Dealing With Stress

How to Read the Signs and Win the Battle

Many of us spend time dealing with stress. Personally, I'd have to eliminate everything that irritates me on a daily basis to rid myself of this problem. It's too bad this is not a realistic option for either of us. However, I have learned to incorporate techniques and habits to help myself stress less. Can I say that my strategies work all of the time? No. However, they DO make a difference. How do I know? I follow my first strategy.

Paid Attention to Your Body

Your body is your barometer's stress level.When I'm under heightened stress, I suffer canker sores in my mouth, I have trouble sleeping, my body tenses, and I'm often mentally drained. You get the idea. If you are not sure of your body's stress indicators than pay close attention to changes during times of duress and take note.

There Are Many Possibilities For Reducing Stress

dealing_with_stress You can tailor your efforts according to your personality, preferences, and/or lifestyle. When I'm dealing with stress, it always helps when performing activities I love. When I'm reading, or spending quiet time to myself, I'm in heaven. Maybe you love to bake, take leisurely walks, or bubble baths - whatever your passions and joy, make sure to find the time to do them. Take my word for it, you should NEVER be too busy take care of yourself. This may mean setting aside several hours per week to do something that you love.

Take a Deep Breath....or Two

Deep breathing is therapeutic. Did you know that by taking deep breaths you generate endorphines - our body's nature painkillers? When you practice deep breathing, it has positive health implications. You increase your energy level and rid yourself of shallow breathing resulting from stress. In case you did not know, shallow breathing is linked to high blood pressure.

Do Not Feed Your Stress

You must watch what you eat. Certain foods contribute to stress. For instance, caffeine makes me hyper; therefore I avoid it. I find decaffeinated green tea soothing and love to have a cup every morning. Sugar and foods with trans-fatty acids have also been linked to stress. However, foods such as turkey and sunflower seeds have been linked to reducing stress.

Find Your Beat

My all time favorite way to reduce stress is listening to music. I figure like this - if music can tame the savage beast then it certainly can help me stress less. Come on now......you cannot convince me that you do not have favorite songs that relax you? There are so many great artist and genre's of music available everyone should take advantage when dealing with stress.

Can You See The Difference?

Lastly, if I know that I have to deal with a stressful situation, I close my eyes and envision myself reacting in that situation. I see myself as calm, my body relaxed, my mind sharp, and alert. I even practice if I have to. Okay, so this last technique is not as easy as the others, but it does get easier with practice.

I'm sure if you give it some thought, you can come up with techniques of your own, but feel free to use mine.

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