‘Stress’ is something that affects everyone. It lingers around for days and months, causing headaches, anger, moodiness or poor judgement, and switches on your body’s’ danger mode. It leaves you frazzled, irritable and anxious.
Hence, the art of stress management comes in handy. It lays down a range of tools to regulate this never-ending battle. Without stress management, your body is susceptible to a plethora of diseases and health issues in the long run. You should take control of stress, before it takes control of you. Here are some useful stress management techniques you should follow:
Pen it Down
Stress is a fact of everyday life. It can be a result of a major change like marriage or moving homes, or a cumulation of little things. The main task is to pinpoint the exact factors that are causing stress. A useful method of measuring stress levels is by maintaining a journal. Though this may seem petty, writing down your thoughts and frustrations are a great way to not only let off some steam, but also identify the stressors in your life. You should try understanding why a particular stressor bothers you, and how you tend to react to it. Then, a clear pattern will come into view. Once the stressors are identified, the job is half done!
Fight it Back
You shouldn’t let stress get the better of you. Rather than coping sensibly with stress, most of us tend to be irrational and let ourselves fall deeper into the hole. Unhealthy methods of dealing with stress include consuming large amounts of alcohol, tobacco, drugs or caffeine, alienating yourself from your loved ones, procrastinating, eating junk food, oversleeping etc. Though these methods provide relief for the time-being, they have perilous long-term effects. You ought to focus more on creative and motivating tasks, or experiment with new hobbies or activities to clear your mind and fend off any unwanted stressors.
Get Active
An excellent way to reduce stress is by exercising. Be it as simple as cycling, taking a walk or climbing the stairs, any form of physical activity helps counter stress. It burns away anger and frustration, and releases the ‘feel good’ hormones in your body. By incorporating activities like dancing, swimming, yoga etc. in your daily routine, you will make it hard for stress to bother you.
Smile a Mile
You must surround yourself with happiness and have a good time with the people you love. Stress can be effectively beaten by giving it no reason to even arrive. It is of utmost importance to keep aside some relaxation time, shielded away from all kinds of stressors. Take a whiff of something aromatic, or dance along to the peppiest tunes, laugh to funny jokes or sip a cup of warm tea – there are plenty ways to keep happy!
Health is Wealth
Yes, this old saying stands true when it comes to countering stress. Simple eating habits play a major role in increasing immunity and reducing vulnerability to stress. You should indulge in eating healthy greens and beans, and keep your body well-nourished at all times. By avoiding alcohol, drugs and tobacco, you can ensure that your body has no reason to complain. Last, but not the least, maintaining a regular sleeping pattern is the key to a clear and fresh mind!
Train the Thoughts
A major contributor to stress is overthinking. By training your mind to block out redundant thoughts, you can safeguard yourself from unnecessary stress. It nevertheless requires a great deal of motivation and resilience, but is worth all the effort!
Other effective means of managing stress include:
- Learning to say ‘No’
- Extracting some ‘me time’
- Investing in a massage
- Finding a new hobby
- Dialing a friend
- Engaging with nature
- Getting a pet
Stress can be harmful in the long run. It leads to various health problems like asthma, diabetes, headaches, ageing, heart diseases, gastrointestinal diseases and even premature death. Hence, it is up to you to take matters in your own hands and effectively undertake stress management. So, straighten up, take in a deep breath and shove away all your stress. And remember, it’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it!
Studies have established that stress and anxiety have a negative impact on fertility, and that managing stress effectively is useful for an overall improved quality of life and increased pregnancy rates.
Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital’s Mind-Body Medical Institute offers a well-structured and holistic Mind-Body Program to address stress associated with infertility. You can find more details about the service, here:
