According to the American Institute of stress, about 70% of adults experience stress that affects their physical and mental health. Moreover, around 40% of adults worldwide experienced elevated stress levels in 2020, making it the most stressful year.
Whether you experience a minor challenge or a major crisis, stress always tags along. Every person gets their fair share of stress triggers, so it’s pretty hard not to get overwhelmed now and then. While you can’t always control these triggers or stressors, you can control how you respond to them. Some people get anxious, others get aggressive, and many get worked up to the extent that they get physically ill. Instead of giving in to stress, learn to find ways to keep its side effects at bay.
So, when you feel your stress becomes overwhelming or makes you feel frustrated or irritable, you can always resort to some stress-relieving habits. Listed below are some tips that can help tame stress and restore peace and balance to your tipsy turvy life.
Try Energy-therapy
When you experience a trauma or a setback, your emotions get displaced. To curb this emotional damage, people start using self-made coping mechanisms which may suppress emotions related to trauma. This suppression of negative emotions disturbs the human energy field. It manifests later in the form of behavioral problems, physiological conditions, or psychological disorders. If you tried to get rid of your emotional baggage on your own but failed, it is time to reach out for professional aid. If you aren’t sure about visiting a therapist yet, you can purchase books online, such as the emotion code. These books provide information on effective and transformative energy healing methods. Professionals design these books to provide an outlet for trapped energy related to past emotions. They help ease emotional wounds, alleviate physical discomfort, and restore relationships.
Eat a healthy diet
Foods can help tame stress in many ways. For example, comfort foods like a bowl of warm oatmeal increase serotonin levels. This brain chemical soothes and calms our brain. Fruits like oranges and leafy green vegetables rich in magnesium also help curb stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, reducing stress. Some people practice emotional eating, which involves binge eating to soothe themselves and their negative feelings. They fill their emotional void through this temporary aid without realizing that it only adds to their chronic stress. Eating healthy foods can help you counter stress over the long haul since your body will get detoxified, and your brain will function properly.
Take a break
In this day and age, when people are busy making ends meet, trying to live up to the expectations of their family, and meeting deadlines at work, they forget to take a break. Give a pause to your robotic life and relax. As a goal-oriented person, it might be difficult for you to plan on some actual downtime. But you will eventually look forward to these moments. The most relaxing things you can do are meditation, yoga, prayer, listening to some soothing music, or spending time amongst nature. Go on a short vacation even! Meditation is popular for stress management and is beneficial in relaxing the body, mind, and soul.
Exercise daily
Frequent workouts are an effective way to help relieve mental stress. Exercise helps reduce the level of the stress hormone cortisol and pumps up the release of endorphin. Endorphins can improve your mood instantly, and they also act as natural painkillers. Exercising can also treat your insomnia and enhance the quality of sleep. But a consistent exercising routine is necessary for it to pay off. So, take a stroll around the office as downtime from a frustrating task. Walking is one of the simplest ways to rejuvenate your mind and body. You can also try breathing exercises to de-stress yourself.
Connect and socialize
Your friends and family are the most reliable source of emotional support. When you feel stressed, you might want to isolate yourself. Talk to a friend or family member rather than piling up your emotions to the extent that you feel suffocated. Talking about your worries to a confidant can help in emotional catharsis. Spending time with family or being part of a healthy social network is therapy in itself and can boost your self-esteem. This will ultimately help you sort out issues and navigate the rough patches of your life. In case you have no one to talk to, seek professional aid from a therapist.
Try Guided imagery
Guided imagery is an effective stress management technique that you can use just about anywhere to relax and calm yourself. It is like taking a short cost-free vacation in your mind that is simple and pleasant to practice. All you need to do is imagine yourself being in your happy place. For example, picture yourself sitting on a beach, feeling the refreshing breeze, and listening to the crashing waves. Relaxing, right? So, when you start to feel stressed due to work overload or feel anxious due to an exam, close your eyes and slip away to your nirvana.
Pen down your thoughts
Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a source of therapy that aids in relieving stress. Journal writing provides an outlet for your otherwise pent-up emotions. Don’t think about what to write or spelling and grammar mistakes; just let your thoughts slip on paper.
Engage in leisure activities
People these days are too busy to engage in leisure activities. While juggling work, family, and other responsibilities, they often forget to make time for themselves. However, leisure activities can help relieve stress. When you feel good, you will eventually perform better. Try to figure out what you like and make time for it. Gardening, painting, or cooking are a few activities you can engage in. You can even pet an animal. Interaction with pets boosts mood and reduces stress through oxytocin release.
Try a laughter workout
Last but not least, try to laugh more throughout the day. A laugh may not cure all illnesses, but it is the best medicine to help you feel better when things look tough. Laughter boosts mood, gives you a lighter feeling, helps surmount problems, and improves physical and mental health. So, next time when you feel stressed, listen to a few jokes or tell some, watch a standup comedy video, hang out with humorous people, or even force a fake laugh.
Conclusion
Life is full of challenges and setbacks. When you feel helpless in coping with specific demands related to work, family, financial pressures, etc., that is where stress comes in. Stressors are temporary, but the stress that stems from them may become chronic if not managed timely. Chronic stress can take a tremendous toll on your well-being, making you debilitated to work and tackle demanding challenges. This article mentions a few effective tips to help cope and reduce stress without investing too much time.
