Many people have chronic stress and anxiety. They face symptoms such as nervousness, agitation, tension, a racing heart, and chest pain. In fact, anxiety is among the most common mental health issues. In the United States, more than 18% of adults are affected by anxiety disorders each year.
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Many people deal with stress every day. A toxic job, family issues, health concerns, and financial obligations are parts of everyday life that commonly contribute to heightened stress levels. Minimizing the chronic stress of daily life as much as possible is crucial for overall health. That’s because chronic stress is very harmful and increases your risk of health conditions such as heart disease, anxiety disorders, and depression.
Meditation
and Other Relaxation Exercises
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For thousands of years, people have practiced meditation for spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. It all starts in the brain. During meditation, brain scans see increased activity in regions directly correlated with decreased anxiety and depression along with increased pain tolerance while also increased levels of memory, self-awareness, and productivity.
In essence, meditation is a mental training exercise that teaches you to slow down your racing thoughts, let go of negativity, and calm both your mind and body. As the goal of meditation is to reach a state of peace and stillness, it is a great way to connect with your body in a healthy and soothing way. Meditation also lowers the levels of cortisol, which is the stress hormone that helps you feel more relaxed.
Exercise
If you’re feeling stressed, simply moving your body consistently can help a lot. In addition, regular exercise has been shown to improve symptoms of common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
If you are new to exercising regularly, you absolutely do not have to jump into a workout routine and overwhelm your system. That will do more harm than good. Start with gentle activities such as walking or biking. There's evidence that shows that simply walking outside on a nice day for a few minutes radically decreases stress levels. Choosing an activity that you enjoy may help increase your chances of sticking to it in the long term.
If you want to take it one step further, you can do daily stretches for about 15 to 20 minutes that will really help not only your physical health but your mental health as well. Similarly to meditation, stretching relaxes your tensed-up or cramping muscles and calms your mind by giving you the time to be one with your body and not think about the hectic world outside.
Self
Care
Studies show that people who engage in self-care report lower levels of stress and improved quality of life, while a lack of self-care is associated with a higher risk of stress and burnout. Taking time for yourself is essential to living a healthy life. This is especially important for people who tend to be highly stressed, including nurses, doctors, teachers, and caretakers.
Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated. Simply
setting aside some time to tend to your well-being and happiness helps reduce
your stress levels. Some examples include:
- taking a bath
- lighting candles
- reading a good book
- writing
- preparing a healthy meal
- getting a massage
- practicing a hobby
- using a diffuser with calming
scents
- practicing yoga
Talk
About It
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It is important to surround yourself with people who care about you and people you trust. When the going gets tough you need people who you know will be around to help you overcome hard situations. When it comes to stress and anxiety, one of the best ways to deal with it is to talk about it. If you don't, all of that negativity will be internalized and you will feel worse than ever.
Talking to someone you trust about something upsetting may help you to sort through the problem, see the situation more clearly, look at the problem in a new or different way, release built-up tension, find out that you are not alone and others share your feelings, as well as identify options or solutions you hadn't thought of before.
Now, I know that it can be tough opening up, but it’s so important to share your experiences with others as a healthy way to overcome challenges and hardships. If you are going through symptoms of anxiety or depression, it is essential to find someone to talk to. Talking about your problems helps to clarify them, and can make your experience a tiny bit more bearable. When you are looking for people to open up to, you can start with a loved one, a family member, or a friend.
You don’t necessarily need a therapist, talking it out is a job you can do from home, however, if you feel like you really need help or are in a crisis, do turn to a professional. People who are outside of your experience have a way of seeing things more clearly as they are removed from it. And even if they can't find a solution, just venting about your problems can take a lot of pressure off of you. I know it's difficult, but trust me, it works.
Start slowly by confiding in someone you really trust. You may find that they share certain experiences with you and you can help each other work through them together. Never underestimate a good support system when dealing with mental health. It can make a world of a difference.
Sleep
Sleep works wonders. It allows your mind to stop for at least a few hours in the day and that can be incredibly beneficial when you are dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety. Today, the majority of our population (especially our youth) does not get enough sleep at night. This is due to numerous factors such as an excess of stress and anxiety (ironically), interrupted sleep cycle due to screen time, not being able to channel all of our energy as most of us don't have a consistent fitness routine either, and other factors such as disorders.
You have probably heard the expression "sleep is the best
medicine". This expression is not only common, but it is also true. One of
the fastest ways for people to feel stressed, anxious, unhappy, drowsy, or
depressed is by a lack of sleep. Make sure to get the doctor-recommended seven
to eight hours of sleep. Turn the TV off earlier, dim the lights, and give
yourself time to relax before going to bed. It may be the most effective stress
remedy on this list.
