5 Ways to Manage Stress

Managing Stress

Managing stress is a vital habit to cultivate in this modern day of excessive activity. Stress comes about when you feel that demands from the outside world exceed your ability or what you can cope with, these demands could emanate from; work, school or relationships.

Some stress can be beneficial at times, producing a boost that provides the drive and energy to help people get through situations like exams or important work deadlines. However, too much of everything is not good, an extreme amount of stress can have health consequences, affecting the immune, and take a severe emotional toll.

Untreated chronic stress can result in serious health conditions including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Research shows that stress can contribute to the development of major illnesses, such as heart disease, depression and obesity.

But by finding positive, healthy ways to manage stress as it occurs, many of these negative health consequences can be reduced. People are different, and so are the ways they choose to manage their stress. Some people would prefer engaging in their hobbies such as walking, meditation, playing music and creating art.

Below are five healthy techniques that psychological research has shown to help reduce stress in the short- and long-term.

Take a break from the cause of stress. 

It may seem difficult to get away from a big work project, a crying baby or a financial debt. But when you give yourself permission to step away from it, you let yourself have time to do something else, which can help you have a new perspective or practice techniques to feel less overwhelmed. It’s important to not totally avoid your stress if it involves a decision or task that must be executed, but even just 20 to 30-minutes to take care of yourself is helpful for you to stay fresh.

Engage in Exercise. 

The research keeps growing — exercise benefits your mind just as well as your body. We keep hearing about the long-term benefits of a regular exercise routine. But even a 20-minute walk, run, swim or dance session in the midst of a stressful time can give an immediate effect that can last for several hours.

Smile and laugh more. 

Our brains are interconnected with our emotions and facial expressions. When people are stressed, they often hold a lot of the stress in their face. So laughs or smiles can help relieve some of that tension and improve the situation.

Get professional assistance. 

Call a close friend. When you share your concerns or feelings with another person who cares, it does help relieve stress. But it’s important that the person whom you talk to is someone whom you trust and whom you feel can understand you. If your family is the cause of the stress, for example, it may not relieve your stress if you share your works woes with one of them.

Take time to meditate. 

Meditation and mindful prayer help the mind and body to relax and focus. Mindfulness can help people see new perspectives, develop self-compassion and forgiveness. When practicing a form of mindfulness, people can release emotions that may have been causing the body physical stress. Much like exercise, research has shown that even meditating briefly can reap immediate benefits