Stress Reducing 101

Stress can be cause by a myriad of reasons; they can be events, situations and things that cause stress. For many of us it is money worries, work and family life issues that cause us the greatest amount of stress. Health is another topic that can cause stress, especially for people that have chronic or painful conditions, medications to buy and testing that needs to be done, as well as the concern about the outcome of the prognosis.

While it is impossible and unhealthy to live a stress free life, there is good stress that we actually need to function properly, there is also bad stress that we need to minimize and deal with effectively to live a healthier life. These aren’t things that we can just internalize and think they will go away. Stress can have a profound impact on our health and the quality of our lives.

While it is virtually impossible and unhealthy to live a stress free life, see there is good stress that we actually need to function properly, there is also bad stress that we need to minimize and deal with effectively to live a healthy life. Stress is not something that should be pushed aside to be dealt with later. These aren?t things that we can just internalize and think they will go away. Stress can have a profound impact on our health.

The longer the stress goes on though you may begin to experience more health problems such as depression, diabetes, heart disease, hair loss, hyperthyroidism, OCD or anxiety disorders, tooth and gum disease, sexual dysfunction, obesity, ulcers, fatigue and lethargy, difficulty sleeping and possibly death at the most extreme end. Suggestions of things that can be done to combat stress:

There are a number of things you can do that can help you deal with stress. Exercise is a wonderful tool for a number of people. Sometimes a good run or a round of aerobics or something else that will get your heart rate up can really help get the tension out of the body.

Quiet time and deep breathing can also help soothe jangled nerves. Perhaps taking a powerful nap would be very restorative. Turn off the cell phone, music, TV, computer and other noise making items. Sometimes we just need quiet.

You can also create a gratitude book. Naturally do this when you aren?t stressed and use it when you are. In the gratitude book you are going to write the things in your life that you are thankful for. This can be as simple as the fact you are able to get up and live another day, that you are able to take a breath on your own and so on. Sometimes we just need quiet. Quiet time and deep breathing can also help soothe jangled nerves. Perhaps taking a powerful nap would be very restorative. Turn off the cell phone, music, TV, computer and other noise making items, unwind and unplug!

Listen to soothing music and take a hot bath with a beautifully scented candle. The soothing music will help you calm your mind and the hot bath will help release the tension from your body. The fragrance helps to relax as well.

Get a massage if you can. If you can’t, do a hot foot soak bath for your feet, and run some beautiful scented oils on your feet afterward. Then put your feet up and relax

Read a great book and curl up with a cup of tea.

Have some friends over for dinner, or go out for a meal. Surround yourself with positive people who care about you, but don?t let the friendship be one sided. Share and enter into their lives as well, be a giver, not just a taker.

Write in a journal, sometimes getting your thoughts and anxieties on paper help diminish the power of those anxieties and worries.

Call a supportive friend or family member, reach out to someone you love. Many times we isolate and don’t give others the chance to see us vulnerable, when they really do care and would like to show that care at our low points.

Find a hobby you enjoy if you don’t already have one.

Get outside, the sunshine and fresh air do so much for boosting vitamin D and for plain old getting us in a better mood.

Try to stop obsessing the problem over and over and over in your head. Try to turn off that old tape. If at all possible take a vacation, or even just a mini get away if you can, to get a fresh perspective. It could lead to the change that is just what you needed to get over the crisis point.

Tags: Stress Management