8 STEPS FOR STRESS RELIEF

Life can sometimes be difficult, whether you are failing at something, worried about something, or family and responsibilities simply aren’t working out the way you want to, you may start to feel a bit agitated or a bit of grief, this is your body’s natural reaction to a challenge you are facing, this reaction you are feeling is called stress.

Before we discuss ways of managing your stress, let’s first get a little bit into detail about what stress really is.

Physiological or biological stress is an organism's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition or a stimulus. Stress is a body's method of reacting to a challenge. According to the stressful event, the body's way to respond to stress is by sympathetic nervous system activation which results in the fight-or-flight response. The body cannot keep this state for long periods of time, afterwards the parasympathetic system returns the body's physiological conditions to normal. In humans, stress typically describes a negative condition or a positive condition that can have an impact on a person's mental and physical well-being.

So what’s the secret? What is a safe way of relieving that stress from your body without taking all sorts of pills that might not even work? We have gathered 8 easy steps to help you get away from that mental state, so you can function properly again and move on with your life in peace!

#1 HAVE A LAUGH! Watching a funny movie or just being around funny (not funny

looking) people will almost guarantee your stress to be relieved, and it doesn’t have to be a movie, there are all sorts of funny picture on the internet, funny jokes, funny songs, the media is usually the best place to go if your looking for a laugh!

#2 SPEND TIME WITH YOUR PETS

Pets are known not only to give you unconditional love, but spending time with them is actually good for your health. Studies say that when you pet your dog/ cat even for just a few minutes, your body releases feel-good hormones like serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin, and also decreases the amount of the damaging stress hormones. This results in lower blood pressure, less anxiety and even better immunity!

#3 DRINK SOME JUICE Researchers say that the vitamin

C present in orange juice can actually help you manage stress better because it lowers levels of stress hormones like cortisol. Remember that vitamin C-rich foods such as orange juice, grapefruit juice, strawberries, or sweet red peppers boost your immune system.

#4 GO FOR A WALK

One of the best ways to beat stress is to exercise. It helps your body produce endorphins that make you feel good. Exercising in warm weather can boost your mood while a daily brisk walk of about 30 minutes can greatly reduce stress levels, or power walk whatever you like!

#5 SING! SING! SING!

When was the last time you sang loudly to your heart's content? Turn up the radio and start singing. No matter how bad you think you are, studies show that singing can actually make you feel happier and feel less stressed. Singing also benefits your breathing, heart and immune system.

#6 DE-CLUTTER YOUR CLUTTER Are you surrounded by too many things in a small space?

Having too much stuff can leave you feeling overwhelmed and bog you down, eventually leading to stress. Living in constantly messy surroundings brings on unwanted anxiety. Therefore, experts say you need to de-clutter to de-stress. Don't start by wanting to clear up everything at once. That will only stress you out further. Begin with a small space and gradually move to bigger things. A space that is uncluttered can feel satisfying and soothing.

#7 CLEAN YOUR HOUSE

While this might seem like a mundane, everyday chore, try to do things a bit differently. Put on your favourite music or TV show in the background, make a list of all that needs to be done, and get down working. Not only will you burn calories and get your work down, you won't be tired and stressed out at the end of it.

#8 YOGA

Virtually everyone can see physical benefits from yoga, and its practice can also give psychological benefits, such as stress reduction and a sense of well-being, and spiritual benefits, such as a feeling of connectedness with God or Spirit, or a feeling of transcendence. Certain poses can be done just about anywhere and a yoga program can go for hours or minutes, depending on one’s schedule.

You have just learned the valuable options of relieving stress from your body, We hope you use some of these exercises when you are in a situation of stress and thank you for taking part in this lesson.