It is hard not to get overwhelmed occasionally. Between juggling work, family, and other commitments, you can become too stressed out and busy. But you need to set time aside to unwind or your mental and physical health can suffer.
Learning healthy ways to cope, and getting the right care and support can help reduce stressful symptoms and feelings.
The symptoms could either be emotional or physical. Common reactions to stress include:
- Disbelief
- Feelings of fear, shock, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
- Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests
- Difficulty sleeping or nightmares, concentrating, and making decisions.
- Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
- Worsening of chronic health problems
- Worsening of mental health conditions
- Increased use of alcohol and other substances.
Below, are some healthy ways to cope with stress:
1.Exercise
Exercising regularly is one of the best ways to relax your body and mind. It will also improve your mood. But you must do it often for it to pay off.
So how much should you exercise every week?
Work up to 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise like brisk walks or 75 minutes of a more vigorous exercise like swimming laps, jogging or other sports.
Focus on setting fitness goals you can meet so you don’t give up. Most of all remember that doing any exercise is better than none.
2.Relax Your Muscles
When you’re stressed, your muscles get tense. You can help loosen them up on your own and refresh your body by:
- Stretching
- Getting a massage
- Taking a hot bath or shower
- Getting a good night’s sleep
3.Deep Breathing
Stopping and taking a few deep breaths can take the pressure off you right away. You’ll be surprised how much better you feel once you get good at it.
4.Eat Well
Eating a balanced diet regularly will help you feel better in general. It may also help control your moods.
5.Slow Down
Modern life is so busy, and sometimes we just need to slow down and chill out. Look at your life and find small ways you can do that.
6.Take a Break
You need to plan on some real downtime to give your mind time off from stress. If you’re a person who likes to set goals, this may be hard for you at first. But stick with it and you’ll look forward to these moments. Restful things you can do include:
- Meditate
- Pray
- Listen to your favorite music.
- Spend time appreciating nature
7.Make Time for Hobbies
You need to set aside time for things you enjoy. Try to do something every day that makes you feel good, and it will help relieve your stress. 15 to 20 minutes will do. Relaxing hobbies include things like:
- Reading
- Watching a movie
- Doing puzzles
- Playing cards and board games
8.Talk About Your Problems
If things are bothering you, talking about them can help lower your stress. You can talk to family members, friends, your doctor, or a therapist.
9.Go Easy On Yourself
Accept that you can’t do things perfectly no matter how hard you try. You also can’t control everything in your life. So do yourself a favor and stop thinking you can do so much. And don’t forget to keep up your sense of humor. Laughter goes a long way towards making you feel relaxed.
10.Eliminate Your Triggers
Figure out the biggest causes of your stress in your life. Is it your job, your commute, your schoolwork? If you’re able to identify what they are, see if you’re able to eliminate them from your life, or at least reduce them.
If you can’t identify the main causes of your stress, try keeping a stress journal. Make note of when you become most anxious and see if you can determine a pattern, then find ways to remove or lessen those triggers.
11.Manage news and social media time
It’s good to be informed but hearing about the traumatic events constantly can be upsetting.
12.Avoid drugs and alcohol.
These may seem to help, but they can create additional problems and increase the stress you are already feeling.
13.Recognize when you need more help.
If problems continue, or you are thinking about suicide, talk to a psychologist or a professional counselor. #EMBA28
