Feb 20, 2012
How does your body react to stress? Do you feel paralyzed? Do you feel frustrated? Fatigued? Sad? Chances are you feel some sort of emotional, physical or mental reaction and that’s because stress is our body’s way of responding to a particular event. For those of you who struggle with how to manage stress and fear the repercussions of uncontrolled stress, we have put together a few tips to help you stand up to the stress in your life.
Get In Motion – Exercise is valuable for so many different reasons, including stress relief. Engaging in physical activity—whether a brisk jog or an active game of hoops—allows for the release of endorphins, chemicals produced within the body that can trigger a state of relaxation and euphoria. What’s more, exercise can be a great way to clear your mind of some of the things contributing to your pile of stress. Getting outside to soak up the sun and inhale some fresh air may be just the trick you need to de-clutter your mind, decompress your body, and ultimately bring you to a place where addressing your stress not longer seems stressful.
Go to Bed Early – A good night’s rest helps your body rejuvenate and re-energize after a long day of work. Without an adequate amount of sleep (between 6 and 8 hours), your body isn’t able to experience the rest and recovery it needs, and as a result your body may become less capable of managing stress and more susceptible to encountering stress. If getting your body and mind to sleep is a challenging task, then consider a cup of chamomile tea, deep breathing exercises, meditation or a good book. Also, be sure to turn off your TV, laptop and any other device that emits light and that can keep you alert and engaged. If none of these hints work, talk to your health care professional about ways to improve your sleep quality.
Nurture Meaningful Relationship – Have you ever cared for a garden? If so, perhaps you have felt those feelings of satisfaction and happiness once the fruits of your labor come to blossom. Those same feelings can be felt when nurturing a relationship. Maintaining good friendships and connections with the important people in your life can help you stay focused on the positive rather than the negative to help you keep stress at bay. Plus, it is nice to know that you have people to turn to when your stress level rises and you want some helping lessening that load.
Discover Stress-Busting Activities –Whether we chose to or not, we all face stress at one point (likely multiple points) in our lives. Thankfully, there are activities to engage in and habits to adopt that can be quite helpful for kicking that negative pressure and strain to the curb. Compiling a recipe book, planning a travel itinerary, volunteering at your local soup kitchen, taking a photography class or journaling your favorite part of the day are just a few of the many things you can do to dismiss stress.
Recognize When Stress is Positive — While we tend to interpret stress in a negative light, there are certainly times when stress can stem from a very positive event and result in something great. Just think about getting that promotion you’ve been working so hard to achieve, or becoming a parent to a little baby girl or boy. Sure you could allow the stress expected in both cases to get the best of you, or you could chose to celebrate and focus on the positive. It’s up to you!
Talk to your Doctor about Supplements – Did you know that nutrient gaps exist in even the healthiest of eating plans? This is relevant because poor nutritional status can place unwanted stress on your body—particularly at the cellular level. Nutrients like the B vitamins support a number of key roles in the body, including the production of energy from the foods you eat. Nature Made’s Stress B-Complex includes all of the 8 main B vitamins to support healthy energy production plus vitamin C and zinc for general immune and antioxidant support. Talk to your doctor to see if Stress B-Complex is a good choice for you.
So, next time you come face to face with stress, worry no more about how to handle it. Instead, remember these tips and stand up to stress!