Ways to decrease stress - it's worth knowing! How to reduce stress, which actually exhausts us both mentally and physically? For the sake of your health, it's best to learn (healthy) ways to relieve long-term tension. Here are our ways to decrease stress. Note: they all require patience!
In a stressful situation, many physiological reactions occur in our bodies. It deepens and accelerates breathing, muscle tone increases, heart rate, and blood pressure increases, while its coagulability decreases, and the secretion of hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, and thyroxine increases. All these reactions have one goal: to increase physical performance, sharpen the senses and accelerate metabolism.
Such a response of the organism makes it possible to survive an extreme situation - in the event of an accident, catastrophe, or attack. And if we only experience short-term stress followed by discharge, then we are safe. However, chronic stress that ruins our mental and physical health is dangerous for us.
If the tension persists, feelings such as fear, anger, anger, reluctance to act, lowered self-esteem, and finally, depressive states appear. From the physical side, they cause, among others chronic fatigue, muscle, and joint pain, headaches, and migraines, gastric problems, decreased immunity, problems with sleep. Long-term stress also increases the risk of cancer, coronary heart disease, and consequently, stroke and heart attack.
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Eating stress with sweets - which we often do - has a short-term calming effect, but in the long run, it leads to weight gain, and extra pounds are a source of additional stress for most of us. A diet that strengthens the body and alleviates the effects of physiological stress should, above all, be rich in nutrients, especially magnesium, which levels quickly decrease in the body under stress, and B vitamins, which strengthen the nervous system.
Chocolate and nuts abound in magnesium (pay attention to their calorific value). Green-leaf vegetables, beans, wholemeal bread, groats, and eggs are rich in vitamin B. Our diet should also include products rich in vitamin C (paprika, parsley), microelements such as potassium (tomatoes), zinc (meat, eggs, liver, fish, oysters, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, wheat bran, onion, garlic), and omega-3 fatty acids (sea fish).
It seems that in the anti-stress diet, fruit or vegetable cocktails with the addition of fresh mixed herbs (parsley, coriander, and mint), plant sprouts, and fresh ginger root are invaluable. We should also remember that too much sugar and salt in food contribute to the aggravation of stress-related symptoms.
And since experiencing chronic stress is a pathological situation for the body, we should not take on additional challenges when under stress. This is not a good time to modify your diet (in the sense of a slimming treatment), but we should always make conscious choices - reaching for wholemeal bread instead of rolls, apple instead of biscuits, oil instead of butter.
Fighting stress means having to occupy the brain with something other than the problem that plagues us. That is why it is worth having any hobby, playing sports. In the context of the latter, physical activity in the bosom of nature is extremely valuable, because contact with nature has a very soothing effect on the body.
Besides: muscle fatigue distracts from unpleasant feelings and thoughts, paradoxically removing physical tension. It relaxes the mind and improves muscle flexibility. As we move into the bloodstream, chemicals called endorphins are released that naturally boost your mood. The best option is to spend about 30 minutes on activity three times a week. This can be, for example, walking, cycling, swimming.
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The key element in the fight against the effects of stress is magnesium. In crisis situations, we need a lot of it, so we should consider supplementation. In addition, it is worth supporting the body with the so-called adaptogens. These are plants that support the body's natural ability to cope with difficult or changing environmental conditions.
The most famous adaptogenic plant - with scientifically proven effect - is Korean Ginseng and Rhodiola Rosea. Ginseng root extract contains the aforementioned magnesium, but its main wealth is a group of saponins called ginsenosides. In addition, it contains vitamins B 1, B 2, C, iron, potassium, calcium, sodium, silicon, sulfur, phosphates, boron, and manganese.
In turn, Rhodiola increases the secretion of serotonin, a substance that regulates the work of the nervous system and improves mood. At the same time, it limits or inhibits the action of chemicals that break down this hormone during stress. These types of preparations have a tonic effect on the functioning of the nervous system, at the same time support the immune system and provide antioxidant protection, which is extremely important in the situation of chronic stress.
First of all, we need to understand that relaxation is not a waste of time, but an investment. Of course, the kind of recreation we have independently chosen according to their current condition and preferences, so for some, it will be lounging on the sofa and listening to music (music of the slow pace, especially classical, slows the heart rate and lowers blood pressure) and another cycling to loss of breath.
Among the relaxation techniques, we can choose various forms of meditation, learning its secrets from DVDs, Internet films, books, or from the teacher. Certainly, we will get rid of unpleasant symptoms related to stress faster by practicing yoga, which is a good form of training for the body and spirit.
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Psychotherapy is treatment by talking. It can be a conversation with a specialist - as part of individual, family, or group therapy. Equally good - in everyday situations - can be the support of a loved one (family or friends) who, through kind and active listening, will help us relieve the accumulated tension.
In reducing stress, the support of loved ones is very important, so it is worth being in the company of people who are kind to us. But remember - relationships cannot be one-sided. If we are overworked, we may become overburdened with self-centeredness. A healthy relationship is both taking and giving.
Each day we should set a time when we are unavailable to the world. Disconnect from modern technologies: computer, laptop, tablet, cell phone. This moment is worth using to reset the psyche, look at your thoughts and feelings. Conscious self-insight helps you to make good and healthy choices later. You can combine it with relaxation, e.g. a longer bath or a walk with the dog.
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