How to Stress Less
Everyone goes through hard times in life, and sometimes it feels like stressful situations keep happening back to back. We’ve all had to deal with stress, but few of us know how to handle it in a way where it doesn’t affect our mood, health, or social life. Stress is a silent killer, at least that’s how I like to think about it.
Have you ever thought about handling stress or stressful situations with more of a positive attitude? Most people get into stressful situations and just shut down, or negatively allow it to affect how they think and react to themselves and other people. I personally believe stress can be a good thing. I believe it can make people stronger and make it possible for you to adapt to new conditions. Knowing how to combat stress can be helpful for a person to grow and make stress less of a big deal. There are many tips to overcome stress, and being aware of them will help you live a stress-free life.
What is stress?
Stress is tension between the body and mind when we face new experiences that are challenging and demanding. It's the outcome of how our body and mind responding to the experience. Such reactions can cause fatigue and/or strain mentally and physically. Therefore, it is important to know the signs and how you feel when your stressed.
Elevated heart rate, high blood pressure, emotional changes like feeling fear over things, sudden anger, and the list goes on and on for the symptoms of stress.
Reasons for stress?
Stress can be caused due to many reasons. Losing a loved one, losing your job, a breakup, or a tough divorce can be valid reasons why your stressed. If you just started a new job, the workload and the workplace can be stressful. Moving to new a neighborhood can be stressful especially for young people. Children also face stress with the changes in their school or peer group( keep that in mind parents). No matter the changes in your life, positive or negative, stress can result from it.
How to overcome stress?
There are a few tips to overcome and combat stress. With these few easy practices, you can get rid of your stress within a short period.
Pay attention to your health and what you eat
As the saying goes, you are what you eat. Everything you consume plays a part in how you think and feel. If you eat lots of junk food and processed food, your body will turn into junk. Those foods have so many chemicals that affect your brain and your mood (look it up). Your body needs good food so it can turn that into “good” energy. Do you think your body will feel better and process things better on a stomach full of junk or a stomach full of salad?
Exercise
Exercising is a good way to take your mind off stressful situations. Taking good care of yourself can be the cure for stress, and you’ll get fit in the process. That’s 2 for the price of 1!
Say no to alcohol and tobacco
People with stress more often seek mental relief from having an excessive amount of liquor and tobacco in their system. Say no to these habits and try to quit. At the end of the day, they won’t make the stress go away, it only brings temporary satisfaction.
Set time aside for you to escape the world and relax
No matter how busy you are, set aside some time for yourself. Get a massage or visit a quiet and calm place where you can just take a breather from this thing we call life.
Conclusion
There are so many ways you can effectively get rid of or mitigate stress, you just need to find what works for you. Try going into a stressful situation and just asking yourself, “how can I overcome this” or “is there anyone I know who could help me with this situation”. Stress is a major problem in today’s society. If you handled it carefully, you’ll be on the path to a Stress-less life.