Crawling your way out of stress

What is stress?

Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels

In our world of increasing hustle and bustle , people of all age range experience stress. Stress is the response to a perceived internal or external demand on our mind, body, or emotions. Stress can also be defined as the body's non-specific response to any desire for change. Many different things can trigger these reactions, especially changes. Whether a change is significant or not, it can cause stress for a person. In a national survey of 2,500 adults, nearly half said they had experienced a major stressful event in the past year, and more than a quarter of the same group said they had experienced a "huge amount" of stress at the time of the survey.

IMPORTANCE OF DEALING WITH STRESS

Not all stress is bad stress, as the reactions in our bodies triggered by stress can help us protect ourselves from dangerous or negative situations. For example, the body's reaction to an oncoming car would normally prompt the driver to act quickly and move the vehicle out of the way to avoid a collision. However, chronic stress, or the stress that occurs when a stressful situation is prolonged, can have negative consequences for mental, physical, and emotional health. Some of the consequences of chronic stress can be short-term ailments or conditions, such as headaches, digestive problems, insomnia, or irritability. Also, people who are under stress can be more susceptible to viral infections like the common cold or flu. Other consequences of chronic stress can be serious long-term health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, or an anxiety disorder. Because of the connection between stress and our health, and because stress is sometimes unavoidable, it is important to know the methods or techniques to manage stress.

METHODS OF MANAGING STRESS

The first step to managing stress is to recognize the signs that you are under stress. Signs that you may be stressed include trouble sleeping, overuse of alcohol and other substances, poor concentration, easy anger, depression and low energy.

To help your body deal with stress, practice common healthy habits each day, such as:

Eating a healthy diet
If you gonna sleep, sleep well
Exercising for at least 30 minutes five different days a week
Cut down on caffeine intake
Keep in touch with friends or loved ones who are sources of emotional support.
Emphasize appropriate medical care.

Stop worrying. If you're feeling overwhelmed and can't concentrate, ask for some time out for yourself. Set a timer for 5, 10, or 15 minutes and write down anything that worries you.When the doorbell rings, put your worries aside and allow yourself to move on. By taking your time, you can address your concerns and they won't take over your day!

Make a worry box. Find any box, decorate it however you like and keep it in a convenient place. If a concern arises, write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the box. Once your concern is in the box, try to shift your attention to other things. At the end of the week or month, you can throw away the notes without looking at them again or checking them to see if they're as much of a problem as they used to be. Putting your worries in the worry box symbolizes that you are mentally putting your worries aside.

Identify and take note of your accomplishments at the end of each day. Try blogging or journaling at the end of the day and listing what you accomplished that day. This will remind you that amidst the stresses of your day, you are still making progress toward your goals.

Manage priorities. Decide what needs to be done and what can wait. Learn to say no to new tasks until you feel like you're no longer overwhelmed.

Schedule regular times for recreational activities. If your schedule only includes the things you need to do, make sure you include the things you want to do. By incorporating things you enjoy into your schedule, you can take a break from activities that can cause stress.

Mindfulness in meditation, or present-centred awareness, involves sitting comfortably, focusing on the breath, and then bringing the mind's attention to the present without getting carried away with worries about the past or future.

Yoga and Thai Chi – These graceful forms of exercise use gentle, flowing movements and can help relieve stress. Sometimes referred to as "meditation in motion," these non-competitive forms of practice promote serenity.

Letting humour be your closest friend- Be open to humour and allow yourself to laugh at the good times and the bad. Laughter can help our body's natural defence system, the immune system, by allowing the release of our negative thoughts and feelings, including stress.

Drown yourself in nature. Our environment can play an important role in our stress levels. Being in contact with nature not only improves your emotional well-being but also contributes to your physical well-being, lowering blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and promoting the production of stress hormones.

Get a Massage: Massage therapy has been shown to reduce perceived levels of stress between people. A short five-minute hand or foot massage can also help.

Note of caution: The ultimate is to seek professional help, advice and guidance if stress is significantly interfering with your daily activities, if you are suffering from depression or anxiety, or if stress has caused other significant health problems.

Thanks for reading, Sayonara

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