If you’re looking for some of the most effective ways to relieve stress and minimize feelings of anxiety then this post is for you.
It is not unusual to get stressed out occasionally. Whether you are a student or you have entered your professional life as an adult, there will always be something that will give you anxiety and cause you stress.
It is virtually impossible to live a life without feeling anxious, especially these days. Fortunately, this is not all bad. It’s not all bad because stress also serves the purpose of pushing us to do better. For instance, if you don’t feel stressed about that next exam, meeting, or date, you may not bother to prepare for it, and that lack of preparation may lead to unfavorable results.
So, the key is to not eliminate stress & anxiety completely from our lives, but rather, to keep it from reaching unnecessarily high levels.
Here’s why, when your stress exceeds a certain limit, it becomes unhealthy. Getting stressed out on the smallest things will slowly cause chronic anxiety, which will affect your physical health as well.
What Can Cause Stress?
Causes of stress can be unlimited. Stress also has several types. These can be intrinsic or extrinsic. Some of the main reasons for stress are typically financial, social problems, physical illness, or related to a history of stress in the family.
Symptom of Stress
You can detect when you are
worried or anxious. But how do you know that you need to do something about
your stress? There are certain signs and symptoms of stress that affect your
body function. When they begin to show, it means that you need to start taking
it seriously. Here are some of the common symptoms.
- You are distracted most of the time.
- You experience mood swings and feel annoyed.
- You feel tired all the time.
- You suffer from Irritated Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
- You get occasional chest pains.
- You have a fast heart rate most of the times without
realizing. - You often get anxiety/panic attacks.
While these symptoms can occur once or twice in your life, they should become frequent. So how do you manage stress and prevent it from affecting your daily life and health? Here are some tips with which you can relieve your stress and anxiety!
BEST WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS
1.
Do Things You Enjoy
The obvious and easiest way
to relieve your stress is by doing things that you enjoy. It can be anything
from painting to reading books to hanging out with your friends. As long as the
activity is not harming you in any way, it could be anything. Because you are
trying to relieve your anxieties, it is important to nullify it by doing
healthy tasks.
Some people like to eat
their favorite food when they are stressed, and it can boost their mood. While
there is no harm in doing that, you should be careful that the habit does not
cause an eating disorder.
2.
Try Natural Remedies
You can choose to fight your
negative emotions with anti-depressant medications or natural remedies.
Choosing natural herbs and plants, in this case, is always better because they
have minimal side effects and can have the same effects as any prescription
medicine.
There are herbal teas that people
drink to help soothe just as there are essential oils you can use topically in
head or back massage.
Cannabis, or marijuana, is
one of these naturally found plants that can help decrease your anxieties.
There have been many scientific studies, and they have all come to the same
conclusion. Everyone needs to know about marijuana edibles and its benefits
regarding your mental health.
3. Unplug
Nature can prove to be
therapeutic if you give it a chance, but it will only work once you surrender
yourself to it completely. One common reason for stress is the extensive use of
electronic gadgets. It is something that not many people realize.
For many people, most of
their day revolves around sitting in front of laptop/computer screens. The
ultraviolet rays from the gadgets can cause strain on your eyes, which in turn,
results in a headache. Slowly, without you realizing, these habits can take a
toll on your mental health.
Whenever you feel
overwhelmed, you should disconnect from your mobile/laptop and go outside.
Taking a small break, away from the electronic devices can recharge you. A
better way to get your energy back up is by planning a day out every other
week. Leave all your electronic devices and relish in the beauty of nature by
going camping etc.
4.
Adopt a Healthy Diet
Most people think that your diet only has effects on your physical health when that is not entirely true. Just as healthy food can impact your physical health; it can have a positive effect on your mental health as well.
The right nutrients can benefit your hormones and the chemical composition of your brain. It is possible to stay physically and mentally healthy if you can add the right foods in your diet.
It also means getting rid of all the unhealthy habits. For example, cut off the alcohol, smoking and junk food from your life. These are the things that people turn to when they feel stressed out and end up being more depressed than ever. That is because instead of battling your negative emotions, alcohol and smoking can actually contribute to it.
So, if you want to relieve stress fast, you can easily start with watching what you eat.
5.
Do Exercise
Exercise lowers mild
symptoms of stress or depression. You feel more confident in handling what life
throws at you. It is also a form of meditation in motion. Most importantly, the
reason why you feel pumped up afterwards is that it releases endorphins. These
hormones are essential for you to be happy.
Exercise does not necessarily mean that you have to join a gym and do push-ups and stay for hours on end . It can be anything that includes moderate physical exertion. For instance, you can do exercise at home on a treadmill, a recumbent exercise bike, or a bowflex. Or, you can simply go for a walk, and that would have a positive effect on your mind and body. If you love to ride a bicycle, do it every day for an hour at least. The truth is, it doesn’t really matter what you do, so long as you get your body in motion.
6. Get Proper Sleep
If you have a routine where you don’t get enough sleep, it could be a major reason for your persistent anxiety. You need to sort out your sleeping schedule. Having enough sleep does not mean that you can sleep at any time. Our body has its own biological clock. The only way you can feel refreshed is by sleeping at night, and not during the day. Science has proven that sleeping at night is much healthier for your brain as compared to sleeping in the day.
Every person at least needs to get 8 hours of sleep every day. If you can, take a nap of half an hour in the afternoon. Short naps also play a role in reducing stress.
7. Listen To Music
Music can calm you and make you happy. But it will only work if you listen to music that relaxes you instead of making you gloomier.
As such, you’ll want to choose music that is soothing and that brings you peace. And you may want to even moderate how much heavy metal, rap, or high energy house music you listen to.
Take some time out and listen to music so you can think more clearly. Slowly, you will feel a reduction in your stress and a boost in positive energy!
8.
Write It Down
Something as simple as writing can sometimes be more powerful than you can imagine. Many experts recommend patients to keep a stress diary. Whenever you feel worried, take out your diary and write down everything that comes in your mind. Don’t hold yourself back because you have to get rid of all the negative thoughts.
Once you write down what is
bothering you, it becomes easy to find a solution to it. If you can’t do
anything about it, the diary will help you let it go!
9.
Seek Counseling
This is very much like writing down in a diary. Seeking counsel is something that should be appreciated and encouraged.
A therapist or a counselor
can give you an insight on matters, and that can help the way you perceive
things. It is also very similar to talking to a family member or a friend,
except a counselor is able to give expertise.
10. Relax
Relaxing activities specifically target your stress and negative energy. Meditation and yoga is an example of these activities as they strengthen your mind as well as body. Stress is usually the result of overthinking.
Meditation provides the counter treatment by enabling you to control your thoughts and deal with them. Meditating or doing yoga for 15 to 20 minutes can have positive effects on your aura.
Related: Affirmations For Anxiety
11. Aromatherapy
Have you ever loved a smell
and the way it made you feel? Some people like the smell of flowers and some
people love to hang out in book stores. Your senses are hardwired into your
brain. The right smell can make you feel relaxed, and that is why aromatherapy
exists. In aromatherapy, you use essential oils such as lavender scents. These
scents have a positive effect on reducing your stress.
12. Try Breathing Techniques
Once or twice each day, try breathing techniques to relieve stress. The purpose of these exercises is to remind you to breathe normally. When you are stressed, your heart rate rises, causing shortness of breath. Most of the people don’t realize that their heart rate is inconsistent and a breathing exercise helps get their breathing on track.
As you exhale and inhale, try to unclench your jaw and shoulder muscles. We tend to hold stress by unconsciously clenching our jaw. Sometimes we don’t realize how stiff our neck muscles are. Breathing deeply can help you relax, and it will only take a few minutes.
13. Take a Long Walk
This next method for relieving stress and reducing anxiety is one of the simplest, but it is very effective. The next time you are feeling stressed try taking a long way.
The walk will give you time to think about your issues, or you can use it to get your mind completely off your issues. Either way, taking a walk can reduce feelings of anxiety and stress very quickly.
So, the next time you’re feeling stressed out, put on your walking shoes and take a little walking adventure around your neighborhood.
14. Take a Road Trip
Taking a road trip to remove stress may seem counterintuitive at first glance, but it can prove to be an excellent method for reducing stress.
Sure, the planning and readying for a long trip can be stressful for some, but you don’t have to take an overnight road trip to reap the stress-relieving benefits of a road trip. Just choose a destination in your region that could be fun to check out, and then hit the road.
The long drive, believe it or not, can prove to be a form of stress-relieving therapy. So, if you’ve tried all the other stress-reducing methods and you’re looking for something novel, a road-trip may be just what the doctor ordered.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, the best ways to relieve stress and reduce anxiety in this crazy world of ours. Here they are again as a quick recap:
- Do Things You Enjoy
- Try Natural Medicines
- Unplug and Get Out In Nature More
- Adopt a Healthy Diet
- Exercise More
- Get Enough Sleep
- Listen To Soothing Music
- Write Out Your Thoughts
- Seek Counseling
- Try Aromatherapy
- Use Breathing Techniques
- Take a Long Walk
- Take a Road Trip
These tips are simple, as well as beneficial. Try them out, and you will feel a positive change in your life!
Till next time,
STRIVE
PS – One of the best ways to relieve stress and reduce anxiety is to build confidence in yourself, and this resource can help you do just that.
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