Unfortunately, we can’t avoid stress, it’s something we will all experience at some point. Stress isn't always bad, and a small amount of it can actually be positive and motivate us. However, too much stress can begin to have a negative impact on our minds and bodies. Although we can’t completely eliminate stress, there are ways to reduce it and make the workload more manageable to deal with.
Relaxation and breathing exercises are a great way of bringing calm into your body. When we are stressed out muscles tend to be tense and our bodies can be stuck in our threat or “fight or flight” system. Practicing taking some slow deep breaths and relaxing our muscles can remind our brains and our bodies that we are safe and there is no threat.
Another effective way to manage stress is by listening to music. Music has been shown to have the ability to trigger emotions. Creating a playlist can be a great way to momentarily distract from stressful thoughts. All genres from upbeat music go a slower tempo have been shown to have the ability to reduce stress. The trick is finding the right music for you to create that positive impact.
Loud music can be a great way to relive stress as the sacculus, which can be found in your ear, is directly connect to the pleasure centre of the brain which releases endorphins when stimulated.
Exercise is something else which releases endorphins and can be used to help relieve stress, as well as keeping your body fit and healthy. Whether it’s a short walk, dancing or a stretching, all types of movement can help with stressful situations.
Sometimes having a good cry is what’s needed to release the pressure valve of emotions. Emotional tears release stress hormones, so when we cry our stress levels go down and sleep quality and over all immune system health can be boosted. Crying is a great way to restore emotional balance.
If you’re feeling stressed a bath can also help as it will physically force your body to change the way that it processes stress and anxiety. They can also help with other issues such a tension by keeping our muscles loose. As well as a warm bath being able to reduce stress and make us feel more relaxed, a cold bath or shower can actually also be beneficial by helping to bring down high blood pressures and yet again increase the realise of endorphins. Managing stress is a skill that needs to be learned and this takes trial and error, time and patience. Don’t give up and remind yourself that you are worth the effort!
Niamh Megahy