Many of us will experience stress on a regular basis as we get older. Stress is very bad for us – as well as using up brain power and causing anxiety, your heart could even be affected if you stress out a lot. Take a look at these ten symptom relievers. They may not solve the actual problem, but they can certainly help to deal with the immediate effects. Some of these are recommended by the NHS, so take a look at their website for more details.
1. Deep breathing is a good immediate response. By controlling your breath, it means you don’t hyperventilate, and it also helps to bring your heart rate down. It also gives you something to focus on other than your stress, so it helps you to relax.
2. Yoga is good for you, because it stretches your muscles, and it releases hormones called endorphins. These hormones help you feel better, and are only really released during exercise. Yoga also strictly regulates your breathing, so it helps you to relax this way too.
3. Sharing. Ever heard the saying “a problem shared is a problem halved”? Well, more often than not, it’s true. Talking about your problems with somebody you trust allows you to get them off your chest, and these people will mostly try to do what’s best for you. If you’re worrying about nothing, they’ll tell you so! If it’s a real problem, however, they could perhaps help you in some way.
4. Time off. If you are stressed about work or school, then make sure you set a good amount of time for yourself to relax. Do something you love, like a hobby, or go out and socialise. By doing this, hopefully you won’t be tempted to do extra work on these days, and at the very least it will provide a distraction from the stress.
5. Other forms of exercise are also great for you. Yoga is possibly the best suited to stress, but if you hate yoga then going for a run or to the swimming pool will have much the same effect.
6. Set realistic goals. If you set yourself too many tasks to do in one day, then you’ll stress yourself out more as you’ll worry you haven’t done enough work. Instead, plan your time reasonably, and schedule in lots of breaks. If you try to work constantly, you’ll drive yourself insane!
7. Helping others with their problems can also be a good way to relieve stress. As well as providing a distraction, other people’s problems may put your own into some perspective, and show you that there’s worse things in life than missing a deadline.
8. Try to accept you can’t change everything. If you embrace the things that are beyond your control, you’ll feel better because you will know there is nothing you could have done to stop them. Ask yourself if these things will matter in 5 years’ time – more often than not, they won’t.
9. Eat better. Though it’s tempting to binge on junk food, it might make you feel bad afterwards. You may get indigestion or stomach ache, which will only make you feel worse. Instead, opt for a hearty meal. Whilst they don’t have to be low in calories or fat, a hearty meal like stew or casserole is much more balanced, and they’re a great way to make vegetables tasty. This will fill you up, and you can rest easy knowing you’ve eaten something with nutritional benefits, not just fat and salt.
10. Get outdoors! Go to your nearest green space, or if you live by the seaside, take a walk by the beach. Fresh air works wonders for your mental health, and it also helps to rejuvenate your system. Cities and towns are great, but they’re also stressful environments – so maybe getting away from it all isn’t such a bad idea.
Source: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/reduce-stress.aspx
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