Contents
What is stress?
Stress may be a physical, chemical or emotional tension that disturbs the mental health of a person ending up causing disease. It can also be called as any force that hampers stability of a person.So stress-management is important.
Here are a few ways which you can use to manage stress before it gets too much.
Understanding Stress
Causes :
There are many reasons for it.However when it starts affecting your body,mental,physical and emotional health it is important to deal with it.It can be caused by major life events like
- Work
- Relationships
- Money
- Children
- Other family members
Sometimes there are no obvious causes but you might feel headaches, muscle pain, nausea ,indigestion etc .
Signs and symptoms :
- Feeling of constant worry
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Feeling of nausea
- Difficulty concentrating
- Short temper.
If these kinds of signs and symptoms are affecting your everyday life ,speak to a psychiatrist.
Types of stress :
- Acute – it remains for a shorter duration.You feel calm and it goes away when you have a fight with your partner, friend,break something or cry for sometime.All people have this at some stage of their life.
- Chronic – it stays for a longer duration like for months,weeks or even for a year for example- unhappy marriage, money problems. Some people get used to it.But we need to realise it and try to do something to deal with it.
Physical Stress Management :
To release stress there are different ways one of them is by physical means
- Exercise:
According to some researchers, people who do exercise daily tend to get better sleep.A good sleep means good mental health which makes your mind feel fresh.
Exercise might help to release some hormones in our body, making us feel happy,and ease our pain.
You can try these exercise to relieve stress
- Running
- Swimming
- Aerobics
- Cycling
Relaxation Techniques for stress management :
Deep breathing is one of the relaxation techniques in which if you breathe deep then slowly it activates the body’s natural ability to relax.More oxygen is transported to the brain calming your nervous system which holds the ability to relax.
Meditation :
Meditation can lower your stress and improve your mood.For this, sit down somewhere, close your eyes and focus on your words and thoughts.
Healthy Eating :
Healthy eating habits can level up your mood, lower blood pressure. You should include healthy food in your diet, rich in magnesium, Vitamin C etc.
Mental and Emotional Stress Management :
Cognitive Behavioral Techniques:
How you react to the people also affects the stress level.So
- Don’t do overcommitment
- Way away from irritative people
- Count 10 before responding
Lifestyle Adjustments :
Sleep Hygiene:
Sleep is commonly affected . Some people even face insomnia , not being able to sleep.
You can fix your sleep hygiene by
- Setting a sleep schedule
- Don’t use phone before sleeping
- Try meditation
- Exercise regularly.
Socialising :
Spend time with family and friends. It reduces your stress level .When you express or try to talk to your closed ones your body releases hormones which makes you relax.
Professional Help
Therapy and Counseling:
It’s okay to seek professional help if your stress is affecting your mental health.Get help as soon as possible.First person you should consult a psychiatrist.
There are also few organisations which help you to tackle the stress in a better way.
- Every mind matters – It is Mental health foundation to ease stress as it offers advice.
- Anxiety UK – it has volunteers who have faced the anxiety themselves.
- Samaritans- offers support 24 hours a day .
- Step charge – provides advice for people suffering with debt problems.
Long-Term Strategies :
Cultivate Growth mindset – learn from mistakes rather than threats.
Focus on effort – understand effort is only under our control, not the outcome.
Maintain optimism– focus on positive sides and have an optimistic look.
Develop problem solving skills like breaking complex tasks into manageable steps.
Understand and manage your emotions rather than reacting to any situation directly.
Achieve small term goals which will keep you motivated and will give you a optimistic vision .
Conclusion :
Stress can be defined as anything that hampers stability of a person.it can affect mental well being of a person so to deal with it there are various techniques and methods like exercising, meditation, making adjustments in the lifestyle and having a healthy diet.If it keeps affecting you from a longer time you should not hesitate to consult a healthcare professional and you can also contact few organisations who helps you to tackle these kind of situations.
References :
- Stress: Why does it happen and how can we manage it? [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2024 Aug 22]. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/145855.
- Ragland L. Stress Management. WebMD [Internet]. [cited 2024 Aug 22]. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-management.
Written by Sabira Athanikar