How many times have wished you knew how to control stress and anxiety?
Do you experience episodes of stress and anxiety frequently and are struggling to get rid of it? I think this is the right article for you.
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. Stress can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge or demand.
In short bursts, stress can be positive, such as when it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline.
Too much stress is however a health risk as it may lead to chronic depression which sometimes results into permanent mental disorders and other effects.
Anxiety is a normal and often healthy emotion. However, when a person regularly feels disproportionate levels of anxiety, it might become a medical disorder.
Anxiety disorders form a category of mental health diagnoses that lead to excessive nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worry.
So how often do you experience the feelings of stress and anxiety?
You must be very desperate to know how to manage stress or anxiety if you have frequent episodes of the two. Here are 8 ways to manage stress at home or at work
Try Deep breathing
Mental stress activates your sympathetic nervous system, signaling your body to go into “fight-or-flight” mode.
During this reaction, stress hormones are released and you experience physical symptoms such as a faster heartbeat, quicker breathing and constricted blood vessels.
Deep breathing exercises can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the relaxation response. Try deep breathing for some time to reduce stress and anxiety
Take a yoga class
Yoga has proven to be a very important approach for stress management.
The different yoga styles and movements help join your body and mind and make you feel relaxed and peaceful
Research has found that yoga can enhance mood and may even be as effective as antidepressant drugs at treating depression and anxiety
Learn to take control of situations and say no when necessary
You can’t control everything and sometimes you have to say no to some things.
Don’t overwork or give yourself so many responsibilities that will make you overwhelmed.
Learn to say no most of the time than accept and get stressed.
Try chewing Gum
One of the best stress relief methods that has been proven to be quick, easy and effective is through chwing gum.
Studies have shown that people who chew gum have low stress levels and higher chances of well being.
Chewing gum promotes blood flow to the brain and may also cause brain waves which are observant on people with relaxed minds
Many people(athletes and football coaches) when under pressure opt to chew as a way of managing stress and reducing pressure.
When stressed or anxious about something, chew gum and remember that chewing more strongly promotes faster stress relief
Exercise to relieve Stress
Exercising has many health benefits and stress relief lies on top of the list. Physical exercises tend to improve your mental health
and release stress.
When you exercise, the release of stress hormones, called cortisol are lowered and the mood improvement hormones, endorphins are released.
These hormones act as painkillers and reduce stress and anxiety
Frequent exercise can help boost your confidence and improve your productivity levels. Find out the health benefits of exercises from the link above on in the description section.
Exercise lowers chances of stress and promotes your well being
Another importance of exercise in relation to stress management is that exercise can improve the quality of sleep you get.
When stressed, your sleep quality is negatively affected and you are likely to experience insomnia and recurrent episodes of anxiety over little or seemingly insignificant things.
Listen to soothing music
Listening to slow and soft music can help your mind relax and do away with stress and anxiety
Soothing sounds from nature like rain and animals sounds have the relaxing effect and can help you relieve stress and anxiety
The most common type of music that helps relieve stress are instrumental music made with violin, piano and guitar.
These types of music can help lower the release of stress hormones, lower blood pressure and heartrate which in turn reduces stress and anxiety.
Listen to slow and soft music anytime you feel stressed.
Read or write something down.
Reading or writing can help you manage stress by shifting the attention of your mind from the stressful event to a different thing.
Writing down the aspect of details of whatever is stressing you can help manage stress.
When you read a novel of a piece with motivational content, the stress hormones in your mind are lowered and release of endorphins enhanced.
This will help improve your mood and reduce stress or anxiety.
Try Meditation
Apart from physical exercises like walking and running, meditation is another effective way to manage stress both at home or at work.
When anxious about something like meeting a deadline, paying a debt or facing a tough situation, meditating can help control the stress levels
Shaking and trembling, a common social anxiety disorder(SAD) can be control by meditation.
Meditation requires a quiet environment with a soothing or slow-paced instrumental music in the background.
If you experience GAD, which is a common anxiety disorder that involves constant and chronic worrying, nervousness, and tension, seek medical attention.
Chronic stress and depression also need special attention and cannot be managed by the activities discussed in this video. I hope this content helps you successfully manage stress and live a healthy life. Remember to subscribe to our newsletter for important weekly health updates.
Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes only and is only. The page shall not be liable for any misinterpretation and wrong use of the information on this website. If you have a serious health concern or need more information, contact a qualified physician immediately.
