11 Things To Do When You Are Stressed
- Dr. Jessica Thalhamer
- Jun 2, 2020
- 3 min read
Did you know that STRESS is linked to the 6 leading causes of death? According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress is linked to the six leading causes of death which are: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.
We have all been told that stress can kill us, so how can we prevent that?
11 THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU ARE STRESSED!!!
1. Exercise
Exercising regularly has many benefits for your health including your mental health.
Exercising can make you feel more competent and confident in your body, decreasing stress.
Exercise can help improve sleep quality, which is often negatively effected by stress.
Exercise lowers your body's stress hormones, releasing endorphins which are chemicals that improve your mood.
2. Meditate
Meditation is an amazing technique to clear your mind.
If you have not meditated before or have difficulty with meditation, guided meditation may be a great option for you!
The best part about meditation...you can do it ANYWHERE!
3. Do Something Fun
4. Watch a Funny Movie
Laughter is a great way to combat stress. It is hard to be sad and stressed when you are laughing at something funny.
5. Yoga
Yoga is an amazing way to combat mental health. Yoga classes can vary from gentle and accommodating to strenuous and challenging.
Benefits:
reduces depression
improves affect
decreases stress
improves concentration
promotes a sense of peace
reduces anger
reduces anxiety
improves sleep
6. Go On Vacation
Going on vacation, to somewhere you want to visit, boosts your physical health and mental health. Why?
happiness is boosted when you travel
it is a great stress relief
teaches us about the world
7. Breathe
Breathing is essential to life. It is also essential to your mental health.
Shallow, fast breathing contributes to anxiety, muscle tension, headaches, and fatigue.
Slow, gentle, deep breaths help calm and relax your body, improving concentration and memory.
Begin by taking normal breaths. Then, start taking deep breaths (breathe in slowly through your nose and breathe out slowly through your mouth). Harvard Medical School recommends choosing a place where you feel relaxed to clear your head.
8. Journal
Once our thoughts and feelings get written on a piece of paper, somehow this sense of relief comes over and that thing that was bothering you is no longer bothering you! At that moment, you can curse, yell (through words) and state how you really feel about someone.
Holding onto anger and resentment can kill you or take years off your life. Don’t hold onto anger and resentment. Find a healthy outlet to release those negative emotions.
9. Mental Scan of Your Body
Being aware of your emotions is super important. Before you get angry, what do you feel?
When you are stressed, take a 30 second mental scan of your body. By concentrating on your physical being, you are shifting your mindset from thinking mind to mind into the body. This immediately has a calming effect.
10. Gratitude
Do you keep a gratitude journal?
Keeping a gratitude journal is super important, especially when you are having your moments of stress and anxiety.
When you look at the world with gratitude, you start to feel connected with yourself and with your environment, which is the opposite of what stress does to you.
You woke up today! Isn’t that amazing?! Do you know how many people did not wake up today?
It takes a while to get into the groove of constantly thanking the Universe/God/higher power for the little things you have, but work on it. You will see that your outlook on life will change for the better.
11. Drink Water
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that coffee and alcohol dehydrate you and make you feel more shaky, irritable, or stressed out. This can lead to panic attacks. Instead, drink water to stay hydrated and to promote positive mental health.
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