Wouldn’t life be great if there were no such thing as stress? Well, believe it or not, we do need some stress in our lives. It’s when stress levels rise too high or are present all the time that stress becomes a problem. Integrating some of the following stress management techniques into your daily routine can help you maintain healthy stress levels and a more peaceful life.
A great way to reduce the stress that you experience is to reduce your caffeine intake. A large intake of caffeine can increase the levels cortisol in your body. Cortisol is the stress hormone in your body that helps to regulate many things including weight gain, mood swings, heart disease and diabetes. By decreasing your caffeine intake, you will naturally decrease your stress levels.
A great tip that can help you fight stress is to simply pet your dog. Studies have shown that the simple act of petting a dog can greatly reduce stress levels in the body. The next time you’re feeling stressed out just pet your dog for a few minutes.
A great way to reduce stress is not to sweat the small stuff. You have probably heard that before many times, because it is true. People with high stress levels tend to get upset about trivial things more often than people with low stress levels. Sometimes it is best to step away from a situation and think about whether it is worth getting upset over.
In order to keep your stress level under control, try writing an extremely graphic or obscene letter on paper that releases all of your aggression verbally. Many people feel better after making sense of it by writing it out. Write as though nobody will ever read it, and write as vividly as possible. Destroy it thoroughly afterward.
A great tip that can help you feel less stressed is to try and visualize calm in your mind. An example of calm would be a feather slowly falling down or a lake that’s barely moving. Visualizing images such as this can help you keep your stress in check.
In order to keep your stress under control, it would be wise to stay away from caffeine. This is important because this drug is known to cause anxiety in some people, therefore making stress harder to deal with. It can be hard to break away from, but you will feel better once you learn to live without it.
Playing a game is a great way to reduce your stress, as it is fun and will take your mind off of your troubles. Invite a few friends over and play a board game, and after the entertainment, serve dinner and dessert. This will serve as a nice form of relief to your hectic day.
A great tip that can help you fight stress is to start practicing yoga. There are many varieties of yoga and they each have their own benefit. Most importantly you’ll be able to think more clearly. Keep your stress levels down by doing a little bit of yoga each day.
When it comes to dealing with stress, one great way to manage it is by learning an instrument. This is important because this is a wonderfully creative way to express your emotions and clear your body of stress. Not only are you helping to relax yourself, but you may also provide good music to other people.
Dancing is a great activity for stress relief. If you feel confident go out on the town and start dancing away. For shier people even the act of dancing alone in your own home can help you to dance away your cares and stress. Try out several different styles of music to see what is best.
If you’ve been feeling really stressed, finding a new hobby or refocusing on an old one can help you relax. Whether it’s gardening, knitting, hiking or painting, a hobby can help you step back from whatever is stressing you and get a new perspective on life. Take time out from each day to engage in your hobby.
When you find your self in a high-stress situation, take deep breaths to calm yourself down. This helps by giving you a few more moments to assess the situation. Deep breathing also adds more oxygen to your blood stream, which immediately helps to calm your body.
If you want a calmer and less stressful lifestyle, try meditating. Meditating is a great way to remove yourself from the stresses of day to day life and to give yourself a relaxing break. Try meditating for a few minutes from your desk at work, or pulling over and meditating during a long drive. You’ll find it makes getting through the day a lot easier.
Now you have learned a few new techniques to help you keep your stress levels to a manageable level. While no techniques are guaranteed, none of them do anything at all unless they are put into practice. Give these tips a try, work them in to your daily routine, and see how stress management can improve your life.