Stress can really impact our lives in so many ways. Negative stress can take its toll on our physical and mental health. When stress isn’t properly managed, the quality of day-to-day living can be significantly decreased. Since stress is something everyone experiences to varying degrees, learning how to successfully manage it is very important. This article provides many valuable ideas you can incorporate in your stress-management plan.
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.
Make sure you’re not taking too much on. If you’re feeling stressed, particularly at work, it could be because you’re trying to take on too much work at once. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re not able to handle your work load, let your boss know. Often, your boss will be more than happy to help you out or help you to find someone who can.
A great tip that can help you keep your stress in check is to listen to soothing music. There are many different genres of music that can have a calming effect when you listen to them. Enjoying a little bit of this music from time to time can help a lot. It is a great alternative to the unending bad news you hear on most radio shows.
Munch on a snack if you are feeling a little overwhelmed. Foods that contain a lot of carbohydrates work to stimulate the release of the feel good brain chemical, serotonin. The release of serotonin helps to induce calm. Some crackers, a bagel, or pretzels should do the trick.
Learn how to breath fully using your diaphragm. As practice, breath through your nose, and watch your belly increase in size. Hold the breath for a few seconds before releasing. These deep breaths fully oxygenate your blood, relaxing you quite quickly! In fact, it’s been found that the opposite, short breathes, can speed up your heart beat, tighten your muscles and increase your stress!
Sometimes, with a hectic work schedule, it is important to take a 20 minute nap here and there to recharge your internal batteries. This will make you feel great when you wake up and will eliminate the haggard feeling that you carry around. Find time to take short rest breaks to limit tension.
Figuring out exactly where your stress comes from is a priority, since the array of potential causes is so vast. Many triggers are able to be removed from your life. Your life will be transformed!
If you want to get away from your day to day routine, visit a zoo with a cousin or friend. This will give you the opportunity to examine wildlife in their natural habitat, which can be very soothing. Take a trip to the zoo to limit the anxiety in your life.
One way to deal with stress at work, is to have others assist you with your work via delegation. This is important because you have people there to help you and you should make the most out of your resources. Of course, this may not work for everyone but for those who have it as an option, it is extremely important to take advantage of.
Tea can be a great stress reliever. There are many teas that can help relieve stress. Some of them are kava kava, chamomile, and passionflower. To get the best results, let the tea steep for at least ten minutes before you drink it. Have a cup in the morning or if you need to before bed to help you relax.
If you are really close with a friend, tell them about your problems with stress. It is vital to express the feelings that you have to someone, so that you do not feel alone when going through hard times. Explain what is bothering you and ask their advice on how to ease some of your stress.
A good tip that can help you keep your stress levels down is to simply surround yourself with positive, happy people. Being around negative people all the time will have an influence on you whether you know it or not. Try to be around positive people as much as you can.
Again, stress is something that will not go away; it’s just part of everyday living. However, it isn’t difficult to learn how to manage it, and once you start learning some of the ways in which you can do so, your life can improve on so many levels. You can start by trying some of the useful and easy techniques outlined in this article.