Stress management techniques help individuals to reduce stress in order to live happier and healthier life. Living with a high level of stress means putting your well-being at risk. Stress greatly affects your emotional equilibrium and your physical health.
Stress management techniques are often referred to as tools or strategies that help you reduce stress and the negative impacts of stress on your mental and physical health.
What is stress?
According to a study, stress is how your brain responds to a challenging situation. When you are stressed, your body releases hormones, and these hormones make you alert and ready for action. Every individual at some point feels frustrated, angry, or nervous. And this feeling of physical and emotional tension is stress.
These days, stress is getting very common, especially among the youth. However, in emergency situations, stress can be a lifesaver because it will give you extra-strength to protect yourself through fight and flight response. And sometimes it will affect your mind in such a way that your body and brain might not be able to tackle the situation.
What Are The Symptoms Of Stress?
If you experience stress most of the time, don’t worry you are not alone. Everyone at some point experiences stress. However, there are several effective stress management techniques that will help you to cope with it.
Stress affects everyone differently, it is important for you to tackle it as soon as possible.
Here are some common symptoms of stress everyone must know:
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Anxiety
- High blood pressure
- Chest pain or irregular heartbeat
- Migraine or headaches
- Digestive problems
- Poor immune system
- Insomnia or exhaustion
- Having a hard time relaxing
- Overthinking
- Overeating
- Nervousness
- Sweaty hands or feet
- Low energy
The very first step in preventing stress is to know the symptom of stress. After that, you can consult a therapist or counselor to help you handle it in a better way.
What Are The Best Stress Management Techniques?
According to the American Psychological Association, after the Covid-19 outbreak, nearly 67% of Americans are feeling increased stress. There are various stress management techniques that will help you improve your physical and psychological health.
We have listed some of the most effective stress management techniques to cope with stress and live a happier and healthier life.
Stress Management Technique Number One: Regular Exercise
Regular exercise in any form can act as a stress reliever. Most therapists recommend regular exercise because it is one of the best stress management techniques. Generally, any form of exercise, yoga or aerobics can help you cope with stress and other psychological problems.
Exercise helps you improve your blood flow and the body’s ability to use oxygen. Both of these things have direct effects on your brain. Regular exercise is beneficial for the production of endorphins. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that are responsible to cope with stress and pain.
Try to take out a maximum of 30 to 40 minutes from your busy schedule for physical exercise and make it your lifestyle habit. This will help you becomes more productive and cope with stress in a short time.
Even just going out for a walk and getting some fresh air daily can help you relieve stress.
Stress Management Technique Number Two: Get Enough Sleep
Do you know that sleep is a powerful stress reliever? Getting proper sleep every day improves your concentration, regulates your moods, overcomes your mood swings, and improves your decision-making power. However, lack of proper sleep reduces your energy and affects your mental as well as physical health.
When you don’t get a maximum of 8 hours of sleep every night, you can find out that you cannot concentrate easily and feel exhausted all day. Bad sleep can adversely affect your mental health and increase stress levels.
Getting proper sleep can help you to cope with physical and mental health problems and reduce stress.
Stress Management Technique Number Three: Minimize Your Screen Time
In this technological era, most people spend more than 7 hours per day on screens. Excessive screen time is one of the major causes of stress. Using your phone frequently affects sleep and lack of sleep increases stress.
When you minimize your screen time, you get more productive by limiting distractions. It can help you decrease the anxiety that is caused by excessive use of social media. You can build this habit if you really want to get rid of stress. Choose one time each day to check your social media profiles and important messages.
Commit to this stress management technique and adopt this habit to make your life stress-free.
Stress Management Technique Number Four: Spend More Time With Friends And Family
The holidays are the best time to spend with your friends and family. Sharing your stories with them helps you to reduce your burden. Spending quality time with them is not just enjoyable but also good for your mental health.
People who spend more time with friends and family are a healthier way to cope with stress. Instead of seeking negative mechanisms such as drinking alcohol, doing drugs, smoking, and getting isolated, people should consider their friends as stress relievers and seek help from them to cope with stress and other mental issues.
The emotional support provided by your friends and family helps you enhance your mental well-being.
Stress Management Technique Number Five: Take Care Of Your Diet
Your diet not only affects your physical health but also affects your mental health. Those people who consume more added sugar and processed foods are more likely to experience severe stress.
Being chronically stressed leads you to overeat which might harm your overall well-being. Moreover, when you are not getting essential nutrients that are important for regulating your mood and stress like magnesium and vitamins B, you might easily fall prey to stress.
Consuming whole and organic foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and fish can help you nourish your body and improve your resilience to stress.
Minimizing ultra-processed foods helps you regulate stress.
The Bottom Line:
With the help of the above-mentioned stress management techniques, you can easily say goodbye to stress. Acquire relaxation activities like yoga and meditation and take care of your body every day. Eat right, get enough sleep and get some exercise every day to handle stress much better.
Also Read: 6 Wellness Tips To Improve Your Mental Health Now