Top 7 Tips for Reducing Stress

tips for reducing stress

There are times when we can’t balance work and family life. We place expectations on our own selves and we fail to meet them. Similarly, our life partner, child or boss may pose demands we cannot fulfill. Either way, stress will be unavoidable and can lead to irreversible health hazards.

When you feel stressed out because of work, personal issue, or anything else use these tips and beat the discomfort

It is all in the mind. Learn to accept that not everything can be controlled

Whenever you feel stressed out, just pause for a moment and reflect upon the nature of the problem. Is it truly as big as you are thinking it to be? Is it that bad to be stressed about? It is important to understand that not everything can be controlled. Changes are bound to occur and plans are bound to change. There is no reason why you should spend time stressing about an issue. Crying over spilled milk doesn’t do any good.

Stressing out about something will only do you harm. It is important to give your best shot at something. Aiming for perfection is unrealistic. It helps if you set up your limits and take say no to things you cannot do. By maintaining a positive attitude towards life, one can easily deal with the stress.

Cut down the caffeine and alcohol intake

Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol might look like great alternatives to stress, but it can aggravate anxiety. In fact, studies show that caffeine and alcohol intake can trigger panic attacks. When you feel stressed, it is advisable to drink water, herbal teas instead.

Understand what makes you feel stressed out

Recognising the trigger that sets off stress can help in managing stress. You have to reflect back on your thoughts and try to identify what makes you feel stressed out. Writing down your emotions during a stressful situation can help you in analyzing your thoughts. Later on, you can easily look for a pattern and try to break it.

Take a break from the stressor and give yourself permission to step away from the issue for a while. By letting yourself have time to unwind, you will have a new perspective and approach towards the issue. It will also help you in feeling less overwhelmed.

Listen to music and let it calm down your frenzied nerves

When you feel plagued down by stress, take a break and listen to relaxing music. Calm music can induce positive effects on brain and body. It can reduce the production of cortisol (the stress hormone). For instance, if some song is not on your mind, you can listen to nature sounds or ocean sounds. This would induce sleep and make your body feel relaxed.

Meditate

Meditation is the key to keeping the body relaxed and focussed. When you meditate, you can see new perspectives towards the issue develop the feeling of forgiveness and self-compassion. Studies show that meditation can give immediate benefits. You have to keep chanting the mantra to yourself: “I love myself and I am at peace.”

Don’t let any distracting thoughts deter you from meditation. Breathe deeply. This would slow down the heart rate during stressful conditions and lower down the blood pressure. Count to ten before letting yourself stress out about anything.

Share

When you feel extremely stressed out and unable to cope up with the situation, you should share it with someone you trust. Reach out for help. When you share your perspective with someone else, it reduces your stress level. This happens because you feel less burdened after you talk it all out. But the people who are your stress aggravators won’t be able to lighten up your stress level.

When the stress levels are too high, seek out treatment with a psychologist to help you manage your stress. The professionally trained doctors can help you in suggesting healthier ways of dealing with stress.

Sleep

Your body needs as much rest as your mind. It is important to sleep for recovering from a stressful event. Stress might cause you to lose out on sleep but it is important to sleep for 7 to 8 hours daily. Relax before you sleep to bust stress. Always remember that ‘this too shall pass’. By sleeping it off, the negative thoughts will pass off and you will wake up with a renewed energy.

CONCLUSION

Stress can be on account of external factors – work pressure, domestic violence etc. Step back and pull up a solution for such causes. They can be easily shut off with little courage. Stress can also be self-induced. It can be caused by excessive thinking and unnecessary pressure on the mind. Condition your mind – that is the best remedy. Believe that you are happy and you will be.

 

About the Author:

This article is contributed to our site by Mr. Swaraj Patil (Founder of Health Culture)

Leave a Comment