STRESS: How to manage and cope with it.

The English dictionary defined stress as an emotional pressure suffered by humans and animals as well. It is a condition of being under abnormal pressure.

This pressure can be from our day-to-day activities, struggles, and hustles. These situations cause our bodies to respond to stress.

How do you know you are stressed?

There are common symptoms and signs of stress, they are;

Excessive mood swings;

Worry and anxiety;

Short temper and irritation;

Inability to relax;

Depression is most cases;

Resorts to alcohol and hard drugs for relaxation;

Inability to concentrate, et cetera.

Stress is common to everyone, at some point in life, we are stressed out. But there are healthy ways to manage stress to avoid escalating leading to prolonged symptoms that would require medical help.

Below are ways to manage and cope with stress

1. First of all, identify the cause of the stress, you can’t cure anything without knowing its source. You can identify the cause of your stress with the help of these questions;

What event caused it?

How did I feel physically and emotionally?

What was my response to the stress?

What actions did I take that made me feel better?

Furthermore, pay attention to your actions, moods, and excuses (while identifying the source of your stress), because they also plays a role in creating and managing stress.

2. Exercise: this may sound funny, but engaging in physical activities helps relieve stress because exercise is a huge stress reliever. It distracts you from your worries and depressing thoughts.

Exercising doesn’t necessarily mean hitting the gym always, going for a walk with your dog, listening to good music in your comfort zone, dancing, taking the steps instead of the elevator, swimming, cycling, and so on, can substitute for going to the gym.

While exercising, try to focus on the moment, distract yourself from your thoughts, break off negative thoughts and fill your mind with positivity.

3. Meet friends: spend time with your family and trusted friends, who will always be ready to listen to you. Remember the old saying, “a problem shared is half solved”, connecting with people has a natural way of calming and lowering stress.

Learn to open up to people you trust, they might not give you solutions to your worries. But just talking to them gives you a feeling of freedom. Give it a try.

4. Relax and have fun: don’t be too serious with life, take a break and have fun. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of life, make time for yourself, and give yourself a ” baby treatment”.

Pamper yourself, it is a necessity, not a luxury. Develop a sense of humor. Do something you love every day. Charge your batteries, find time to rest, and relax every day.

5. Review your Lifestyle: this includes your diet, sleep, and moderation in all you do.

Eating a healthy diet is not just for your physical well-being but also for your mental health. A healthy diet can reduce the effects of stress, regularize your mood, lower your blood pressure and build up your body system.

Consumption of foods high in caffeine and sugar, will give you joy for a while and then wreck your mood later on.

Alcohol and hard drugs including cigarettes may provide an escape from stress temporarily, you don’t need to be told the aftermath of those things.

Adequate sleep fuels your body as well as your mind. Sleep well whenever you can.

Practice moderation in all activities. Don’t try to handle everything on your own at once. Don’t over-commit yourself, make a list of all you have to do and tackle each one based on the order of importance.

Also, learn to delegate responsibilities, do the ones you can, and leave the rest for others to do.

Learn to relieve stress as they come: if you feel stressed out at any time, try to relieve it at that moment.

Take a deep breath, and distract yourself by doing what you love doing, like listening to music, chatting, dancing, writing, or even walking. You will find immediate relaxation.

In situations of prolonged stress;

Seek medical treatments, and visit a psychologist or a therapist.

Why you should manage stress

There are many reasons why you should manage stress, here are some of them;

If you don’t manage stress, your emotional, mental, and physical health will be affected

Managing stress would help relieve you of your worries, and make you happier and more productive.

Coping with stress will teach you how to balance life and work, thus making out time for relaxation and fun.

Stress is part of life but learning how to manage it so that it doesn’t affect your everyday life is very important.

We all have set goals, and if you are pursuing those goals learn to give yourself some break else you’ll break down and those goals won’t be achieved.