Many stressors are unavoidable, but some can be managed by changing your environment or behavior. Here are 6 effective strategies to manage stress.
Long-term, low-grade stress can also contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression.
Take a Deep Breath
Taking a deep breath is one of the most basic and effective ways to reduce stress. It's a natural way to calm the brain and can be done anywhere, even during a stressful situation. Many health and wellness modalities, including yoga, tai chi, and qi gong, incorporate breathing techniques into their practices, and it is commonly used in meditation programs.
Your body's autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary actions like heart rate and digestion, is divided into two parts: the sympathetic nervous system, which contains your fight-or-flight response, and the parasympathetic nervous system, which governs your rest-and-relax response. Deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, a large, branching nerve that runs from the brain to the neck, heart, diaphragm, and lungs. This slows the heart rate and blood pressure and shuts off your fight-or-flight response, turning on your parasympathetic nervous system.
Deep breathing also triggers the release of cortisol, a natural stress hormone that helps with cellular repair and digestion. In addition, it increases endorphins, a chemical that helps with pain relief.
You can practice deep breathing by yourself in a quiet place or find an app or website that will guide you through the exercise. It may take some time to notice a difference, but it's important not to give up. Try a few minutes of breathing, then build up to more extended periods as you become more comfortable.
Meditate
Meditation is a great way to relax the mind and body. Whether on your commute, while sitting at work, or while waiting in line at the grocery store, focusing on deep breathing can reset your nervous system and give you a sense of calm. You can even find guided meditations online to help you get started.
Meditation also helps reduce rumination; the constant repetitive thinking often accompanies stress. In addition, meditation can improve sleep and increase your self-esteem. Exercise is another excellent stress reliever, releasing endorphins that boost your mood and energy levels. Even a light walk around the block can help break the cycle of negative thoughts that cause stress.
Exercise
The body's natural response to stress is to move and exercise. The first thing most people do to re-focus when feeling stressed is take a quick walk or run. This is because your hormones that promote the "fight or flight" response begin to diminish when you move. This enables you to focus and gives you a more balanced, calm state.
In addition to this physical benefit, the endorphins produced by your body during a workout can boost your mood and make you feel happier, even after just a short time of exercise. Incorporating exercise into your daily routine is crucial because it can help you cope with the everyday stressors of life and improve overall health.
Most exercise and stress research has focused on aerobic exercises like jogging or running. However, some studies have shown that resistance training, such as weight lifting or bodyweight exercises, can also be practical in calming the body during times of stress. However, because resistance exercise produces different exercise adaptations than aerobic exercises, it might not have the same long-term effects on how your body responds to stressors.
Talk to a Friend
Stress can be hard on a person without the support of others, and this is especially true when someone has been battling chronic stress. If you know someone struggling with this issue, try encouraging them to contact a friend for emotional support.
If your friend confides in you, listen to them with an open mind and attentive ear. Please resist the urge to immediately advise them or tell them how you would handle the situation, as this can make them feel like they're not being taken seriously. It's better to let them talk and then ask what they need from you to feel better.
You can help them identify the sources of their stressors by having them discuss what they can control versus what they can't. This can give them a sense of perspective and help them realize that while they cannot avoid certain situations, they have the power to change how they react to them.
If they are struggling to cope with a particular stressor, such as financial problems, health issues, or relationship issues, you can encourage them to seek professional help. This can improve their coping skills and help them learn to manage their stressors effectively. In addition, you can also suggest ways to distract themselves from stressful situations, such as meditating, engaging in hobbies they enjoy, listening to soothing music, or spending time with their loved ones.
Take a Break
Whether you need a quick stress relief break or a more extended vacation, your health and well-being can benefit from rest. Emotional stress, often caused by relationship issues, pressure at work, financial worries, or feeling discriminated against, can take a toll on your body and mind. Long-term, low-grade stress can also contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression.
Others
You can also use your senses to help reduce stress by viewing a favorite photo, using a soothing scent, listening to music, or chewing gum. Physical activity and spending time outdoors are also effective stress relievers. Watching a silly pet video or conversing with a friend can activate the parasympathetic nervous system and send your brain messages of safety, calmness, and relaxation.
The Bottom Line
If you find that you're avoiding your friends, staying up late at night, and losing interest in activities you normally enjoy, it may be a sign that you're stressed or burnt out. In that case, it's essential to re-focus your energy on what's important and to seek out activities that give you joy.
Many stressors are unavoidable, but you have more control than you think over how you respond to them. When you can't change the circumstances that cause you to stress, try to focus on changing your attitude and behaviors. For instance, if you're constantly worrying about meeting deadlines, it might help you learn to say no or delegate some of your responsibilities to others.
