Manage Your Stress
Stress is an unavoidable part of our lives. You can’t always avoid stress, but you can learn to manage it with these tips from educators, health professionals, and stress management experts.
Stressful experiences come in many forms, such as a demanding job, a chronic disease, or an argument with a loved one. But all types of stressors—even stress from positive experiences, such as planning a party—can result in the same physical and emotional burden on health, especially when you’re an older adult.
Take Control of The Stress In Your Life
From fears about job security and financial challenges to worries about health and relationship issues, stress is ever-present. But how you handle stress is what’s important.
The amazing thing about your life is that you dictate how you manage it. Anyone can change their life for the better — and you don’t need permission to do so. The teachings and information above are to help and guide you on your quest to a life that is less stressful, less riddled with anxiety, and fuller of peace.
Embrace and trust the process. Learn to let go. Remember that each challenge that you meet along your path has something to teach you.
- If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it.
Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life. Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. Be willing to compromise but be more assertive. Manage your time better.
- If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself.
Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Focus on the positive; this simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.
- Take a break from a stressor.
It may seem difficult to get away from a big work project, a crying baby, or a growing credit card bill, but when you give yourself permission to step away from it you can gain a new perspective and feel less overwhelmed. It’s important to not avoid your stress (those bills have to be paid sometime), but even 20 minutes of self-care is helpful.
- Breathing is the foundation to de-stress and heal.
Our normal shallow breathing starves the body and brain of oxygen, which affects the immune and cardiopulmonary systems. Develop the practice of taking several deep diaphragmatic breaths in a tense moment; it clears the mind, body, and soul.
- The practice of journaling has health benefits.
Journaling reduces stress by removing the worry and thoughts racing over and over in your mind. You move these worries, concerns, hopes or dreams out of your body onto the paper.
- Friendships are strong indicators of mental, physical and spiritual health.
Friendship is not a luxury, but is essential to work-life balance and your health. Studies show that isolation decreases immune functioning and increases mortality risk.
- Exercise regularly, sleep, and eat a healthy diet.
Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress. Physical in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress. Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.