Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise pent-up feelings. Eating a healthy diet is an important part of taking care of yourself. Even looking at photos of your friend’s newest puppy can boost all those feel-good emotions. And we’re sure they’d let you have a cuddle or two in real life. It’s OK to say “no” to demands on your time and energy that’ll place too much stress on you.
Mental Health Resources
From everyday work issues and maintaining relationships, to navigating social engagements and wrangling your kids’ schedules, there’s more than enough stress to go around. Luckily, there are plenty of stress relief techniques out there to choose from. Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. A small amount of stress can be good, motivating you to perform well. But many challenges daily, such as sitting in traffic, meeting deadlines and paying bills, can push you beyond your ability to cope. Participation in social groups has a normative influence on behaviors, often influencing whether people eat a healthy diet, exercise, smoke, drink, or use illegal substances.
Seek meaningful activities
You can choose from a variety of techniques, such as deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation. Dampening HPA activity may be another major mechanism through which social support enhances resilience to stress. In fact, findings from animal and translational studies reviewed above show that social support reduces stress-induced cortisol release. It is possible that stress-induced oxytocin release augments social affiliation, which in turn reduces negative appraisals and arousal. It is open to speculation whether social support affects DHEA and/or NPY levels, which may then help to regulate HPA and noradrenergic systems, respectively. The role of oxytocin in human social behavior has been investigated as well.
- Creating boundaries — especially with people who add to your stress levels — is a healthy way to protect your well-being.
- Get rid of the things that are adding to your stress so you can experience more peace.
- As the holidays approach, it can be easy to get caught up in high expectations—whether it’s finishing assignments perfectly, excelling in every activity, or attending every holiday event.
- If your stress gets worse, you might find it helpful to talk to a mental health professional.
- These and other hardships can bring on emotional stress that can make it harder to cope.
Relying on a solid support network
Leisure activities can be a wonderful way to relieve stress. Yet, many people feel as healthy ways to cope with-stress though their lives are too busy for hobbies, games, or extra fun. A poor diet can bring greater reactivity toward stress. Emotional eating and reaching for high-fat, high-sugar foods can provide a temporary sense of relief that adds to your long-term stress. Research consistently shows that coloring can have a meditative effect. One study found that anxiety levels decline in people who were coloring complex geometric patterns, making it a perfect outlet for stress reduction.
Stages of General Adaptation Syndrome (Surprising Effects)
Meditating consistently, even for short periods, may help boost your mood and decrease symptoms of stress and anxiety. Procrastination may harm your productivity and leave you scrambling to catch up. This can cause stress, which negatively affects your health and sleep quality. It’s also true that you may be more likely to procrastinate in times of stress as a coping mechanism. Being selective about what you take on — and saying “no” to things that will unnecessarily add to your load — can reduce your stress levels.
Manage Stress
Make a list of tasks you have to do, and tackle them in order of importance. If you have something particularly unpleasant or stressful to do, get it over with early. The rest of your day will be more pleasant as a result.
- Long-term exposure to unmanaged stress can take a toll on your body and mental health, and recent research suggests a potential link between work-related burnout and depression and anxiety.
- It’s good for both of you and it can be one of the simplest forms of stress relief available.
- Other supplements, including Rhodiola, ashwagandha, B vitamins, and L-theanine, may also help reduce stress, though more research is needed to understand their potential benefits better.
- Co-workers may offer support in the workplace, while friends and family may provide emotional or practical support in other areas of your life.
