The Best Ways to Beat Stress
Have you ever noticed that when you are stressed about something, that’s ALL you can think about? When we are faced with problems, we tend to focus all of our awareness and energy into them rather than dealing with them in a tactical way. By letting these problems get the better of us, we can lose sight of the things in our lives that are more important and deserve our attention a lot more.
Stress is derived from the pressures we often face in our daily lives such as paying bills, meeting deadlines at work, managing relationships, being overloaded with study… and the list goes on! What most people don’t realise is that stress can actually have a harmful effect on our health and the people around us. Some negative effects of stress include weight gain, sleep troubles, digestive problems, depression and heart disease. Now, there is the old myth that ‘stressed spelled backwards is desserts’, and while this may be true, it does not mean that downing a bag of maltesers and 2 bowls of ice-cream will make you feel any better. Thankfully, there are some naturally beneficial methods of beating stress and no, they don’t involve sugar!
Exercise
is a fantastic way to fight off stress not only because it turns frustrations into energy but because it also releases endorphins in the brain which helps to improve your mood. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with pressures, try doing a boxing class or going for a long outdoor walk. Yoga is also an enormous stress-reliever as it helps to fight away nervous energies, relaxes the mind and stimulates peace throughout the body.
Eat
This does not mean stuffing your face with junk to make you THINK you feel better, it means eating wholesome foods that will actually improve your stress levels. Almonds, pistachios and walnuts help to lower blood pressure levels as well as fruits like oranges and avocadoes. Oats are another wholesome food that can make you chipper again as they produce the same relaxing brain chemical found in dark chocolate. Chew your food slowly, and let it do it’s magic!
Breathe
Sure, everyone knows how to breathe but wouldn’t it be great if you could learn how to breathe in a way that diminished your stress levels almost immediately? The trick is to slow everything down and use your diaphragm to its full effect. Embrace stillness and silence and take a series of slow, deep breaths. This will calm your nerves, sooth your body and take you to your happy place again.
Talk to someone
Bottling up our emotions causes greater damage to us and those around us than if we just talked about them with friends, mentors or people who show interest in us. It’s important to keep in mind that two heads are better than one when it comes to problem solving, and you never know, that person might have been through the exact same thing as you.
Create a to-do list
When we think about all the things we have to do in one day, it can often seem impossible. Stress can be minimized when we turn a big problem into a few little problems that can easily be solved. Write everything down, prioritize, and start at the top of the list.
Find pleasure
Whatever you like doing, whatever makes you happy, whatever is good for your soul, just do that!