Dealing with Stress

Lets first define what stress is. Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.

Now some ways of dealing with stress:

1. Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine-Caffeine and nicotine are both stimulants and can increase your lvl of stress. Alcohol in lower doses is also a stimulant and should be avoided during stressful times. Try adding more water, herbal teas and natural fruit juices to your diet.

2. Increase your physical activity-Stress increases the level of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol in your body also known as your flight or fight response. Physical activity can be used as a surrogate to metabolize the excessive stress hormones and restore your body and mind to a calmer, more relaxed state.

3. Get more sleep-sometimes stress can cause you to get less sleep. Try relaxing before going to bed and try avoiding taking sleep medications, they are just band aids and can do more harm than good. Try maintaining a bedtime and try unwinding an hour before going to bed. Take a bath and relax before turning in. Avoid stimulants before going to bed and try reading instead of watching tv, or playing on the computer. You can also try meditating and doing yoga before bed. Anything to bring your body into a state of calm and relaxation before turning into bed. Once in bed if your mind begins to wonder and race try counting to keep your mind off the racing thoughts. I use the two number method myself. I repeat the numbers 1,2 over and over it keeps my mind from racing through thoughts. Sleeping with ear plugs in can also help you relax, it tunes out any sounds that may distract you and keep you up.

4. Talk to someone-Having someone to talk to can help you vent your stress, keeping it inside allows it to build to unhealthy levels. Seek professional help such as a psychologist or a counselor or talk with a close relative or friend that you feel comfortable enough to confide in. Just getting it off your mind can help.

5. Keep a diary-Keep a journal and be aware of what may be causing your stress. Learning what causes the stress can help you avoid it in the future.