Habilitation programs do not teach stress management skills and most physicians do not advise their patients how to learn them. Stress comes in two basic categories: acute and chronic, while we are designed to cope with acute stress, chronic stress needs medical assistance.
The body responds to stress in two ways, whether emotional stress (perceived danger) or physical stress (extreme temperature changes or exertion) by activating a series of mechanisms collectively known as fight or flight response, which prepares us to either fight or run.
The body does this in two ways, first there are direct connections between your brain and your heart. These nerves, called the sympathetic nervous system, stimulate receptors in the heart that make it beat faster and harder and can cause the coronary arteries to constrict. Second, the brain causes other organs, such as your adrenal glands, to secrete stress hormones such as Adrenaline and steroids such as cortisol, which circulate in the blood until they reach the heart. As a result of signals from these hormones, a series of physiological reactions occur.
(Trusted source-Dr. Dean Ornish)
This is how stress is caused to the body, now lets look at ways to lower stress to allow you a healthy life —
Breathing, Pranayama and Meditating: Pranayam is the technique of balanced breathing that brings harmony to the brain cells and energises the body. It fuels it with life. Breathing is one of the most effective exercises to relieve stress and anxiety. Five minutes of peace is all it takes to reap the benefits. Practising pranayama, breathing and meditation can help you achieve mindfulness and great health. Find a comfortable and quiet place, focus on your breath, let go of everything around you and feel those feelings of stress and anxiety disappear. Start your day (in bed) with this practice, it works wonders.
Practising self-care: Taking care of yourself is more important than taking care of others. I am of the belief that if you take care and love yourself only then will you have a heart and soul to extend this love to others. If you are angry and sucked dry, there is nothing in you to give others. Somethings as simple as a relaxing shower, curling up in bed with a book or getting a massage or a watching a sunset can help you regroup and center yourself. Self-care is important to manage your stress. It is important to take time out of your busy life for yourself. Selfcare is fairly simple- It means tending to your well-being and happiness.
Exercising: Whatever form of exercise you choose, be it gymming, yoga, swimming, hiking any combination or switching from one to another is fine, just exercise. Just keep your body moving. Breaking a sweat, releasing endorphins and pent up anger in a positive way is never a bad thing. Physical activities produce happy hormones and we could all do with some happiness.
Going for a walk is the easiest form of exercise brisk or a slow walk, both are equally beneficial for your mind, body and soul. There is nothing like breathing in the fresh air, listening to the birds chirp, being with your thoughts and sorting your head out and just composing yourself.
Practising yoga, poses like the cat cow pose, suryanamaskar, bridge pose, child’s pose and putting your feet up against the wall. These are some of the most effective stress relieving yoga poses. Yoga is to be done slowly, stretching parts of your body in a way that no corner remains unplugged. While yoga styles differ, they all share a common goal- to make your body and mind one and increase your awareness. “Yoga empowers you to feel the way you want to feel at any time, instead of being a victim of your feelings. It makes you independent.” – Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Follow a healthy diet: You are what you eat. If your mental health is suffering you might find yourself overeating, under eating or not eating healthily. It is important to eat healthy, nutrient dense food to make sure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need to regulate your stress, hormones and mood. There are foods that specifically help with relieving stress. Consult a doctor or nutritionist to build a balanced meal plan for a healthy and balanced life.
Spending time with friends and family: No man is an island. Socialisation is an important part of life. Have a support system in family and friends, they are the ones who will get you through the tough times and make the good times great times. Even joining a club, team or social support group is a way of meeting like minded people who will make you feel at ease. Talking to a family member, a guru, a friend or even a professional like a therapist. Voice what is bothering you, what is causing these negative feelings inside of you. Venting and addressing things instead of bottling it up allows you to work through it, get another perspective, come up with solutions to fix what is bothering you and most of all let go of the stress.
Alone time: “Me time” is as important as “we time”. Spending time with yourself can help you clear your head, collect your thoughts, think about things without outside influences or just do something you enjoy. I cannot stress this enough- make it a point to spend time with yourself.
Journalling is something you can spend your alone time doing. Sometimes putting pen to paper is all you really need to feel lighter. Write down your thoughts, emotions and what is on your mind. This will allow you to see it physically and make it seem less intimidating.
Listening to music or dancing in front of a mirror is a huge stress buster. Sometimes listening to your favourite tune, a little jig or just belting out the lyrics makes everything seem all right. The wonders of music are immense. Listening to music or dancing is a quick stress buster that relieves tension, anxiety and depression and speaks to your soul and for your soul. If you have music in your life, you have life.
Creating art to get in touch with your innerself and drown the stressful noise, be it drawing, painting, writing, scrapbooking or crafting are all types of art, do it.
Think of yourself as a sunflower, look towards the sun. On a sunny day, choose to spend your day outdoors, soak up the vitamin D. Bright light is an easy way to lift your spirits.
Clutter equals stress. Take a few minutes to reorganise your desk, clean up your house, make your bed, or even spring clean. A clean and clutter free environment leads to a stress free and a clutter free mind and life.
Essential oil aromatherapy, exposure to certain scents can be extremely calming. Lavender, rose, vetiver, bergamot, chamomile, neroli, jasmine, frankincense or sandalwood are some of the most calming smells that can boost your mood and decrease anxiety and stress, let it burn around you or have a massage with the oils.
Minimise your screen time: Do not be glued to your smartphone, television or computer. While these devices are necessary in this day and age, using them too often can increase your stress levels and give you an unrealistic vision of life too. Use your gadgets, dont let them use you.
Challenge yourself: Setting goals for yourself and challenging yourself from time to time can keep you on your toes, boost your confidence, help you achieve what you want to and even help you deal with your stress. Wondering if you could have done something or avoiding and procrastinating can often be the cause of stress. Ensure discipline and sincerity in the way you live your life, start with the small things of your daily routine, so when the bigger responsibilities come your way, you will sail through. Work smarter, not harder by prioritising your work from most important to least important. Delegate what can be done by others so you can concentrate on the tasks that’ll make a real difference.
Laugh, Laugh, Laugh: Laughter is the best medicine of all, dont take life so seriously, train yourself to always look at the lighter side.
Keep these few things in mind —
- Relaxation is important when you experience too much stress.
- Focus on what’s important to you.
- Let go of the less important things
- Create boundaries and learn to say no to the things that you can control
- Try to be positive while accepting the things you can’t change
It is not easy to divert your mind when you are overly stressed, but you cannot expect results without trying.
“Stress is caused by being ‘Here’ but wanting to be ‘There’.” – Eckhart Tolle
