By Sherman JosephProlonged stress can lead to long term health and mental problems that can be difficult to manage. This is the reason why it is very important to learn how to manage your stress.
How to manage stress
The best way to cope with stress in your life is to learn healthy coping strategies. These strategies focus mainly on relaxing your mind and body. They include the following:
Writing: Writing about the things that are stressful to you can be of much help. Take about 10 to 15 minutes every day writing about stressful events and the effect they had on you. Alternatively, try tracking your stress. All of this helps you find the cause of your stress and how heavily it is weighing on you. Doing this helps you to find better ways to cope.
Engage yourself in doing something that you like: This can help you relax. It can also help you improve in other areas of your life. Such activities may include gardening and creative activities such as drawing, writing, or crafting. Other activities may include performing volunteer work and playing with pets.
Letting your feelings out: Expressing anger, crying, talking, as well as laughing can help relieve stress. This can involve talking to close family members, friends, or even a counselor.
Exercise: Exercising is one of the greatest ways to manage stress. You can take up swimming or walking to begin with. Even everyday activities including dish washing, housecleaning, as well as yard work can greatly help to reduce stress. Muscle tension can also be relieved by stretching exercises.
Try focusing on the present rather than focusing on past events: You can do this by meditation or guided imagery. These techniques help you focus and relax your mind. Meditation helps you to focus on the things that are happening presently. One way to help you focus on the present is to pay attention to your breathing. On the other hand, guided imagery helps you to imagine yourself in settings that promote relaxation and calmness. You can do this by using audio tapes, books, or engaging the services of a teacher to guide you.
Techniques to relax: You can try breathing exercises, yoga, or progressive muscle relaxation. Breathing exercises include roll breathing which is a form of deep breathing. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that helps reduce muscle tension. It involves relaxing different muscle groups one by one. Yoga, qi gong, and tai chi, all combine meditation and exercise. However, you will need to learn these techniques through classes, videos, or books, but these techniques can be practiced at home.
So with the holiday season in full swing, make sure you take care of yourself, distress, and relax!
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