What is Stress and Why do We Encounter it?
Everyone will encounter stress during a typical day. It can stem from events to the pressure to achieve something. While some stress is good for motivational purposes, excessive stress can adversely affect your health and your quality of life. You cannot avoid stress, but you can control the way you handle it. Finding ways to relieve and manage stress will help you to face your day in a more positive and healthy manner. If you don’t know how to manage your stress, don’t worry, I’m going to provide some ways that you can successfully manage your stress levels.
Tips for Dealing with Daily Stress
When looking for ways to reduce stress, you may come across the suggestion to exercise more or make changes to your diet. For some, that works wonderfully. However, it’s not for everyone. While every person experiences stress in different ways, I have come across ways to reduce stress as it presents itself throughout the day. Find what works for you and put it into practice!
Tips to relieve stress
Be Grateful
Finding things that you are grateful in your life is a great way to refocus the negative energy that stress throws at you. Take a few moments and evaluate what you are grateful for before the day begins.
Reading in the Morning
If your life keeps throwing new twists at you, try separating yourself from that stress and indulge in reading something from a fiction book or magazine. Not dwelling on the stress will help to soothe the nerves.
Get Physical
A brisk walk can release endorphins and make you feel better both physically and mentally. Try incorporating exercise into your morning routine or before going to sleep at night.
Get rid of the Junk in Your Diet
Food that is highly processed can lead to excess stress. Try eating a diet of natural foods and see how it can make a huge difference in your stress levels. Also, caffeine and other chemicals in the food you eat can heighten your reaction to stress.
Declutter
Having excess items where they’re not needed can lead to stress. Take some time to get rid of what isn’t needed and simplify your space.
Find Enjoyment in the Small Things
Learning to enjoy the small things in life can help you handle the stressful ones much better. Enjoy the silence when you first wake up. Enjoy your cup of morning coffee or tea. Let the little things help you work out the stress.
Journal Your Thoughts
While journaling may feel overrated, it can actually help you to put your thoughts and feelings into words. This can make it easier to work them out.
Dump the Digital
If you’re in the habit of being on the computer or the phone right before you go to sleep, it may be time to change that. Electronics naturally stimulate you, making it more difficult to sleep. Sleep is an important way to help you control your stress levels.
Draw the Line
People will always make demands on you and your time. If it gets to the point where you don’t have time to take care of yourself, tell others to leave you alone and give you your space.
Have a Consistent Bedtime
While it may be tempting to finish up on that project you’ve been working on, making sure that you go to sleep at the same time and get the appropriate amount of sleep will help reduce stress levels.
Identifying your stress and dealing with it as it becomes present during your day will help you to cope with life’s challenges as they come rather than panic. Relaxation is a huge part of helping maintain healthy levels of stress. While it feels like you may be going constantly from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep, take a step back and try a few relaxation techniques that will reduce the urgency of the moment and help you take it step by step.
Meditation and Yoga
You have heard people suggest meditation as a way to relax and reduce anxiety. Studies have shown that taking five to ten minutes a day to meditate can help relieve the stress hormones. If you’ve never meditated before, find something that soothes you to focus on. It can be an object or a phrase, also known as a mantra. Focus on this object or phrase and relax your body. This will help your mind to rid of the stressful and distracting thoughts.
Deep Breathing Exercises
Focusing on your breathing and soothing your nerves when you feel stressed or anxious can help you to identify and relieve your triggers almost instantaneously. Take a deep breath and hold it, letting it go gradually. You will find that you’re feeling better with just one breath!
Ask for Help
Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about your stresses. Whether it be a friend or a professional, talking about what stresses you out can help you to release your tension.
Everyone experiences stress in their lives. How you deal with your stress will ultimately affect your health and wellbeing. Take the time to learn to relieve stress and see how much better you begin to feel mentally and physically!
