation habit" so that you find yourself automatically relaxing during the day.

Your health, appearance, relationships - everything - are affected by stress and how well you cope with it. There are many different strategies for coping with stress.

Each individual is unique, and not everyone benefits equally from all of the different approaches. Relaxation, however, plays an important role in any stress-reduction program.

Try finding ways to relax each and everyday. Even if you start with just one minute a day, get started!