Stress can be termed as a condition of extreme physical and emotional strain. It is usually characterized by a stage of alarm, where the production of the adrenaline hormone is increased to prepare the body to respond to such a situation. Adrenaline and other stress hormones increase the heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and metabolism, and thereby prepare the body to cope with stress. However, this state of heightened excitement cannot be maintained for a long time and therefore, when all the resources of the body are depleted, the person usually feels exhausted. This natural process of handling stress is known as stress response. An over activation of this natural process can exhaust an individual and give rise to problems like headache, insomnia, inability to concentrate, irritability, depression, etc.
Ways to Get Rid of Stress
The way an individual copes with stress depends on a number of factors like nutritional status, overall health and fitness, emotional well-being, and the amount of sleep and rest. That means a healthy individual can cope with stress in a better way than a mentally and physically weak individual. De-stressing methods at work can include simple exercises like deep breathing. Yoga and meditation, muscle relaxation, and other types of exercises are also an excellent way to strengthen your body and mind so that they can overcome stressful situations.
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises are simple and also easy to learn. Another advantage of deep breathing is that you can practice it anywhere, at home or work. Sit down on a comfortable position keeping your back, shoulder and neck straight. Then breath deeply, inhaling as much air as possible through the nose, followed by a forceful exhalation through the mouth. Breathing deeply from the stomach allows us to draw comparatively more oxygen than usual breathing, which can cut down the level of tension and stress.
Muscle Relaxation
Muscle relaxation is another way to relax your body and mind. Muscle relaxation can be done either by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. You can take deep breaths for few minutes to prepare your body and then start with your right foot. Focus your attention on your right foot and squeeze it tightly for few seconds. Then relax this foot and shift your attention to the other foot, i.e. the left foot. Squeeze your left foot similarly and hold on for a few seconds before relaxing. In this way, slowly work on the other parts of the body. Usually, muscle relaxation is started on the right foot, followed by the left foot and then moving progressively upwards to the face. The usual sequence of this exercise is right foot, left foot, right calf, left calf, right thigh, left thigh, hips and buttocks, stomach, chest, back, right arm and hand, left arm and hand, neck, shoulder and finally the face.
Yoga and Meditation
Yoga and meditation are perhaps one of the ancients methods of reducing stress. They are an integral part of Hindu discipline and basically aim at promoting mental and physical well-being. Yoga is an effective way to restore mental and emotional stability by bringing about a synchronization of body, mind, and spirit. There are several types of yoga like hatha, kundalini, asthanga, etc. A beginner should start with a simple yoga exercise and then move gradually to the more complex ones. Along with deep breathing, it can effectively manage the level of stress and anxiety.
Exercises
Exercises are always considered as a subject matter of physical fitness and health. However, they can prove quite beneficial in relieving stress and anxiety too. This is because a healthy individual can always cope with stress easily. It has been found that stretching exercises can lower the level of stress hormones and thereby control stress and anxiety. Aerobic exercises are also great for increasing the heart rate and relieving stress. Even activities like walking, cycling, jogging or playing games can help an individual to manage stress and anxiety.
However, the most crucial point in stress management is to identify the factors that causes stress. It is not as easy as it sounds, as in many instances they are either not obvious or we simply ignore them as trifles. Secondly, eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting adequate sleep are also of vital importance in stress management. Apart from these, one should abstain from using unhealthy ways to reduce stress, such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, drug abuse, etc. in order to avoid more serious complications. The best way is to maintain a regular schedule to practice these stress relief techniques or any activity that appeals you to manage the level of stress.
The way an individual copes with stress depends on a number of factors like nutritional status, overall health and fitness, emotional well-being, and the amount of sleep and rest. That means a healthy individual can cope with stress in a better way than a mentally and physically weak individual. De-stressing methods at work can include simple exercises like deep breathing. Yoga and meditation, muscle relaxation, and other types of exercises are also an excellent way to strengthen your body and mind so that they can overcome stressful situations.
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises are simple and also easy to learn. Another advantage of deep breathing is that you can practice it anywhere, at home or work. Sit down on a comfortable position keeping your back, shoulder and neck straight. Then breath deeply, inhaling as much air as possible through the nose, followed by a forceful exhalation through the mouth. Breathing deeply from the stomach allows us to draw comparatively more oxygen than usual breathing, which can cut down the level of tension and stress.
Muscle Relaxation
Muscle relaxation is another way to relax your body and mind. Muscle relaxation can be done either by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. You can take deep breaths for few minutes to prepare your body and then start with your right foot. Focus your attention on your right foot and squeeze it tightly for few seconds. Then relax this foot and shift your attention to the other foot, i.e. the left foot. Squeeze your left foot similarly and hold on for a few seconds before relaxing. In this way, slowly work on the other parts of the body. Usually, muscle relaxation is started on the right foot, followed by the left foot and then moving progressively upwards to the face. The usual sequence of this exercise is right foot, left foot, right calf, left calf, right thigh, left thigh, hips and buttocks, stomach, chest, back, right arm and hand, left arm and hand, neck, shoulder and finally the face.
Yoga and Meditation
Yoga and meditation are perhaps one of the ancients methods of reducing stress. They are an integral part of Hindu discipline and basically aim at promoting mental and physical well-being. Yoga is an effective way to restore mental and emotional stability by bringing about a synchronization of body, mind, and spirit. There are several types of yoga like hatha, kundalini, asthanga, etc. A beginner should start with a simple yoga exercise and then move gradually to the more complex ones. Along with deep breathing, it can effectively manage the level of stress and anxiety.
Exercises
Exercises are always considered as a subject matter of physical fitness and health. However, they can prove quite beneficial in relieving stress and anxiety too. This is because a healthy individual can always cope with stress easily. It has been found that stretching exercises can lower the level of stress hormones and thereby control stress and anxiety. Aerobic exercises are also great for increasing the heart rate and relieving stress. Even activities like walking, cycling, jogging or playing games can help an individual to manage stress and anxiety.
However, the most crucial point in stress management is to identify the factors that causes stress. It is not as easy as it sounds, as in many instances they are either not obvious or we simply ignore them as trifles. Secondly, eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting adequate sleep are also of vital importance in stress management. Apart from these, one should abstain from using unhealthy ways to reduce stress, such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, drug abuse, etc. in order to avoid more serious complications. The best way is to maintain a regular schedule to practice these stress relief techniques or any activity that appeals you to manage the level of stress.
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