Stress Management: What Is It, And How To Use It

 Despite all the conveniences available to us in this technologically advanced age, stress is still part of the overall system of our lives. Luckily, stress management provides comfort and release from these problems that tends to affect our physical, mental and emotional health.

What is Stress Management?

Stress management includes tools, procedures and methods that allow us to take control of our problems and make sure that they don't affect our daily routine. Problems that leads to stress that are specific in nature have different stress management techniques that can be applied to keep you in balance and harmony.

Breathing exercises helps big time!

Our body tends to react during times of stress; irregular breathing, sweating, aches and pains, slow metabolism and so on. Since these are all physical in nature, we have to deal with it in a physical way. One method is through breathing exercises. Simply speaking, these exercises control the flow and distribution of oxygen to different parts of your body.

One way to do this is to count your breathing. Breathe slowly and deep, relax your stomach as you do so. Try to keep a rhythm and follow it throughout the duration of the exercise. With enough practice, you can control your breathing instantly during times of stress which can help you relax and alleviate some of the negative effects on your body.

Relax your mind with meditation

Meditation is great way to achieve stress management, which deals more on the mental than in the physical. This is where the old adage "Mind Over Body" kicks in. Meditation allows your mind to relax and focus on a single thought and let others drift away to nothing.

The art of meditation have been used for centuries that started off as an offset of pagan religion. Nowadays, many people practice this method for different areas in their life; coping with work, focusing on your tasks, or simply to relax your mind to keep yourself in balance.

This can be quite hard at first but can be improved through practice. First of all, try to look for a quiet place where you will have the least amount of distraction. Then you need to relax your body from your toes to your head. When you feel heavy then you are already relaxed (this will change to a light feeling when practiced often), you can now concentrate on your mind.

Try to focus on a single thought. You might notice that you will be distracted by stray thoughts that seeps into your mind during the course of the exercise. When this happen, try to imagine you are watching movie. Observe these thoughts as if it was nothing and let it drift away to the next one. After a while, all these stray scenes will cease, then you have achieved meditation.

Seek professional help

A psychiatrist can be of great help during times of stress. The specialist will help you identify your problems and in turn find possible solutions without letting fear and worry get hold of your mind. They can help find the trouble areas and help you find solutions which you might be unable to realize on your own.

Dealing with stress can be stressful also. But with a relaxed mind and the proper techniques, you can take control of your life and not let stress control you.

Personal Stress Management: Get Rid Of Stress In Your Own Way

 It is always difficult to recognize the signs and symptoms when you are in the throes of stress. Many people misunderstand the true definition of stress and would resort to medications without even trying to find out what started it in the first place. Being hasty to get rid of stress will only lead to temporary results and will return once the effect of the medication has run its course.

Personal stress management involves making your own routines that will allow you cope with problems and avoiding a possible occurrence of stress in your daily life. Here are some tips on how to get rid of stress in your own personal way.

Understanding is the key to enlightenment

The first step in personal stress management is to know what stress really is and how it can affect your life. For starters, stress is something or events in your life that will affect your emotional, mental and physical wellbeing in a negative way. Most often, stress starts off with the mind, branches off and affects your emotions, and if left uncontrolled will then begins to take its toll on your body.

Try to take some time off to reflect on what problems in your life stresses you out. You can write a diary and state all your problems there then try to analyze it one-by-one. If you can narrow the cause of your stress then you can easily find ways in getting rid of it. Talking with a close friend or a family member about your problems is also a great way to deal with it. Since stress is said to be bottled up emotions, you better find ways to release it before it blows up inside you, which is never pretty good.

Help yourself

Now that you found out how stress affects your life, all that you need to do is to get rid of it. Resorting to medications will only lead to temporary results, you need to choose a more permanent approach, and that is your mind. Stress usually rears its ugly head when we start to think about it. If we let your problems gain control over you then you will see the effects almost immediately.

You need to relax and face stress head on. Identify what causes it and find a solution to it. You may use music therapy to help you relax, or meditation to clear your mind for a fresh start.                                              Aromatherapy can also help in relaxing your mind. Certain scents like lavender and jasmine are proven to have a calming effect and can help you keep a clear head.

Start small

Problems are usually a prelude to stress. The more the problems pile up, the more stressed you will eventually become. If a certain problem comes into your life, whether career or personal, try to take care of it as soon as possible. Don’t let your work pile up or they may become too much to handle later on.

The secret to success in personal stress management is to identify the causes of stress in your life. Find a self-made routine that can help you deal with it and cope with future problems that will surely stress out.

What Stress Can Do To Your Body

Unknown to you but stress can actually do more damage to your body than you think. Most people take advantage of their body’s limit and push it to the extreme just to get the job done, thinking that their body will adapt to the stress they impose upon it.

The truth is that, our body has a certain capacity in which it can function, exceed that capacity and you will end up in the warm embrace of the hospital bed waiting for your body to recover. Stress can affect you in many ways – physical, mental and emotional functions are disrupted making you unable to function properly whether socially, personally or career work. Stress causes more harm than good to your general health.

Effects of stress on your body

There is a certain degree in which stress can affect your body. Headaches and body pain are part of the issues a stressed person will complain of. If left unchecked, this will lead to migraine and muscle tension that will eventually lead to stiffness.

Major changes will affect the biochemical functions of your body. This could be diarrhea, constipation, nausea and dizziness. You will find it hard to sleep at nights even if you feel week and needs rest. People usually resort to medications to counter this effect, but this will only give temporary remedy.

To those who suffer from a weak heart, most often they will complain of chest pains and rapid heartbeat – the usual signs and symptoms that will eventually lead to stroke or cardiac arrest.  Note however that different physical manifestations of stress can be seen for different people, it all depends on your body’s capacity.

Behavioral problems related to stress

Aside physical manifestations of stress on your body, behavioral changes may also be noticed while under the throes of stress. Changes in sleeping patterns, lack of sleep or inability to sleep during normal slumber hours is usually the initial reactions to stress. These are usually caused by heightened emotional and mental functions which is more of the negative than positive.

Self-pity and isolation is caused by the depressed mental state of the person when certain problems crop up in their everyday life. Irritability and anger will set in when the person is bereft of his or her natural ability to rationalize which is usually the case when stressed or being burdened by problems.

How to cope

There are different techniques that you can employ to avoid these manifestations of stress in your life. The first technique, and the most important one, is learning how to relax when stress pays you a visit. You can employ techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, aromatherapy, or music therapy to induce a state of relaxation to your mind. Once you have achieved this step, you can proceed on how to deal with stress that affects your body.

Since most of your physiological functions are unbalanced due to stress, you can start by pampering your body through various massages offered by health spas within your neighborhood. Loosen those tight muscles to relieve assorted aches and pains and increase your flexibility.

Physical exercise can also help develop cardiovascular functions and strengthen your heart to avoid stroke or rapid heart rate. You also need to keep a close look out on your diet, make sure you avoid taking in junk foods and fast foods that will elevate harmful chemicals in your body. Try to stick with fruits and vegetables and take in supplements to help rejuvenate your body.

Self-Improvement For Stress Management

Stress is a part of our daily life whether we like it or not. No matter how we try to get rid of it, it will always come back and haunt you every single day of your life. Stress can be expected as you go through your daily routine, or just suddenly come as a result of one issue or the other. 

Problems, big or small, can affect us emotionally, mentally and physically. Even if we keep smiling on the outside, stress usually troubles us from within. Leaving us in doubt, desperate, anxious, or even irritable if it gets out of control. The best way to deal with stress is to not let it get a hold in your life. You should control it before it even begins to grow and how well you succeed depends on you.

Body Self-Improvement Techniques

Taking care of your body is the initial step to self-improvement. We should be sensitive to what our body needs by knowing how stress affects us physically and how to adapt to it. Here are some techniques that you can use to improve your body and getting stress out of your system.

1. Give Your Body a Break. 

It is very important to know the limits of our body especially when it comes to dealing with stress. Our body can do so much and will deteriorate rapidly when we exceed our capacity. If you feel some aches and pains while working, then you better take some time off and relax before it turns to something serious.

2. Relax and Enjoy. 

To help your body relieve stress, you need to engage in some activities that will push it along the road to recovery. A massage is perfect for energizing your body while getting rid of those tight muscles that will eventually lead to pain and limit your body flexibility. Pamper yourself by visiting a health therapist at least once week, a few hours with professional hands can do wonders.

3. Exercise and Sweat It Out. 
Indulging in physical exercise is a great way to get rid of stress while keeping your body in top shape. Not many can allocate the time and effort for a physical exercise, but if you really want a stress free life then you better accommodate exercise into your daily activity. Daily 1 hour exercise can do wonders to your cardiovascular functions and keep your heart in proper working order.

Self-Improvement For a Stress Free Life

The tips above borders on the physical side of releasing stress, but your mind is still vulnerable to stress attacks. Physical exercise can provide an outlet for emotional problems like anxiety, fear and depression. But your mind is something else.

Before you can dispel any stress from your life, you need to improve your coping mechanism first, and it all starts in your mind. Even if we feel the physical and emotional backlash of the problems  we face, it will always start with how you think and how you devise ways in dealing with it.

Before you can apply the tips above, you have to condition your mind by focusing on the need to improve yourself in getting rid of stress.

Dangers Of Stress -The Symptoms You Can Look For

If you are under an enormous amount of pressure either from work, school or family life at home or all of the above plus anything else, then you really do need to know the dangers of stress and learn how to deal with it as soon as possible.

Increased levels of stress can cause serious health issues. You should look out for the following symptoms:

-          Headaches

-          Increased or abnormal heart rate

-          Tension in the shoulders and neck

-          Digestion problems

-          Problems like nausea, heartburn, constipation and/or diarrhea.

You may also realize that you get sick more often. This is caused by prolonged exposure to stressful situations which deplete your immune system and leave you with nothing to fight off even the most common germs that bombard us every single day.

Prolonged exposure to stressful situations can also lead to high blood pressure which can lead to heart attack and may also lead to stroke and sudden death.

If you have been under an increased amount of stress lately and have noticed any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

It is an established fact that stress and stressful situations are dangerous and bad to our health. We should look for ways to better manage and relieve stress to eliminate the possibility of it causing future health problems.

There are numerous techniques to reduce the amount of tension you feel in your life, which include but not limited to relaxing in a nice, hot bath or taking a walk.

Just being out in nature is said to be a huge stress reliever. If you have access to a nature preserve or a forest reserve, take the family on a nature walk, or go alone. Breathing the fresh air and watching the birds and animals all around you will make you feel a lot better. 

Other forms of exercise will benefit you, as well. Join a local gym and go work out all of your frustrations on the weight machines or treadmill. Do whatever you can to alleviate all the stressful situations in your life and you will not have to worry about the dangers of stress affecting your overall health in the long run.

Stress: Inevitable But Treatable

 

Lifestyle nowadays is very stressful. Stress nowadays is not only overwhelming but has posed a serious effect on people’s health. Almost everyone knows how it feels like to be stressed, stomachaches, headaches, and sweaty palms are all symptoms of this condition. These are normal body reactions to threats, changes in routines, or challenges. Chronic or prolonged stress caused by work, relationship problems, or financial concerns may hamper emotional balance and increase the risk of chronic illness. Ongoing stress may increase the chances of developing certain ailments. In addition, chronic stress may weaken the immune system and make it more susceptible to many forms of infections. Stress however, is an inevitable part of life and may cause one to be physically and emotionally drained. 

Here are additional signs that indicate that one might be stressed out:

- Feeling down, edgy, tired

- Laughing or crying without any cause or reason

- Blaming others for bad things that happened

- Wanting to be alone at all times /withdrawal

- Not being able to see the positive side of certain situations

- Not enjoying activities that he or she used to enjoy

- Getting angry at people or activities

- Feelings like he or she has too many things to do

Many stressed individuals try to self-medicate to get rid of stress. Some engage in other activities. However, most of them use the wrong method for stress relief. They tend to overeat, drink too much alcohol or coffee, or use illegal drugs. These habits may bring temporary relief but fail to alleviate stress in any meaningful way. In the long run individuals who engage in these activities only heighten physical and emotional stress.

Exercise and nutritious diets have been proved to be safe and effective ways to improve mental and physical health. Many medical studies point out that exercise, especially aerobic exercise like jogging, brisk walking, and jumping rope as one of the best methods for stress relief. This is possible because these activities promote the production of endogenous morphines or endorphins. These are substances produced by the brain that work as the body's natural pain-killers. It is said that endorphins are capable of elevating one's mood, self-esteem, and mental functioning. 

Exercise should be done properly and in moderation to achieve health improvements and wellness. Strength training like push-ups,  pull-ups, etc  coupled with 30 minutes of jogging or brisk walking can keep your body toned and improve metabolism. These regimens can be done with little or no equipment at all. Many health experts claim that the key to improved health is not intensity or using sophisticated equipments but continuous physical activity. Exercising properly can make one feel better, have more energy, and become less prone to stress. Before engaging in physical activities and making adjustments in food regimens, individuals are encouraged to seek the advice of health experts. They may prepare a workout routine that is recommended for individuals based on their specific health conditions and fitness goals and levels.

If exercise and diet adjustments do not work, stressed individuals may use medications for stress relief. However, before taking any medication they should consult a doctor to clarify drug interactions and side effects that may occur while under medication. Understanding stress is essential for treatment and improvements in one's health.

Strategies In Avoiding Stress Build Up

Stress, if allowed, can build up very fast. There are several effects of stress in many aspects of life. Stress can pose major health risks to individuals. Prevention is always better than cure. Learn to avoid stress build up through simple strategies that you could practice any time.

Have Fun
Having fun can provide a nice distraction from life's issues. Games such as football, hand ball and basket ball are all team sports and activities that offer the benefit of catching fun and socializing, can help take you away from your stressors. Find activities you enjoy most not just sports alone. Hobbies can play a very important role in the relaxation process.

Your Health
Stress can be very detrimental to health especially if you have a health condition as it tends to aggravate the issue. Taking good care of yourself by taking the right medication will be very 

helpful.

Healthy Eating
People with bad eating and dieting habits are prone to stress and health conditions. Eating healthy can help you beat stress, lose weight as well as help the body function properly. A simple balance meal with the combination of fruits, vegetables and foods rich in fiber with less saturated fat is enough to get you going. You can even find healthy recipes and meal plans online.

Regular Exercise.
One of the best ways to help cope with stress easily is by getting regular exercise and physical activities. Exercise enhances the production and release of endorphins that increase the body's natural feelings of well-being. This helps take away any stress feelings naturally.

Ask For Support
There is a saying that problem shared is problem solved, when you are stressed up always remember that there are people around you who can be of help and share your problem with them. Friends can raise you up when you are down. They can provide insights when you are confused and strength when you are week, and can be fun being with.
Family members can be of solid support since they already know you and can provide what you really want. If stress gets out of control, you can ask for the counsel of your psychiatrist.

Stress is a part of our daily life, so don't be too hard on yourself whenever there are issues as this may easily get you stressed up. Never see yourself as the cause of your being stressed up as this will only worsen the stress that you are already feeling. Do not build a wall around yourself whenever you are stressed and never feel helpless. Stress is an enemy that you can triumph upon with a little effort and the help of your loved ones.

Body Exercises To Dispel Stress

Have you ever experienced aches and pains while working, or feel tired all of a sudden even before you start working?. Well, this is practically the effect of stress on your body. Most medical experts agree that stress can be a profound influence in the decline of your normal body functions – tight muscles, migraine, drowsiness, and so on. 

Most medical experts agree and research has proved that a healthy bout of physical exercise can improve your health despite the daily bout of stress due to career, personal or social problems. It is advisable that you should take some time off from work, or an early good night sleep and wake up early in the morning to engage in some physical exercise.

Physical exercise for stress management

Physical exercise can help to improve your body’s adaptability to stress. This involves routine movements that will improve your cardiovascular functions and at the same tome strengthen your heart. This in turn improves the circulation of blood and other bio-chemicals which your body requires to maintain a good health.

When oxygen are well supplied to the muscles, muscle integrity will improve which will also enhance endurance, stamina and flexibility. Engaging in physical exercise can also serve as an outlet for mental stress – release of depression, anxiety, anger, fear, and so on by focusing on your workout.

Exercise tips

To get the required result, you must follow certain physical regime of exercise. Simply jogging around the block or lifting some weight will not provide the overall effect as a complete workout. Here are some tips that will start you off in releasing stress through physical exercise:

1. Time. To avoid interruption during workouts, you must set out a particular time that is suitable for you. Early morning is the best time for an exercise since the fresh air will help your body get the clean oxygen that it needs to recover from those accumulated stress.

2. Warm-up exercise. It is very important to engage in light exercise to warm your body up and also stretching out the muscles before engaging in heavy workouts to avoid cramps and injuries during and after exercise workouts.

Start off with some minor stretching, beginning with your ankles, legs, hips, arms and neck. Make sure you do it slow and with set time intervals so your body won’t react negatively. The purpose of the warm-up is to let your body adapt to the work-out that will follow afterwards.

3. Required sports equipment. Purchase some health books that features exercise routines for different parts of your body. You can also purchase light weight dumbbells, exercise balls, exercise marts, and so on to improve your body’s performance.

4. Proper Diet. One of the most important facets of the physical exercise regime is your diet. Make sure you eat enough balanced diet so that you won’t easily get tired and weak from the physical exercise. However avoid those unwanted cholesterol and calories. Stay away from fast food goodies and junk food rather stick with healthy fruits and vegetables.

Reducing Stress Through Time Management

One of the common causes of stress is not being organized. Time management is the key to organize your work both at home and at the workplace, thus reducing the tendency of your being stressed up.  Prioritizing the most important job and writing down your duties and activities everyday is a better way to manage your time.

Keeping a diary, where you can list down your duties and objectives, can help you assess which duty must be done first and the estimated time you can accomplish each activity.

Scheduling And Listing

If you feel you are going to have another busy day either at home or at work, always write down your tasks. Indicating which task comes first and at what time it will done and following it strictly will allow you time to perform your other task. You must learn to prioritize to successfully beat stress.

On a daily basis pick the most important task and finish it first. Never put too many things in your list, this way, you are more likely to accomplish all your tasks for the day, this in turn will provide you the feeling of accomplishment and greater sense of control. 

Learn to delegate some of your tasks to co- works and family members especially when you have too many task to accomplish and little time to do so. By delegating, you can avoid stress from building up.

In the workplace, learn to say no especially when you find yourself in a situation where you cannot handle anymore task than you already have. Learn to ascertain your capabilities so as not to end up being stressed up.

  

Remember that you need time to rest and relax so that you can come back refreshed and revitalized. Include in your list work breaks and as much as possible things that would physically and mentally take you away from work. 

Finally, try not to make major decisions when you feel overworked or anxious  as they may be regrettable latter .

WAYS EXERCISE HELP IN STRESS RELIEF

It is no longer news that the health consciousness of our society today has led to increased focus on the health benefits of exercise. There are so many ways exercise is beneficial to man and stress relief is one of them. Regular physical exercise is a very effective way of relieving stress. These are some of the ways exercise help in stress relief:-

PRODUCTION OF ENDORPHINS 

 Endorphins are the brains feel-good neurotransmitters. Exercise enhances the production of endorphins thereby helping to give your mood a natural boost.

AS A DISTRACTION 

 Engaging in regular exercise or any form of sports helps take your concentration away from what is causing you stress. You will focus on the very activity you are engaged in thereby helping you to forget about the day’s ups and downs.

AS A MEANS TO SOCIALIZE 

 Exercise and most physical activities often involve others which makes it an avenue to socialize. This gives you a double benefit of exercising and having fun all together. Apart from making you feel better, working out with others gives you a lot of motivation to work harder without feeling the stress of hard work.

RELAXATION

Exercise helps in the reduction of skeletal muscle tension thereby helping you to feel more relaxed. It energizes, motivate you and improve your mood to deal with the days challenges. It also helps you get sound sleep which is another way of to relieve stress.

Exercise is a very great way of stress relief as it helps you relax well and provide a kind of diversion from your source of stress. It also helps raise your energy level, boost your self esteem as well as boosting your immune system and general well being. Fitting exercise into your day can be a way to deal with future stress.

STRESS RELIEF AND MANAGEMENT

Stress is a part of normal life and is impossible to eliminate completely. However stress can be managed so that its effects on our physical and mental health can be controlled. There are many techniques and methods that can be applied to relieve and manage stress but let’s first understand what stress is.

WHAT IS STRESS

Any physical or emotional factor that can cause bodily or mental unrest and may be a disease causing factor may be referred to as stress. It comes in different forms and manner and may be induced by so many factors.

WHAT CAN CAUSE STRESS

Stress can be induced by so many factors depending on individual. Trauma, illness, injuries, poor time management, and many more can cause physical stress.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF STRESS

Stress impairs the stability and balance of bodily functions. It also affects the mood of individuals. People under stress should make stress relief and management an important part of their daily routine.

WHO CAN BE AFFECTED BY STRESS

Stress comes in different forms and affects people of all ages and from all walks of life. Its level in individuals cannot be predicted by any external standards. The degree of stress vary from individual to individual and is highly dependent on individual factors such as physical health, individuals responsibility, events that occurred in our lives, interpersonal relationships, inadequate sleep and many more.

WHICH AREA OF THE BODY IS AFFECTED BY STRESS

Virtually all areas of the body are affected by stress but the following areas are most affected- the brain,-heart,-muscles and joints,-stomach and the reproductive system.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

The symptoms vary in individuals. However the following are the most common symptoms of stress:-headaches,-concentration problems,-sleep disturbance,-feelings of anxiety and tension,-lost of appetite,-anger and many more

HOW CAN I RELIEVE STRESS

There are many ways to manage or relieve stress which include:-

EXERCISING                                                                                                                                 Exercise enhances the production of endorphins which are your brains feel-good neurotransmitters that helps improve your mood. Exercise also help to refocus your mind on the very present activity you are engaged in causing the days irritation to fade away.

LISTENING AND DANCING TO MUSIC                                                                                     Music provides a mental distraction from what you are thinking, taking your focus away from what is causing you stress. Your mind now focuses on the music and its lyrics that you start dancing away your stress.

COMMUNICATING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY                                                                             This is a very good stress reliever as it distracts you from life’s ups and downs. When you share your problems with them they provide support and make you feel good. You can go to cinema, the beach comedy shows or any decent place you can derive happiness with your friends or family.

When you see stress as part of a normal thing arising from the day’s activities, it helps cope easily and effectively with it.  

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