Stress is not necessarily bad – it is often essential for our survival. However, an overload of stressors can have harmful effects on our well-being. It is essential to keep stress in check before it adversely affects your health. There are many ways to find relief from stress, and these are the ones we consider very useful.
IMAGE: PEXELS
Relax And Socialize
Relaxation is an excellent way to calm down and de-stress. Listening to soothing music, meditating, deep breathing, and yoga are common ways of relaxing. However, a new trend is emerging that combines grooming with relaxation and socializing. This idea is currently for males, but it is one that could easily catch on and extend to females as well. A visit to a barbershop is now more than merely getting groomed.
Yes, men can now get a haircut and a shave, while enjoying an alcoholic drink! To quote King’s Crown Barbershop, “Beer and a Buzz? Shave and a Scotch? Why not!” Barbers are also great listeners, and many men feel at ease opening up to their barbers and talking about stuff. This is an excellent way to unwind and release pent-up feelings.
Exercise
We know that exercising is not the first thing that comes to mind when you are stressed, but it does help bring you relief. Ironically, the physical stress you place on your body when you exercise can relieve you of mental stress. If you exercise regularly, you are less prone to feeling anxious, compared to those who don’t.
Exercise releases endorphins that are mood up lifters and natural painkillers. Physical activity also lowers cortisol. Cortisol is essential for your health, but be aware that prolonged excess can cause health issues.
Cut Back On Caffeine
Reducing your intake of caffeine can be difficult if you need your coffee or tea to function “normally” every day. However, if you feel anxious during the day, you might consider if the cause is excess caffeine because it’s a stimulant, that in high doses, can cause anxiety.
Some studies show that consuming coffee can be good for your health but in moderation. What is moderate varies from one person to another. Everyone has different tolerance thresholds. You are the best judge of how much caffeine you can safely consume before it affects you negatively.
Express Gratitude
A great way to find relief from stress or worry is to distract yourself. Shift your focus from the stressors to the good things that are going on in your life. It is difficult to feel bad when you’re looking at something positive.
Expressing gratitude can also make you happier. Writing down things you are grateful for, brings other faculties into play and makes it easier for you to refocus. Having a ‘gratitude’ journal also helps you to realize how much is going your way. Re-read your notes regularly and continuously add to it. Before long, you’ll find that the stressors no longer control you.
Laughter
The saying, “laughter is the best medicine,” is true. Laughing is beneficial for your health and an excellent stress reliever too. Have you ever tried being anxious while enjoying a hearty laugh? Some of the other health benefits that laughter offers include strengthening your immune system, boosting your mood, and reducing pain. Best of all, it doesn’t cost you anything! You can laugh anytime and anywhere! Try to look for the humor in everything that happens. Bring out the child in you!
Say No
You cannot control everything that happens. And that’s when the other suggestions come into play. However, you can avoid some of the situations you get yourself in. Most of the time, it involves taking on more responsibilities than you can handle. And this often leads to you being overwhelmed.
You have to start saying “no” when you feel you cannot take on any more tasks or responsibilities. It’s not easy at first, but necessary for self-preservation. Being selective of the nature of work that you take on is also critical. Turning down, potentially stressful tasks will do you a lot of good.
Stop Procrastinating
Another stressor you can prevent is the result of procrastination. Deferring tasks will only lead to a stage when you are overwhelmed with having to catch up and completing the job on time. Prioritize your work. An excellent way to do this is to use a to-do list, listing tasks in order of importance and urgency, then checking off each one, starting from the top. Avoid multitasking unless you are good at it. Working on a few tasks at the same time can be stressful.
Conclusion
It is best not to consider the above ideas in isolation but to incorporate them into your daily life. By doing this, you will automatically reduce the stressors you encounter and improve the quality of your life.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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