Reducing Stress 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.
When you are facing stress whether it is acute
(short term) or chronic (long term) stress it can affect your
overall physical and emotional health. Short term stress is not as
dangerous if you deal with the situation causing the stress and
handle the stress properly. Chronic stress is another story, at
first the symptoms that this stress causes may be very mild, but you
may find that you are more susceptible to colds.
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.
There are a number of things you can do that
can help you deal with stress. Part of it is dealing with the
situation causing the stress, if you can. If you realize it’s
something beyond your control, simply letting go of trying to gain
control will be stress relieving. Sometimes it means confronting
the situation head on, and sometimes to means to put it on a shelf
to deal with soon, but don’t procrastinate too long and that only
delays the stress itself.
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.
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.
Try to eat healthy, organic foods and drink
plenty of fresh water. Get rid of the junk foods as they only
provide temporary comfort, but longer term leave you feeling lousy.
Talk a leisure walk outside, especially if you
can find a beautiful quiet area to walk.
Exercise is a wonderful tool. 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.
Use some lavender essential oil for a calming
and soothing effect, use
lavender scented candles and linen sprays for an extra calming
effect.
Spend time with a pet. If you don’t have one,
see if you can spend some time with a friend’s, or perhaps consider
getting one if you can.
Read a great book and curl up with a cup of
tea.
Write in a journal, sometimes getting your
thoughts and anxieties on paper help diminish the power of those
anxieties.
Find a hobby you enjoy if you don’t already
have one. Invest in your creative side and if you don’t know of
one, set on a journey to discover it. Many times people have hidden
talents that are just not yet known. Take a class that interests
you to learn.
Try to stop stewing the problem over and over
and over in your head.
This time of destressing can be such a rich,
rewarding and really life altering time. Sometimes change is hard
to embrace, but sometimes it is the best thing ever!
Reducing Stress 101