Events in your life that make you feel nervous, overwhelmed or angry can be a gateway to experiencing stress. Once you begin feeling that strain, you may begin to dwell on it and thus increase your stress levels exponentially. These tips can help you relieve your stress.
Animals are a great method to help you quickly minimize your stress. Studies have shown that petting a cute animal reduces stress levels in just a few minutes.
One way to reduce stress is to perform repairs. Imagine that three items need repaired, a task that is going to involve triple the time, money and energy to accomplish, and a task that is bound to increase your stress levels. It is also a situation that could be avoided if you kept up with repairs.
When you take time to keep a journal, the very act of putting your thoughts on paper can help you keep your stress level down. Things that you might find too stressful to discuss with others can be safely written down to keep your stress under control. Refer back to these writings later to see how you can avoid or resolve similar stress in the future.
Understand the source of your stress! When you learn about what puts you under stress and increases your stress levels, you are in a better position to work to reduce it. Stress can be caused by a lot of things: a situation, a feeling or even a person. Once you know what has caused your stress, you can start addressing it until your stress is either minimized or eliminated.
Drugs and alcohol have been commonly used for centuries by people to try to combat stressful situations. This is how they try to seek relief from the overwhelming anxiety and emotions that weigh them down on a daily basis. Drugs and alcohol will add to your stress level, not relieve it. Far from fixing what’s wrong, drugs and alcohol will just add another layer of complexity to your existing issues.
Some hobbies and interests, such as video or word games, can provide a relaxing outlet for stress, but if they begin to cause you frustration, you should try something else. The idea in a hobby is to clear your mind while helping you feel calm. You do not want to replace being stressed with being frustrated.
Stand next to a solid wall and use your hands to push against it, giving all you have while digging in with your feet. The stretching and exertion of your hamstrings can relieve stress.
Spearmint oil can make a great natural stress reliever. When you are feeling a bit overburdened, just place a small bit on your temples as well as your neck. Small things like homeopathic treatments may have a huge effect on your stress levels.
If you have a lot of things to do, you are probably not taking the time to think. In these situations, it is vital that you slow down and start taking deep breaths, so that you can gain a clear perspective. As you work further into your day, try minimizing the amount of rushing you do, and you will lower anxiety and stress levels.
Put your hands against a wall and push on it with all your strength, planting your feet firmly on the floor. This will relieve tension in your hamstrings, which is one of the places that often “hold” stress.
Take deep breathes in order to control any situation that might make you stressed. Take a moment by yourself to count out ten deep breaths before trying to tackle the issue at hand. Following those steps will help you to remain professional and even-tempered instead of angry, defensive or hostile.
Daydreaming is not just for kids! Find the time to close your eyes and relax. Imagine where you would like to be and let your mind wander. This mental exercise works wonders to relieving the brain of unnecessary stress, and allows it to cope.
An overall healthy lifestyle may be the best way to minimize stress. You can improve your diet, rest more at night, or exercise more to help your body fend off anxiety and stress. Taking good care of yourself makes you have more positive thoughts about yourself and puts you in a more relaxed state during a potential stressful situation.
Reduce Stress
Music is an effective way to reduce stress. When you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, put on your favorite song and listen to it intently. It will allow your mind to take a break from the things that you had been focusing on that were causing you stress.
One good exercise to reduce stress is the practice of deep breathing. During times of high stress, breathing can become fast and shallow, and sometimes people even start to hyperventilate. Learning to control your breathing during such times can help to reduce stress. This is a sure fire stress reliever and should become part of your daily routine when attempting to relax and reduce stress.
Smiling is an simple way to reduce the amount of stress you feel. Although feelings of happiness and comfort usually bring on a smile, the link can be reversed – a smile can bring out those feelings. Smile for a bit and you’ll find yourself feeling better before long. You will feel more calm and centered when you can smile, even during stressful activities.
Music can cut down on any stress you might be experiencing. Program your favorite song into your phone or make an upbeat iPod playlist to listen to whenever you feel stressed. This lets your mind wander away from anything that has caused you to feel stressed.
Avoid stressful situations by planning ahead. For example, if you notice your car is getting low on gas, stop at the next gas station instead of continuing to drive until your fuel is on empty.
Allow yourself some time for meditation. Take a break and relax your muscles once in a while. If you can find time to meditate often, you may begin to feel less stress in your daily life. This also helps to keep your stress in check, even when you are in tense situations.
One effective tip for coping with stress is remembering to take deep breaths every so often. Nice deep breaths are proven to relieve some anxiety and reduce stress if you practice them often.
Cut down on the caffeine that you consume each day. Caffeine increases stress hormones, causing you to feel more stressed by drinking more caffeine. Attempt to replace coffee with some green tea to reduce the stress.
The simple act of smiling can often be a stress reliever. The muscles you use when you smile trigger your limbic system, and this is part of the emotional area of your brain. When you smile, this system will quickly put you in a calmer state, with reduced stress levels.
One overlooked but effective method to combat stress is to simply smile more. Smiling involves your limbic system, which helps to regulate your emotions. Smiling, therefore, will stimulate your brain, calm you down and make you happy.
In stressful situations, don’t be afraid to get away from the situation. Focus on calmness and remind yourself that you are able to manage the situation well; if you do this, you will be more effective in dealing with the situation.
Your body is simply not functioning properly if you’re working with a sleep deficit. Thinking clearly is more difficult, and you cannot manage stress effectively. Getting enough sleep will help keep you alert and energized for your day.
You may want to eat a snack. Carbohydrates will boost serotonin levels, this is a naturally found chemical in the body that will make you feel happy! Some people may find it necessary to limit their carbohydrate intake; however, a small portion of cake or a whole wheat bagel can temporarily reduce stress.
Consider adding aromatherapy into your routine for lowering your stress throughout the day. Your senses are both strong and powerful, and aromatherapy taps into that power. Use scents that are soothing (lavender, chamomile, etc.) so that your olfactory senses can transmit the scents directly to the brain and work to relax your brain waves. Scented candles are a wonderful option to fill an entire room with relaxing smells.
If you have a pet, take time to play with it. Merely petting a furry animal can help mitigate any stress that you feel. Watch how animals live. They are always in the moment. An animal, or a few animals, will soothe you and help make dealing with stress easier.
The cycle of stress can consume even the strongest of wills, overtake life and reek havoc on health in a seemingly self-perpetuating pattern. You’ll find as you begin to tackle your stress that the cycle works in reverse as well, not worrying about the stress causes it to disappear.
A large cup of hot chamomile tea can take the edge off a stressful day. Chamomile can take away your tension built up in your body, make headaches easier to deal with, and allow you to rest better. The health benefits of chamomile, in combination with the relaxing warmth of the tea, offer you a two-fold way to fight stress.