Everyone suffers from stress. Some people simply have everyday stress that is easy to deal with, while other people suffer from chronic stress, leading to stroke or heart attack. Stress is far more than simply a mental illness. Some stress is actually good for you. It helps you prepare for difficult situations, and it helps you embrace the fight or flight response. Chronic stress, however, leaves you sick and anxious all the time. While you can get medical help for stress, here are some other things that might be able to help you deal with stress of all kinds.
Exercise
Fitness does a million great things for your body, from making you smarter to helping your health. One thing that a good workout does is release endorphins, which are feel-good hormones. These hormones are what give runners their “runner’s high.” Fitness is basically a form of meditation, though that concentration and relaxation happen while you are in motion. As you can see, there is nothing about fitness that doesn’t help you fight stress! Take a jog, a run, or simply a walk, and you’ll be doing some great things for your body.
Eat Healthily
Healthy foods are packed with vitamins and nutrients that can help you relax. This is why it’s important to eat your fruits and vegetables. Some offer you more potent assistance, like the brain helping omega-3 fatty acids and toxin removing antioxidants. Avoid foods categorized as “comfort foods.” While they may remind you of childhood, they also add to the stress. And when it comes to comfort foods, you also may eat too much of them.
Relax
Find ways to relax. You can do something that helps you be calm, like reading or maybe even doing crafts or painting. Hobbies are often great for relaxation. Not a crafty person? You can practice meditation as a wonderful way to fight against stress. If sitting still isn’t your thing, try yoga for stress relief. It’s also great for flexibility!
Talk To Someone
Even if you can’t afford a visit to the doctor or a professional therapist to speak to, sometimes things like depression and stress can be dealt with simply by talking to someone, anyone. Look for someone in your life with an open ear. You can talk to someone who already knows what you are going through in life or talk to a new friend with an open ear and isn’t just going to tell you to get over it. That’s the key, finding someone sympathetic and willing to give you useful advice and let you get the stress off your chest. It’s normal to feel stressed once in a while. However, if you feel stress more days than you don’t, it’s time to start doing something about it.