Stress is a condition you should work to diminish or eliminate because it can cause health problems, both physically and mentally. Getting proactive in dealing with it will help you feel better, fast. Here are a few simple steps.
What are the effects of stress on your health?
The truth is, stress doesn’t always have a bad impact on your life. Without stress, you won’t be worried about your life accomplishments – and thus your energy to strive to be better will slowly be diminished.
But unfortunately, not everyone knows how to manage stress well. As a result, these conditions can harm their health. According to the Mayo Clinic, stress that is not controlled in the long term can cause various health problems.
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Physical health problems
- Obesity
- Headache
- Muscle ache
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
Mental health problems
- Binge eating
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Anxiety disorder
How do I get rid of stress?
In a study released in Sage Journals, it was stated that the Duchenne smile, a wide type of smile that involves the facial muscles around the eyes, can elevate the mood. This type of smile can even help reduce stress when the situation is overwhelming for you. When you smile, there are changes in brain activity associated with mood. A smile will also make the mood of the people around you better, even if it’s just pretending.
Play with your pets
One of the reasons why dogs are used as therapy animals is because they can fulfill the basic human need to give love. Petting, hugging, or playing with animals increases serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. Both of these substances are useful for calming the mind and muscles so that you become more relaxed.
In addition, having a pet as a companion is also useful to relieve loneliness. As a result, the mood becomes better, and thus for some people – the risk of having depression will be decreased.
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How to relieve stress quickly: Soak in a warm bath
Soaking in warm water triggers the body’s relaxation response which helps suppress stress hormone levels. You can be more relaxed if you mixed the warm water with aromatherapy oils such as lavender. These fragrances have been consistently and effectively shown to reduce stress levels. To top it all, you can play soft music in the background to even set the atmosphere.
How to relieve stress quickly: Listening to more music
Alternative, jazz, classical, pop – whatever your favourite music genre is, listen to more of it. The heart becomes happier and your stress level will lift. If you can, have your favourite music playing while you are working.
Meditation
Meditating by taking deep breaths has been shown to be effective in lowering cortisol levels. As a result, this technique can help reduce the stress and anxiety you feel. To get started, you can do the following steps.
- Find a quiet and comfortable place.
- Close your eyes and start to inhale by using your nose.
- If long breaths trigger anxiety, don’t force it. The most important thing, lengthen the inhalation and exhalation.
- Set a timer and breathe this way for at least five minutes.
After you do this regularly, you can see whether there is a difference in your mood and stress level.
Drink water
Water is very useful to improve your brain which in effect will help you to regulate your mood better. Thus, when you are under too much tension due to work or other problems, you can diminish it better if you have proper hydration in your body.
One effective way that you can improve your daily water intake is by stocking bottled water in any place you will often stay, such as around the house and at the work desk. Thus, you can reach for it easily every hour. You can purchase an affordable water bottle in bulk to be scattered around the house and office through https://www.myownwater.com/.
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How to relieve stress quickly: Gardening
Gardening requires concentration. Therefore, this activity will divert your mind from the stress you are facing. During gardening, you will observe the growing process of the plants you care for, from small buds, growing bigger, flowering, to fruiting. All of that can bring a sense of satisfaction in your heart, and thus trigger happy feelings.
Just like most things or diseases, if you treat your stress properly – the symptoms that you may experience due to the stress will be less severe, and you will certainly get better easily.
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I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
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