Here is an effective way to determine your stress levels

Most online stress measurement tools use an "life-event" method to determine your stress levels. If you have a divorce,  a job loss or major illness; you are considered to have high stress levels. However,  the problem with this approach is that it does not measure our daily activities and how we react to this. We may have a boss that we do not like or our stress related to specific relationships may be increasing in small but significant measures.

The best analogy I found for stress assessment is that of RPE - (Rating of Perceived Exertion by Borg) to measure the intensity of your daily exercise routine. Instead of using a heart-monitor or trying to measure your pulse, you can estimate the intensity of your exercise by how hard you feel you are working out. You give yourself a rating of 6-20 - 6 being no exertion at all and 20 being very intense exercise.  Typical walking can have RPE levels of 9-12 while intense aerobics may cause you to give a rating 16-19.  While this may seem subjective,  your mind is pretty good at assessing your exercise intensity. These measures are often as sensitive as heart monitors or pulse counter techniques.


http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/measuring/exertion.html

A similar method is used to assess your stress levels.  Dr. Sheldon Cohen of Carnegie Mellon University pioneered in a unique self-assessment technique for stress called PSS (Perceived Stress Scale). Similar to RPE above,  you are asked to estimate your own level of stress based on the uncertainty, lack of control and overload that exists in various areas of your life.  Here are two websites that give help you self-assess your stress levels based on Dr. Cohen's technique.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-assessment/sr00029 - the famous Mayo Clinic has this online tool

You may also have a hard copy printed out from the MindGarden.com website and use it to assess your stress levels during the week.

http://www.mindgarden.com/docs/PerceivedStressScale.pdf

The bottom line - the few minutes you take to become aware of your stress levels and the causes for it - actually will help you lower your stress levels.

Do you have your own method of assessing your stress levels? I would love to hear about it.

Do this during exercise to super-size your stress relief

Mindfulness - art of focusing our awareness to the present moment can trigger relaxation during any of your daily routines including exercise.

Do you exercise regularly? Do you listen to your ipod or watch tv as you walk on the treadmill? Here are some simple tips to incorporate mindfulness in your exercise routine to gain additional relaxation from your work-out.

>Focus on your exercise routine, your body movements and your breathing.

>Pay attention to your stride, speed and heart rate

>Are you fretting about the tasks you have to complete after the exercise - draw your attention to the relaxation within you.

>If you are weight training, focus on the the muscles that move the weight up and down (slowly - to the count of 10 up and down).

Just becoming aware of your stresses in your body will help you find the right balance and posture for your exercise technique.

You can use this techniques with any daily activities. Are you walking from one department to another at your work place. Take the time to read your posture, your stress levels. You will be amazed that just by taking the time to find your stresses in your body, you will relax.