Simple ways to handle stress
Stress is a very common word and in present times we come across a lot of people talking about stress. Stress is a way our body reacts to situations surrounding it. In simple term, stress is a state of high energy and alertness.
Everyone faces stressful situations in life be it a teenager or an adult. Stress is a feeling which usually remains for a certain amount of time and disappears after the end of the reason causing it. That is the reason why most of the times we do not even realize we are under stress.
However, stress also keeps piling up within us bit by bit as our problems in life increase. We unknowingly start accumulating the reasons for stress. And on one fine day, it increases to a level our body cannot handle and blows out in form of serious physical and mental problems.
So, should we be afraid of stress?
No, as stress can be handled. It is curable. It is manageable.
One surprising fact is that we can handle stress unknowingly in the same manner as we accumulate it.
Before knowing how to handle it lets know the causes and symptoms of stress.
Causes of stress
The cause of stress varies from one to another, from one age group to another.
In teenagers, the causes of stress relate to:
- Hormonal changes
- Peer pressure
- Academic stress
- Career stress
- Friendship issues
- Relationship issues etc.
In adults, the causes of stress relate to:
- Work pressure
- Family pressure
- Unhappy marriage
- Childbirth
- Illness etc.
Apart from these, there are certain general causes of stress which include:
- Death of a loved one
- Accidental trauma
- Financial stress etc.
Symptoms of stress
- Irritating behaviour
- Loss of appetite
- Eating too much
- Sleeping too less or too much
- Headaches
- Stomach pain
- Loss of interest
- Lack of focus
- Restlessness
- Feeling sad without reason
- Insecurity
- Short-tempered behaviour
- Social withdrawal etc.
Simple steps to handle stress
These are simple steps we already know and hear about which can help us handle stress effectively without putting in much efforts. The plus point is we can handle stress by making simple changes in our routine.
- Eat healthy
We must make sure to have one proper healthy meal a day. Make a habit of having at least one fruit daily. Skipping meals must also be avoided.
- Move our body
Regular walk and exercise release the anti-stress hormones in our body. We can make a habit of walking while we converse on phone calls or take a walk in the morning or evening as per convenience. Exercising regularly does not mean doing heavy workouts, it refers to doing even simple stretching or yoga practices.
- Practice meditating
Meditation is a very effective way to handle stress and also boost our brains. We can practice meditation for a minimum of 10 minutes before going to sleep. This helps in calming our brain muscles. Meditation does not always refer to sitting in silence. There are other ways of mediating such as mantra meditation where we can chant any particular mantra closing our eyes for 10 minutes or play a piece of soft music and concentrate on listening to it.
- Sharing our feelings
We should always make sure to share out what we feel to relieve our brain from unnecessary thoughts. We can share it by talking to a trustworthy person. It can also be done by writing it down or making a voice recording which can be deleted later on. It helps in letting our emotion-free.
- Acknowledging the symptoms
We must identify how we feel and know more about our own self. Once we know how are we feeling and why it is easier to manage and handle our thoughts and take necessary steps to avoid it in future.
Apart from these, we can also:
- Practice breathing and relaxing exercises
- Take short trips with family and friends
- Practice a creative hobby like dancing, painting etc.
- Sleep well
- Listen to mood-lifting songs
- Practice reading or listening podcasts
- Avoid cigarettes, alcohol or drugs
These are some ways in which we can handle stress by ourselves without making any major significant changes and just by altering our daily routine and thinking process. However, if signs of stress are major it is necessary to consult a doctor and take medications along with these simple steps to improve our mental health.
Did you find this article useful?
Just leave your comments and let me know what you think is a good way of handling stress.
