Being aware of the stressors in your life and the damage they can cause is the first step to manage chronic stress effectively. In the past few months, how many of these stressors have you faced?

• Pandemic issues
• Job issues
• Money issues
• Relationship conflicts
• Illness of you or your loved one
• Running late to get a commitment from one to the next
• Intimidated emotions
• Mental health issues
• Discrimination about ethnicity or religion
• A major transition such as a new house or a new job

The Danger Of Stress

There are lots of negative effects that result from constant stress on your body and mind. Some of the most common are;

• Making it more difficult to control your emotions and fears
• Raising your blood pressure and making your heart work harder
• Overeating to cope with stress
• Weakening the immune system and makes you more susceptible to mental health issues

How To Handle Stress

Improve strategies to work on stressors one at a time. Establish a time and space where you can let go of your stress and recharge yourself. Here’s more tip;

• Take Breaks

If stress is weighing you down or prevents you from thinking clearly or concentrating, take a walk, and go outside to have some fresh air. You can sit quietly on a chair, breathe deeply, and meditate.

• Gain Support

Seek support from friends and family. Make a plan to talk things out with someone else you trust. Talking out the issues you have is the first step to making an organized plan and removing activities that are not productive.

• Regular Exercise

Aerobic activity releases endorphins that boost your mood. It also neutralizes the negative effects of stress on your body and gives your mind a different focus. It is ideal to have at least 30 minutes a day and you can break that into 3 sessions which is 10 minutes per session.

• Relaxation Techniques

Relieve stress with activities such as massage, deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and stretching.

Seek Help For Stress Management

If you can’t manage your anxiety and stress, ask your doctor to refer you to a mental health expert. They will help you make a plan to manage your current situation. They may help you with scripting responses and imagining a situation that signifies what you want your life to be. Other ways a mental health expert may use are;

1. Talk Therapy

This helps you to work through ways to relieve anxiety and stress and get at the root cause of your stress.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This will help you understand why you react the way you do and respond to certain stressors.

3. Hypnosis

This will work with your inner mind to modify how you respond to stressors and put you in a deeply relaxed state.

4. Biofeedback

This measures body reactions such as breathing, heart rate, muscle tension, and brain waves so you can use methods to control those responses. Practices might consist of deep breathing, visualization, yoga, or meditation.