Stress Management Tips and Techniques
Everyone you meet seems to be stressed out these days. Between work pressures, family obligations, personal needs and the fast pace that we all seem to live in today, by the end of the day we are just worn out and stressed out. When stress levels get to an unmanageable point and stay that way for too long we run the risk of many different health problems, both physical and emotional. In order to stay healthy in today's world, we need to take time each day to focus on stress management. There are many different things you can do every day to help you manage stress and keep your stress level under control.
When stress builds up, think of it as filling up a bucket. As you keep adding stress to your bucket it gets fuller and fuller. Unless you empty it on a regular basis, it will fill to the brim and eventually overflow. That overflow could be in the form of burnout, depression, high blood pressure, or many other serious health conditions that are directly related to stress. Having an arsenal of stress management tools that help you empty your stress bucket daily is essential to maintaining a healthy stress level and staying in good health.
First of all, there are some things that many people turn to for stress management that actually make things worse. Many people overeat or eat foods that are very bad, nutritionally. A lot of people think having a few drinks at the end of a stressful day will help them unwind. Smoking is a common habit that people who are stressed pick up. Drug abuse is another bad habit that people associate with relaxing or unwinding after a bad day. All of these behaviors actually make the stress worse. In order to manage stress, you need to be healthy and that means no overeating, drinking alcohol, taking drugs or smoking.
One thing that can help with stress management is keeping a stress diary. This will allow you to vent about the stresses of the day and also lets you keep track of the events in your life that commonly stress you out. By looking back over the diary entries, you can pinpoint some of your major triggers and take action to change your lifestyle to avoid or change those things. Maybe you need to learn to say no to some things, refuse a few assignments, or get someone to help you out with some of your obligations before stress starts to take an effect on your health. If you allow yourself to burn out you won't be able to meet any of your obligations at all.
Many people find yoga to be a great stress management tool. The combination of deep breathing, meditation and muscle stretching addresses all major stress factors. Yoga is a great choice because you can take classes if you like, or you can do it in the comfort and solitude of your own home if you prefer. There are numerous yoga books and videos available online or at your local bookstore to get you started.
Deep abdominal breathing is another effective stress management method. Most of us do not breathe properly. We take small, shallow breaths that do not fill our lungs to capacity. This can actually raise your blood pressure and is not a healthy way to breathe. Deep, calming breaths are beneficial for stress management as well as good health. When you breathe, you should inhale deeply and slowly through the nose. Fill your lungs and concentrate on feeling your abdomen fill up, not your chest. Once you can inhale no more and your abdomen is extended, exhale slowly and completely through the mouth. Continue this breathing until you are feeling totally relaxed and calm. Do this several times a day for stress management.
Meditation is really not a difficult thing to learn. It does take a little practice, but even the practicing is beneficial for stress management and relaxation. You simply have to do the deep abdominal breathing while trying to clear your mind of any thoughts. Don't stress about this. As thoughts come, just calmly push them away. Eventually, you will be able to clear your mind completely. There are classes, books, tapes and videos that can help you learn meditation quite easily as well. Meditation is a very powerful stress management tool as it helps us to clear our minds of the constant clutter and confusion that exacerbates stress. The deep cleansing breaths help to detoxify the body of residual stress hormones and chemicals in our muscles and tissue left behind by stressful events.
Exercise of any kind is one of the best stress management methods you can do. Since stress makes our brain release adrenalin, cortisol and insulin, we need a way to burn these hormones off. A 30 minute workout of any kind will do the trick. Running, walking, swimming, weight lifting, dance, sex, aerobics or any sort of activity that uses the large muscles in the arms and legs and gives you a cardio workout will do wonders for stress management.
There are many other stress management methods that work well for different people. The best way for you to manage your stress is to identify the major sources of your stress and try to work with those by changing habits, modifying behavior, managing your time and duties better and sometimes asking for help. Give up any bad habits like drinking, smoking or overeating that you once thought were helping you to relax. Then once you have identified and addressed your stressors, take time each day to engage in an activity that de-stresses you. Take up a yoga or exercise class, do some deep breathing, go for a walk, meditate or do something fun that relaxes you. These things will not only make you feel better, they will help you to cope with daily stress and they will make you healthier in the long run.
