Stress is a normal part of life, which can result from a number of things in your daily routines. However, too much stress can negatively impact your physical and mental health, so even while you may not be able to control the stress triggers in your life, you can at least control your response to it. Therefore, stress-relieving techniques are essential in everyday human life. In this article, you’ll learn more about stress, factors that cause stress, and 10 proven stress relief tips that can help you manage stress effectively.
See also: Causes of Hormonal Imbalance
What is Stress?
Stress can be biological, physiological, or psychological; it refers to a person’s response to a stressor, such as an environmental condition. It is a technique the body adopts while reacting to a particular situation.
Certain factors induce stress, and there are different types of stress, including eustress and distress. While eustress is a coping mechanism that helps you meet deadlines or deal with challenging situations, distress is the negative form of stress that exhausts your physical, emotional, and mental resources.
Top 10 Proven Stress-Relief Tips
Now that you have a basic knowledge of what stress entails, it is time to learn the 10 proven stress relief tips that you can use to restore peace and repose in your life.
Practice Taking Deep Breaths
Deep breathing can help you reduce tension and make you relax. The primary goal of deep breathing is to focus your attention on your breath, making it slower and more profound. This technique can significantly impact your stress level, and you can do it anywhere from the comfort of your home or right where you are currently. Just take a deep breath through your nose and exhale slowly.
Go on a Mind Vacation
A mind vacation is also known as guided imagery; it involves shutting your mind of all external conflicts or the noise in your head and laying your mind to rest. With this stress-relief tip, you can picture yourself in a happy place without worrying about your immediate physical environment. The effect of guided imagery is that you experience internal peace amidst the chaos surrounding you.
Develop a Meditation Practice
Several studies indicate that meditation as a stress-relief technique positively alters the brain’s structure, improves mental health and attention, regulates the emotional health of an individual, and slows the ageing of cells. Other studies have also shown that practising mindfulness combats negative thoughts and stress-inducing behaviours.
There are different forms of meditation, which include mantras and mindfulness, but whatever form of meditation you practice, always remember that it has the potential to improve your self-esteem and get rid of stress symptoms. So, to live a stress-free life, get into meditation practice for at least 10 minutes daily.
Clear Your Mind With a Walk
Self-care practices like walking outside can significantly help reduce your stress levels. A long walk in a park or around nature can help clear your mind and improve your quality of life because when you are exposed to clean air, you’re able to think critically and can avoid burnout.
Create a Habit of Journaling.
According to some research, persons who are managing chronic health conditions and mental health disorders like depression can benefit from expressive writing or therapeutic writing.
The study also revealed that daily writing may enhance an individual’s quality of life by promoting responsible self-care habits. As a result, journaling might allow you to express your ideas effectively and let go of your feelings.
Hugs
Physical touch has a significant impact on relieving stress. Hugging someone causes the body to produce the hormone oxytocin, which promotes happier and less stressful lives.
Muscle Relaxation
This technique is a well-known stress-relief method in which you gradually relax every muscle group in your body. You can practice muscle relaxation by taking deep breaths and tensing and releasing each muscle group from your head to your feet.
Develop a Healthy Diet
The things you eat have a significant effect on your general health. People who consume a diet with plenty of added sugars and ultra-processed meals are more likely to be stressed out all the time. Also, chronic stress might cause you to overeat and crave surgery foods, which can further harm your health.
Exercise Regularly.
Exercise is vital to managing stress and promoting quality mental health. There are several ways to get started on this technique, from joining a gym, taking yoga classes, or indulging in outdoor exercises such as walking, jogging, running, and hiking.
If engaging in physical activities seems too difficult, consider having regular massages. Massage increases blood flow, which boosts the brain’s oxygen supply. Additionally, it decreases blood pressure and cortisol levels, which will reduce stress. So, you can either engage in regular workouts, massages, or both.
Limit Your Screen Usage
Elevated stress levels and mental health illnesses have been linked to extreme usage of mobile devices. According to research done by BusinessInsider Africa, the average spends about 3 hours and 46 minutes daily on the internet and social messaging platforms. Globally, the average person spends approximately 6 hours and 37 minutes staring at the screen while performing internet-related functions.
Overuse of smartphones lowers psychological well-being and raises stress levels in adults and children. Screen time also impacts sleep quality, which in turn affects stress levels.
Nowadays, everything happens on a screen, from taking virtual meetings to keeping a log, so it’s nearly impossible to avoid screen time. But try to limit your time using blue light gadgets (such as PCs and cellphones). In addition, stay off your screen for at least two hours before bedtime.
Stress is inevitable, but if not well managed, it can impact your life in the most negative ways and can lead to many other health problems. So, while this list isn’t exhaustive, it empowers you with many effective and easy-to-remember stress-relief tips that can help you live a happy life and eliminate the health hazards due to elevated stress levels.
