Stress Management: Ways to Prevent and Relieve Stress

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Stress is part of being human, and it can help motivate you to get things done. Even high Running

  • alcohol and close to bedtime.
  • Set a sleep schedule.
  • Don’t look at your electronics 30-60 minutes before bed.
  • Try meditation or other forms of relaxation at bedtime.
  • The role of your bedroom in good sleep hygiene also is important. In general, your room should be dark, quiet, and cool. Your bed also plays an important role. Your mattress should provide support, space and most of all, comfort.

    Relaxation Techniques

    Yoga. This is a form of exercise, but it can also be a meditation. There are many types of yoga. The ones that focus on slow movement, stretching, and deep are best for lowering your anxiety and stress.

    Meditation. It has been around for over 5,000 years for a reason. Meditation works well for many people and has many benefits. It can lower stress, anxiety, and chronic pain as well as improve sleep, energy levels, and mood. To meditate, you will need to:

    1. Find a quiet place.
    2. Get comfortable (sitting or lying down).
    3. Focus your attention on a word, phrase, object, or even your breath.
    4. Let your thoughts come and go and do not judge them.

    Deep breathing. When you practice deep breathing, you turn on your body’s natural ability to relax. This creates a state of deep rest that can change how your body responds to stress. It sends more oxygen to your brain and calms the part of your that handles your ability to relax.

    Try belly breathing. Get comfortable, close your eyes, and place one on your stomach and the other on your chest. Take a deep breath in through your nose. You should feel your belly rise more than your chest. Now, exhale through your nose and pay close attention to how your body relaxes. Repeat.

    . Learn how to manage your heart rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure when stress hits. Biofeedback gives you information about how your body reacts when you try to relax. Sensors are placed on your body that call out changes in everything from your brain-wave pattern to your muscle tone. Working with a biofeedback therapist, you can start to take control of the signals by changing how your body reacts to the sensor.

    Connect with people. Spend time with a friend or family member who will listen to you. It is a natural way to calm you and lower your stress. When you connect with people in person, your body releases a hormone that stops your fight-or-flight response. You relax.

    Behavior. How you respond to people directly impacts your stress levels. Manage your response with these tips:

    • Try not to overcommit yourself
    • Share the responsibility
    • Count to 10 before you respond
    • Walk away from a heated situation
    • Distract yourself with music or podcasts

    Inner voice. Nothing affects your stress levels like the voice inside your head. The good news is you are in control. You can exchange negative thoughts for positive ones. There are more benefits to positive self-talk than reducing stress. These include a longer life, lower levels of , greater resistance to the common cold and , and better coping skills for when hard times hit.

    Laugh therapy. When you laugh, you take in more oxygen. Your heart, , and muscles get a boost and your body releases those feel-good hormones. Laughter also improves your immune system, lessens pain, and improves your mood for long periods time.

    Talk therapy. Long-term talk therapy helps some people deal with stress. One approach, cognitive behavioral therapy, helps you change negative thought patterns. Your therapist can guide you toward other approaches that might be helpful.