How to Reduce and Manage the Stress in Your Life

Stress takes a toll on your physical health as well as your mental health and it seems the more we try to avoid stressful situations, the more stress it causes and it seems to be a vicious cycle.

There have been numerous studies done on stress and the effects on the body and mind and not everyone reacts to stress the same way. Although some stress is healthy for us, most stress leads to many adverse health effect such as:

• high blood pressure
• headaches
• stomach problems
• chest pains
• sleeping problems
• heart palipitations
• eating disorders
• weight gain or weight loss

It can also lead to several diseases or worsen the effects of diseases one might already have. One wouldn't think that something like stress can be responsible for all this but make no mistake, it is not something to be taken lightly. I remember one Christmas Eve, my mother was rushed to the hospital for what we thought was a heart attack. It turned out to be stress. You should avoid alcohol when you're stressed because it will just magnify the problem.

If you can recognize how stress is affecting you, you have half the battle won and then it's just a matter of finding ways to reduce and/or manage the stress.

There are several ways to manage and reduce the stress in your life and whatever measures you can take to alleviate the stress in your life will provide many benefits to you both physically and mentally. It may not be feasible to do some of the suggested stress relievers with your schedule. Sometimes you need to do something immediate to release the stress and if this is the case, just take a minute for yourself and take a couple of slow deep breaths. This alone will help somewhat until you can take the time to truly do something relaxing.

Some tips to manage and reduce your stress are:

• Eat healthy and exercise regularly
• Get your rest
• Take time out for family and friends unless that is what is causing the stress
• Try to be more organized whether it is at home or work or both
• Find a positive thing in your life and concentrate on that and try to think positive whenever you can
• Talk to friends who will listen and let you vent your feelings and frustrations
• Learn to accept that which you cannot control in your life and move on
• Practice meditation or yoga

The above list are things you should try and do on a daily basis and another way to ease stress is something you can do for yourself and take time to relax and concentrate on just you. Some ideas for this would include:

• A warm, leisurely bath with bath oil or bath salts
• A long, leisurely walk
• Aromatherapy
• Hot cup of tea
• Reading for leisure
• Jigsaw or crossword puzzles
• Playing with the kids and/or acting like a kid doing fun things