According to research from Recovery Village, ‘77 percent of people experience stress that affects their physical health.’ Stress affects everyone in different ways, and some people are better equipped to manage their stress symptoms than others.
Why is it important to manage stress symptoms?
Stress can lead to many health conditions including high blood pressure and risk of stroke or heart attack. Stress has also been linked to conditions such as gastrointestinal problems, depression and anxiety, asthma, and headaches.
Fortunately, there are lots of ways that you can manage your stress symptoms.
1 . Relaxing practices
Keeping your stress symptoms in check is all about relaxation practices. There are many activities you can use to lower the heart rate, reduce anxiety and help the body to feel calm. Some of the best relaxing practices for stress include massages, breathing techniques, and aromatherapy. Other useful practices include guided imagery and meditation.
Not all stress reduction techniques will work for everyone, it depends on personal preferences. Some people prefer to try natural supplements to reduce stress. A few popular supplements include chamomile and ashwagandha.
2. A healthy routine
Leading an unhealthy lifestyle can cause stress symptoms, or make existing stress symptoms worse. To keep your stress symptoms in check, it’s vital to create a healthy routine. Start by creating a diet plan, including lots of foods that improve the mood. Try foods like fish, fermented foods, dark chocolate, nuts, berries, kale, and peppers.
Create a structured fitness regime, and ensure that you get enough sleep.
People who experience stress sometimes struggle to sleep. If you experience sleep issues you might benefit from sleep audio apps. Insomnia and other stress symptoms can lead to depression, anxiety and hair loss, so it’s important to get these problems in check. If you’re interested in effective hair loss treatments, take a look at scalp micropigmentation.
3. Write it down
When you’re feeling stressed out one of the best things that you can do is to write down your feelings. Expressing your emotions like this is a great way to release tension, gain clarity, or even problem solve. Remember, these are your private thoughts, you can write down whatever you like.
For some people talking about their problems gives them a sense of peace. Others prefer to keep a personal journal. It’s all about finding out what works best for you. Not sure how to get started with a journal? There are a few digital journals out there that include helpful prompts. Try resources like Journey Cloud or Day One.
4. Understand your triggers
If you want to ease stress symptoms it’s helpful to understand your triggers. Knowing what triggers you to feel stressed can help you to problem solve, or avoid certain situations (where possible). Some of the most common stress triggers include work stress, financial stress, relationship issues, or health problems. For some people eliminating stress is about getting more organized and using their time more productively.
Write down the things that are making you feel stressed, you may be able to figure out strategies to solve your problems. Sometimes we don’t have control over our stressors, and so it’s all about acceptance and practicing anxiety reduction techniques.
5. Set boundaries
To avoid stress sometimes you need to set boundaries, whether it’s certain people, certain situations, or in the workplace. Perhaps certain members of your family are rather demanding, whether it’s your kids or your parents? Demanding relationships can leave you feeling stressed and drained, and so it’s worth setting healthy boundaries if you can. Maybe your boss is piling on the work? If your workload becomes overwhelming you’ll need to find a way to communicate your needs.
6. Try CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to support people to deal with their problems, the idea is to adjust the way that you behave and think. CBT focuses on challenging negative thought cycles and working towards a more positive outlook.
This type of therapy is often recommended for people who experience anxiety and depression. It helps people to focus on the present and set goals to improve mental health.
7. Mindfulness
According toMindfulness.org, ‘ Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.’ The idea is to live in the present moment, and appreciate it. It’s easy to become preoccupied by the past or concerned about the future. Mindfulness is based on the idea that focusing on the present moment can improve our mindset and clarity. There are many resources that you can use to learn about mindfulness, whether it’s mindfulness podcasts, books, or apps.
8. Endorphins
Boosting your endorphins is the best way to combat stress symptoms. There are lots of activities you can use including exercise, creating artwork, eating delicious foods, or spending time outdoors. If you want to lead a stress-free lifestyle you’ve got to practice as many endorphin-boosting activities as possible.
9. Spend time with friends
When you’re feeling stressed out, social activities with friends can be a fantastic release. Make time for your friendships, for laughter, and for leisurely activities. When you’re so busy with work and family commitments it can feel a little difficult to make time for a social life! But the truth is everyone needs to keep up those social connections to boost their mental health.
10. Help others
Giving back to others is a fantastic way to boost your mental health. Improving your mental health means reducing stress symptoms, and achieving a more positive mindset. Consider volunteering in your local community, if you prefer there are plenty of apps you can try for online volunteering.
Simple ideas like these will help you to get your stress symptoms in check. Whether it’s workplace stress or relationship issues, there are lots of ways you can make positive progress. When you’re looking to reduce your stress levels, you’ll need to be patient with yourself. The truth is, there are always going to be setbacks, and it’s impossible to feel amazing 100% of the time. Be kind to your body and mind, and keep finding different ways to relax and unwind.
What other ideas do you have to help ease stress and boost your health? Let me know in the comments below!
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