Tips to Help You Tame Stress

The Mayo Clinic website states “Stress can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior.” Being able to identify common stress symptoms can help you recognize tension in your body, and use techniques that can tame stress.

Some common stress symptoms are nail biting, headaches, anxiety, teeth grinding, pacing, fatigue, depression, panic attacks, and sleep problems. For more see the American Psychological Association (APA) report on stress symptoms in the body.

Unresolved stress can lead to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and diabetes.

This post offers stress management tips, and shows you ways to incorporate them into daily self-care. 

Tips to Help You Tame Stress

1. Develop and maintain meditative and relaxation practices including deep breathing exercises and mindfulness. Build in rest breaks into your daily routines.

A review published in 2023 in the journal Scientific Reports found slow-paced breathing has all sorts of whole-body stress- and anxiety- reducing benefits.

2. Set realistic goals for yourself by breaking down large tasks into smaller, manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Don't overload yourself with tasks, and prioritize what's important.

Meditate on what you value most by asking yourself- What are my core values and what aspects of my life do I want to improve, change, maintain, or enhance? 

 

3. Sustain a healthy diet by eating nourishing food. A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean protein feeds mind, body, and spirit well.

 

Remember to limit processed and/or junk foods, meals on the run, caffeine, and alcohol. Read Tips to Help Us Gently Detox Our Lives for more ideas.

4. Be active. Almost any form of physical activity can act as a stress reliever. Try yoga, tai chi, tennis, pickle ball, walking, hiking, jogging, swimming, dancing, or any activity you enjoy that gets you moving.

Physical activities help reduce risk of chronic diseases, improve mental well-being, and enhance physical function, contributing to a longer and healthier life. 

5. Be honest about your stressors and ask for support from others. Seek encouragement from your health care providers, family, friends, colleagues, support groups, religious organizations, and/or a therapist.

Note: This post is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only, and not to be taken as medical or mental health advice. Speak to a health care provider if that is what you seek. 

 

Train yourself to limit time spent worrying about other peoples' problems or opinions. Release negative feedback, by recognizing the thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and attitudes of anyone outside yourself is beyond your control.

 

Self-care is an inside job. When you make self-care a priority, many things you allowed to stress you will fall by the wayside. Read "Tips to Help You Use Cool Spring and Summer Colors to Relax" for colorful ideas to help you kick-back.

6. Find a comfortable balance between work and play, and you'll feel more centered and at ease. When you make a plan to complete a project at work or plan to get together with friends and follow through, you are engaging fully in the richness of life.

Aim to create personal relationships that are mutually nurturing, and see if having reciprocal friendships contributes to a more serene life. 

7. Reduce exposure to screens, especially before bed, to promote relaxation and better sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to support overall well-being. 

Choose activities such as reading a physical book, taking a warm bath, or listening to calming music an hour or more before bedtime. Maintain a tech-free bedroom, one that's cool, dark, and quiet. Set a consistent sleep schedule, and you're well on the way to blissful sleep.

8. Reserve time during the day to unwind. Listen to an inspirational talk or engage in a sensory activity like savoring a favorite food or scent. Look at artwork, read, and/or enjoy something beautiful. 

Engage in pleasant pastimes such as playing a musical instrument or baking bread. Participating in fun activities can stimulate the release of dopamine, calm the nervous system, promote a sense of well-being, and foster mindfulness.

 

9. Spend time in nature as it offers numerous benefits for both physical and mental well-being.

Taking in the sky, sea, trees, flowers, birds and bees, mountains, and other natural wonders soothes the soul, reduces stress, improves focus, and increases positive emotions, making nature walks a healing activity for overall health.

10. Make it a point to confront stress head-on rather than use avoidance coping strategies. All that does is delay finding a better way of coping. 

Observe which stress reduction methods work for you. Do you engage in physical exercise, immerse yourself in nature, socialize, and participate in hobbies, crafts, and activities that relieve tension?  🦋

Please comment below. Do you have a good handle on stress reduction techniques or need some work in this area? Please share below.

Are there some healthy stress reduction techniques not mentioned in this post that help you? Please share that below.

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