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Stress Relief Techniques
Did you know that 70 percent of Americans experience stress daily? This is a clear indication that it is quite a prevalent problem. Stress can result from minor challenges such as being caught up in a traffic jam to major issues like having a sick a relative. Whatever the cause, stress is a common problem among adults and one that everyone should learn how to handle.
Stress can have significant effects on your body, mind, and behavior. For instance, when you have anxiety and stress, you might experience headaches, fatigue, irritability and anger, lack of motivation, sadness, drug, and alcohol misuse, and the list goes on. Learning to manage stress is key to going through a stressful phase. Here are the 6 effective relaxation techniques for stress.
Exercise
Regular exercise can go a long way in relieving mental stress for same the reasons it helps to improve sleep, boost confidence, and lower stress hormones. For optimum effects, try to choose an exercise you find joy in; for instance, if you love biking, have a routine on how and when you will be engaging in the exercise. Focus on those that involve movement as they are proven to provide better results.
Guided Imagery
This stress-relieving technique is good to practice while at work as it only requires you to conjure up soothing schemes that calm your mind. Here you choose an image of a person, place, or thing that is able to help you relax. It specifically works by helping you develop a positive image of yourself and your environment. Practicing it more often can help you to overcome stress over time.
Consider Supplements
Several supplements are confirmed to alleviate stress. These include green tea which contains antioxidants that help to increase serotonin levels which lower stress. Valerian is also a helpful supplement as it has a tranquilizer effect which induces sleep. Third is lemon balm which has, for a long time, been used to alleviate stress.
Mindfulness Meditation
This particular technique involves controlling your breathing and concentrating your mind on the present rather than the past or the future. Research shows that it is quite effective in dealing with anxiety, pain, and depression. In the recent past, this method has enjoyed popularity due to its positive results and for the reason, that one can comfortably do it in the comfort of the office or home. If you are dealing with stress, try mindful meditation and you might find it helpful.
Quality Time With Friends And Family
Developing and maintaining social connections helps you to go through a stressful time more easily. Typically, it gives you a sense of belonging and the assurance that you are not alone at your toughest moments. A related study found that sharing time with friends or even a pet helps to release oxytocin which has the natural ability to alleviate stress. The same study showed that people with the least connections are more vulnerable to stress and depression. By increasing your social support, you are better placed to deal with stress.
Avoid Procrastination
This is quite a common cause of stress among adults. To avoid procrastination, learn to have priorities, and more importantly, ensure you stay on top of them. Usually, this factor makes you act reactively and always trying to catch up with things you kept on postponing. In the end, you get overwhelmed and that is where stress develops. You might even start losing sleep or adopting negative behaviors such as drinking. To be safe, work on what you need to when you should and have realistic task deadlines.
Reducing stress can be very beneficial to you and those close to you. Using these simple techniques to reduce stress and anxiety will help you lead a more comfortable and balanced life.