Stress is a completely normal thing to feel, and if you feel stressed, you're not alone. Everyone has their bad days, and that's okay. However, just because stress may seem a normal part of life, doesn't mean that we should completely ignore it. It's important to know how you can cope with your stress in a healthy way.
Before, many would calm down by taking a vacation or just trying to get their minds off work for a couple of hours. Today, we remain constantly on our phones, which certainly isn't helping with the stress. In fact, going on social media while you're stressed might just make it worse. Instead, you may want to try some natural remedies to combat your stress.
Still think you can just wait out the stress?
Did you know that prolonged stress can have serious medical consequences? In the short term, stress can cause aches, poor sleep, anxiety, overeating, and drug or alcohol abuse. In the longer term, it can lead to heart disease, hormonal imbalances, elevated blood pressure, depression, and troubled relationships. All in all, stress should not be shrugged off as just an unfortunate side effect of modern progress.
You do not have to give up your fast-paced, hard-working lifestyle in order to combat stress. Dealing with stress mostly involves taking relatively small steps in crucial areas of life, and you can enact these measures without having to give up anything. Here are a few things you might want to try.
Heal Stress the Natural Way
OK, so going on your phone and just shrugging your stress of won't work. What does? We've compiled a list of things you can try next time you're stressed, that might actually work. Let's take a look.
Get your exercise
We all know that getting daily exercise is an important component of a healthy life, but too often we allow physical activity to fall by the wayside in favor of work and home responsibilities. This may make sense on a day-to-day level, but when we back up and really take stock of our priorities, neglecting exercise is just not logical. After all, nothing is more important than your health. Without it, you could not be the productive worker and supportive family member that you are. Stay healthy, and every other aspect of your life will be better off for it. If it helps, get your exercise first thing in the morning so that you don't have to worry about it the rest of the day.Shut things down
There may be days where it becomes necessary for you to stay connected to work virtually nonstop, but try not to let this become a habit. Give yourself at least a couple of hours a day, and obviously much more on the weekends, to completely disconnect yourself from work concerns so that you can inhabit your personal life with no distractions. At first you may feel a sense of withdrawal when you turn off your computer and phone, but after a few days you will come to deeply appreciate this non-work time, and you will not want to go without it.Let yourself have fun
As part of your efforts to disconnect from work, do things that you truly enjoy doing. Most of us have old hobbies that we have allowed to lapse, as well as new things that we would like to try. There is no better time than now to get into these things. Having non-work hobbies and giving yourself plenty of opportunity for fun will dispel stress and give you a new energy when it is time to go back to work.Do not neglect sleep
It can be easy to forget the feeling of comfort and satisfaction that results from a solid night;s sleep. Unfortunately, these nights can be woefully few and far between. But in fact, sleep is no minor concern. It has an influence on virtually every aspect of physical and mental health, and prolonged sleep deprivation can be profoundly damaging to your health. With all its health benefits and the restfulness it supplies, sleep is the ultimate natural stress reducer.Read More: 5 Anti Stress Relaxation Techniques
Practice relaxation techniques
There is a wide variety of relaxation techniques that you can explore. While many people find exercise in general to be relaxing, you might find that activities such as yoga or tai chi are particularly useful. Meditation can have tremendous effects on the mind, as can certain mental tricks designed to bring about relaxation (but keep in mind that all of these things require practice). And if you can afford to treat yourself, consider getting a massage therapist to help work out the tension that has built up in your muscles.- Photo courtesy of Marco Raaphorst by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/raaphorst/148634994/