Stress is not a disease or a disorder, it is quite normal. It is one essential part of being human and sometimes it works as a drive to achieve results and get things done.
Even severe stress from serious illnesses, job loss, or loss pf a loved one can be a natural part of living. Although it can cause depression or anxiety, but this is quite normal.
If you have been in low mood or anxious for many weeks, then you have to talk to your counselor. The same holds if it is interfering with your work or home lives.
You can in the meantime consider a number of techniques and strategies to prevent harmful effects of stress. Have a look at the following suggestions:
Exercise
Physical activities have many benefits for mood, sleep and well-being. Better mood and sleep mean better stress management. Studies show benefits for exercise on brain cells regeneration. Exercise should not be done within 2 hours of bedtime.
Exercise seems to help stimulate the body to release a number of hormones such as endorphins that help elevate mood, ameliorate pain, and improve sleep.
People who exercise regularly are found to have less anxiety, more positivity towards self and external world.
Physical activities could be in many forms : running, swimming, dancing, cycling and aerobic exercises.
You can try the following tips if you don’t have enough time for workouts:
- Don’t drive to the market, just bike.
- Don’t use the elevator, take the stairs
- Park your car far away from your destination.
- Wash your car yourself.
- Do your house cleaning.
- Try to walk a lot.
Diet
Healthy and balanced diet is not only beneficial to your weight, but it extends to your mental health.
Balanced diet has counter-stress effects. It also improves the immune system. Not only these, but it also boosts mood and lowers blood pressure.
Try to reduce the amounts of sugar and fat in your food and avoid fat food.
Try to make a daily calories goal towards a healthy body weight and get your portion of carbs, lean proteins, and unsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 ones which are present in fish and nuts, leaving a good place for fruits and veggies.
Include the foods that contain antioxidants such as fruits, berries, beans, vegetables, ginger and vitamin-c-rich foods.
Sleep
You could get a diagnosis of insomnia if your sleep is defective 3 times a week for a period of 3 months or more. Insomnia is a common consequence of unhandled stress.
You will have it if you have difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or fragmented unrefreshing sleep, or any combination of these.
Sleep hygiene habits can help sometimes. These include :
- Go to sleep as soon as you feel tired. Sleep cycles cause people to feel tired approximately every 90 minutes – if you ignore the cues, you may have to wait for another 90 minutes.
- Set an alarm to wake you at the same time each morning, even on weekends and holidays. This helps your body to get into a regular sleep-wake routine.
- Use the bed only for sleeping.Reading, thinking and eating in bed can lead people to associate bed with activity and stress.
- Get out of bed when you can’t sleep after trying for 30 minutes and go back to bed as soon as you feel tired. Do something enjoyable when you get up (e.g. watching television or reading a book).
- Make sure that it is a quiet and relaxing activity, not one that stimulate your brain too much!
- Do not watch the clock if you’re lying awake. Worrying that you’re not sleeping keeps your mind active and prevents you from actually getting to sleep.
- Write your problems on a piece of paper before going to bed then throw the paper out or put it aside to tackle in the morning. Say to yourself: ‘There’s nothing I can do about this tonight’.
- Avoid consuming caffeine (tea, coffee, cola drinks, chocolate) after mid-afternoon.
- Practice relaxation before going to bed. This helps to calm your body and mind and promotes entry into sleep.
- Sleep with just enough covers so that you do not overheat. Overheating causes restlessness and a lack of deep sleep.
Relaxation
Yoga. You may learn some form of yoga and practice it.
Meditation.
Research has shown its benefits counter-acting stress. Listen and follow these instructions (source : UCLA mindfulness website)
Deep breathing.
You may try the following:
Step 1: Sit comfortably in a chair with your head, back and arms supported.
Uncross your legs and close your eyes if that feels comfortable.
Step 2: Put one hand flat on your chest and the other hand over your
stomach between the ribs and the navel. Remember that you want your
bottom hand – the one on your stomach – to move during this exercise, but
not the hand on your chest.
Step 3: Take a breath in and hold it as you count to 5. Don’t make this a
really deep breath. Just breathe in normally, using your diaphragm, and hold
it in for a count of 5.
Step 4: When you get to 5, breathe out and mentally say the word ‘relax’
to yourself in a calm, soothing manner.
Step 5: Practise breathing in and out slowly in a 6-second cycle. Breathe in
for 3 seconds and out for 3 seconds (in–2–3, out–2–3). As you breathe in,
use your diaphragm as opposed to your chest. Your hand on your chest
should remain relatively still. Every time you breathe out, mentally say the
word ‘relax’ to yourself in a calm manner.
Step 6: After every 10 breaths in and out, hold your breath again for 5
seconds and then continue breathing in the 6-second cycle (in–2–3, out–2–
3).
Each time you breathe in imagine you are filling your stomach with air.
Picture your stomach as a balloon that you are inflating with each in-breath
and deflating with each out-breath. Observe your hands as you breathe. If
you are relaxed, the hand over your abdomen should be moving more than
the hand over your chest. There is no need to slow down the rate of your
breathing – this will happen naturally as you become relaxed. Try to breathe
in through your nose and out through your mouth. Continue this process until
any symptoms of anxiety, stress, tension or anger are gone. Monitor your
slow breathing relaxation practice during the week using a relaxation
diary.
Biofeedback.
There are centers to teach this technique which teaches you to control your involuntary functions thru relaxation and biofeedback therapist.
Connect with people.
Get connected, get people who listen to you. This has a calming and relaxing effect
Behavior.
Try to be mindful to your reactions and responses to others. Utilize the following tips:
- Avoid overcommitment
- Don’t take the responsibilities alone
- Before responding to some charged talk, count to 10
- If a situation is charged, try to walk away
- Listen to music
Inner voice.
Learn how to recognize your automatic negative thoughts and how to manage, dispute and replace them with positive ones. This needs a training but it is attainable easily
Laugh therapy
Laughter improves cardiac health and lungs health, relaxes muscles and secretes good hormones. It improves the immune system and boosts up mood.
Talk therapy.
Seek professional help from a therapist
Wellbeing Arena 