Relieving Stress: The Whys and Hows Explained

Modern-day living, particularly in the urban and semi-urban areas of the world, is fast and frenetic. As people strive to become more productive in their professional lives, they fail to take care of themselves and invariably, the result, sooner or later, is stress.

While experiencing stress in pressure situations is part and parcel of human existence, too much of it can take a toll on your body and mind in the long run. It’s important to learn as many ways as you can and to practice them to prevent stress from overwhelming you. In this post, we’ll cover as many of them as we can, but first, let’s talk about why you need to deal with stress in the first place.

Why is dealing with stress important?

In many places around the world, people have been socially conditioned to accept stress as an integral part of a productive existence and keep going even when the going gets unbearably tough. As a result, many individuals don’t take stress seriously, even when there are warning signs that they should.

Stress activates the body’s fight-or-flight response; an evolutionary response that was originally intended to make us ready for life-threatening situations. Ever felt muscles in various parts of your body tightening up when you’re stressed out? That’s your body going into the fight-or-flight state. In this state, the heart rate shoots up, the mind starts racing and from both mental and physical perspectives, it feels unpleasant.

The occasional bout of stress is nothing to be concerned about, as the body goes into the fight-or-flight state but comes back to being normal when a stressful situation is resolved. However, experiencing stress frequently can slowly impair the brain’s natural response and you may feel stressed out even after you’ve resolved a stressful situation.

Long-term stress can make individuals prone to physical ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, as well as mental health issues such as anxiety disorders and depression. Behavioral changes are also reported, with many resorting to substance abuse and unhealthy eating habits to cope with their stress, which further risks their mental and physical health.

How to keep stress at bay

• Know your role: To tackle stress, you have to first identify how you contribute to triggering it within you. As stress from external factors is not really in your control, you should start by looking at yourself. Your outlook towards life and your lifestyle can dictate how stressed out you get.

In general, people who have a positive outlook towards life tend to respond differently to stress, which is why you need to embrace positive thinking. Even when you’re in a difficult situation, try to look on the bright side instead of feeling overwhelmed by the challenges.

Make changes to your lifestyle if required as well. Stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine are known to elevate stress levels, so cut them out completely or at least try and reduce your consumption. Also, devote time to exercise daily. Exercising can regulate the release of the stress hormone cortisol and increase the production of endorphins; natural mood-boosters and painkillers.

• Deep breathing, yoga, and meditation: Meditating and deep breathing have numerous healing effects on both body and mind and you can use them to deal with stress as well. Excessive stress can affect how you breathe, making your breathing shallower. By consciously breathing deep, you can take your mind away from focusing on your stress and make it calmer.

Meditating regularly, even if it’s for 10 – 15 minutes, can help you collect your thoughts and let go of the negative ones. Combining meditation with yoga is recommended, as yoga involves physical exercise as well. Check out this article where I talk about why yoga is so important.

• Take time out for the things you like and the people you love: No matter how demanding your professional life becomes, you need to make time for doing the things you enjoy and also spend time with your friends and family.

It’s recommended to create a routine that includes your passions, hobbies, and family time and stick to it. Studies have linked spending time with friends and family with the release of the hormone oxytocin, which does the exact opposite of cortisol when it comes to stress.

If stress has been getting to you lately, don’t procrastinate. Take positive action to manage your stress and start enjoying your life.

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