Have you ever found yourself pressed from different directions? Deadlines are approaching, you won’t have the money to make it until the end of the month, or your relationship has become shaky and tense in the last few months. Many life situations can be quite overwhelming stressful. We all feel stressed from time to time, but the truth is that a little bit of pressure doesn’t have to be a bad thing. However, experiencing too much stress for extended periods can be detrimental to our physical and emotional health.
Learning to find a healthy balance
When you’re stressed, it means that there are things you want to accomplish, they are essential to you, and that you’re working hard to achieve them. But on the other hand, too much stress is counterproductive and overbearing and can lead to real physical problems – joint and muscle pain, diabetes, ulcers, IBS, miscarriages, strokes, and more. Luckily, stress doesn’t have to ruin your health. Campaigns around the world are underway to educate people on healthy ways of coping with chronic stress.
1. Exercise. The number one item on every list of techniques for coping with stress. Even before we had some scientific evidence on how activity helps, exercise has proven to be very beneficial. Laying around and watching Netflix sounds better than exercising, but exercise will trigger a happy feeling by getting endorphins pumping through your brain and lowering cortisol levels.
2. Reduce caffeine intake and give up cigarettes. Too much caffeine can affect your sleep patterns and increase cortisol levels, leading to prolonged periods of stress. As for nicotine, it causes our blood pressure and heart rate to spike, which makes it difficult to relax. People often reach for a cigarette when they’re stressed, but it makes things worse. Instead of lighting a cigarette, you can go for TeaZa – it’s something that’s not harmful to your body and that you can put in your mouth to keep you active and busy.
3. Natural Supplements. Essential oils, green tea, lemon balm, ashwagandha, and omega-3 fatty acids can help you feel more at ease.
4. Talk to yourself and others. If you need to keep stress at bay, a good pep talk is all we need sometimes. Slow down and affirm what’s right with your life at the moment, instead of worrying about what’s wrong. Also, talk to people outside the situation through your problems to put things in perspective. It will help release the tension and sort through your feelings. Having a laugh and letting yourself have a good time is also a great way to get your mind off your problems.
