Stress and anxiety are among the common issues faced by individuals these days. Stress may arise in your workplace or even personal life. To overcome day to day stress and anxiety below mentioned are a few methods to be followed:
Exercise
To relieve mental stress practice any physical activity or exercise. It is known that when you put in some physical stress on your body through exercise it, in turn, reduces mental stress. Exercise regularly to be stress-free and reduce anxiety. When you exercise your body’s stress hormones are lowered and releases endorphins which improve mood and enhances a sense of well-being. Exercise greatly improves the quality of your sleep. It also makes you feel confident and promotes mental well-being. Focus and concentration are also improved.
Get enough sleep
Stress and anxiety have a negative effect on sleep. When you are stressed, you face trouble in falling asleep. But, to overcome stress and anxiety you need to have a sound sleep. The quality of sleep affects your mood, energy level, concentration and overall well-being. If you face trouble to fall asleep follow a relaxing bedtime routine like exercise, listen to some music, etc.
Healthy diet
It is important to have a healthy diet as food nourishes your body including the brain. When you take in some carbohydrates it increases serotonin (It has a calming effect on mood). Proteins increase dopamine, norepinephrine and tyrosine (keeps you alert). Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients they nourish the body. Add some omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids as these improve mood and also restore structural integrity to the brain cells which are necessary for cognitive function.
Cut down your caffeine intake
Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, chocolate and energy drinks and it is a stimulant. If high doses of caffeine are consumed it increases anxiety and stress. Caffeine toleration threshold for every individual is different. You should cut down on caffeine if you feel jittery or anxious after its intake.
Keep a journal
Another way to relieve stress and anxiety is to jot down your thoughts and feelings like what you are stressed and what you are happy about. Then focus only on positive things and leave the rest which may help you relieve stress and anxiety.
Spend some time with friends and family
To get through stressful times a social support from family and friends may be beneficial. A study found that women who spend more time with friends and children help to release oxytocin (Natural stress reliever). It is also found that individuals with less social connections are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. Having social connections gives a feeling of belonging and self-worth and reduce your stress and anxiety.
Laugh more
Laughing promotes good health. Although laughter cannot cure all ailments it keeps you away from feeling anxious. It helps by relieving tension by relaxing muscles, makes you feel better, relieves stress response. It not only reduces mental stress but also brings positive changes in the body.
Yoga
One of the most popular methods of stress relief among all the age groups today is yoga. Yoga is a discipline practised for ages it includes postures and controlled breathing exercises. It helps to achieve peacefulness of body and mind by bringing together both physical and mental disciplines. Yoga is beneficial due to its effects on the nervous system and stress response. It lowers cortisol levels, blood pressure, heart rate and increases gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Listen to music or be creative
Listening to music as it is another way to relieve stress. It provides a mental distraction, decreases stress hormones and reduces muscle tension. Listening to some soft music relaxes response by lowering blood pressure and heart rate.
If you aren’t interested in listening to music switch to some other hobby like sketching, painting, sewing, etc. which holds your attention and helps you focus on what you are doing.
Breathe deeply
When you are stressed or anxious it has negative effects on the body like, breathing becomes constrained and shallow which in turn raises blood pressure, increases heart rate, etc. Breathing deeply helps to overcome stress. when you focus on deep breathing it is slow and deep and it helps to slow down the heart rate. It also helps us to feel calm and peaceful.
Use a fidget spinner or a stress ball
Using simple toys like a stress ball or a fidget spinner can help you relieve stress. When you use the stress ball and give it a few hard squeezes it can help you relieve from stress and its the same with fidget spinner. It distracts you and shifts your focus can help you relieve stress.
Chew gum
Chew gum when you are stressed as it is a quick stress reliever. It is known that when you chew gum it causes brain waves similar to those of relaxed individuals. Blood flow is promoted to the brain when you chew gum.
Take a break and step out
Whenever you are stressed out take a break and step out to a greener place and stay there until you feel better. It is known that stress is reduced when you are around nature. It creates a sense of freshness and also makes you feel calm and relaxed.
Be mindful
Focus on things which you are doing in the present moment it allows you to stay away from negative thoughts and be stress-free. There are various methods to increase mindfulness which include meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, etc. Mindfulness increases self-esteem and reduces stress and anxiety.
Conclusion
Above mentioned are a few ways to relieve stress and anxiety. You can use these ways to relieve stress. It keeps you distracted and also helps you stay calm. It not only reduces stress and anxiety but also helps to improve your overall well being. It also brings in some lifestyle changes which helps you to stay healthy and fit both physically and mentally.
Guest author: Sonal Nahar
is a content writer in Pulse Pharmacy. Sonal is exclusive in ghost blogging, blog publishing and social media campaigns. She believes in the fact that being healthy and fit isn’t a trend, it’s all about lifestyle. She specialises on topics like health benefits, medical issues as well as medical news. An enthusiast who prompt the readers to have a healthy lifestyle.
