The Implications of Stress and how to Reduce Them

Stress is inevitable. People become stressed about health, school, work, money, friendships; the list goes on and on. However, stress is extremely unhealthy. So, if you can, it is best to reduce your stress as much as possible, as soon as possible.

Stress harms the body in many ways. It can hurt you physically, causing you to have muscle pain or tension, change in sleeping patterns, headaches, or an upset stomach. It can also weaken your immune system, causing you to catch a handful of illnesses that can be potentially deadly. It can also lead to anxiety, depression, frequent anger or irritability, change in eating patterns, or social withdrawal. Not to mention that it can lead to a lack of motivation, in the end causing more stress. As well as causing drug, alcohol, or tobacco abuse. All of these effects can be reversed by you. However, you need to contact a doctor if symptoms become continuous or severe, as well as if you experience chest pain, nausea, difficulty breathing, dizziness, or pain emitting from your shoulder and arm, as that might be a heart attack. You might also want to see a therapist to help relieve severe stress.

Now that we know why stress is bad for you, here are some ways you can help reduce it. First, take breaks! If you are working on something that is stressing you out, take some time to focus on something else, and come back to it later. The likelihood is, you’ll be able to work much easier after. You have many options for break activities. You can focus on soothing, blood pressure reducing music. You can light a candle and soak in the refreshing smells. You can spend time with your friends, family, or significant other. These people might be able to help out or calm you down. They are also there to boost your self worth. In addition, physical contact lowers cortisol, the stress hormone. So, a nice hug will also benefit you. Taking time out to play with a pet has the same effect!

So many more things can help take your mind off of stress. One of these things can simply be focusing all of your attention on one thing. Such as, how many steps you take, or examining the taste of your favorite chewing gum more thoroughly. Chewing gum has similarly been proven to reduce stress. You can take time to write what you are stressed about down on a piece of paper too. Releasing what you are feeling or writing down things you are grateful for can benefit you.

Having said all that, the best thing you can do to relieve stress is to make less plans, or avoid procrastinating. Two simple things people seem to overlook. However, all of these tips will help you improve your health and be a happier, stress free person.

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Dec. 2017, www.webmd.com/balance/guide/blissing-out-10-relaxation-techniques-reduce-stress-spot#3.

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for Medical Education and Research, 28 Apr. 2016, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987.

Jennings, Kerri-Ann. “16 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety.” Health Line, Health Line,

28 Aug. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety.

The Implications Of Stress And How To Reduce Them Continued...

Last week I wrote an article about stress, how it affects the body, and how to reduce it. However, there are so many other ways to help decrease the amount of stress in your life. Besides, I think everyone in this day and age needs some more stress management. So, I will tell you how to prevent stress in the future. You see, while playing video games and watching tv are strategies to reduce stress for a short amount of time, they eventually just add to it. For that reason, you need some long term methods to get rid of stress for good.

One of the main things you can do to reduce stress is exercise! Exercise reduces cortisol, the hormone that causes stress and increases endorphins, which serve to brighten your mood. Exercise also helps you sleep, and boosts confidence. The activity can be as simple as going on a morning jog and soaking in your surroundings. What goes hand and hand with exercising? Yoga. Yoga is good at reducing heart rate and blood pressure. Not to mention it helps increase a neurotransmitter known for being scarce in people with anxiety and depression, gamma-aminobutyric acid. Having said that, your mood will benefit greatly.

Along with the healthy upsides of exercise, taking time to do breathing exercises might also benefit you. Take deep breaths in through your nose and release them through your mouth. This helps slows your heart rate, lower blood pressure, and dilate your blood vessels much like yoga does. It also activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which triggers relaxing responses. Not to mention, it is a form of meditation. Everyday meditation can modify the neural pathways your brain tries, making you less affected by stress.

Finally, have a balanced diet. If you need to, take supplements. Supplements such as green tea and omega-3 fatty acids are very beneficial in reducing stress. Although, things you should not consume are large amounts of caffeine or alcohol. They can actually increase the stress being put on your body.

All in all, if you lead a healthy lifestyle, you won’t have much difficulty with stress. Get plenty of sleep, eat well, and exercise. If this does not help, you need to find what the source of your stress is and how it affects you. Then find who or what who can best to help. If you follow all of this advice, you should be able to reduce your stress and avoid it in the future.