I want to show you a few great ways on how to find the stress relief, relaxation and to provide some helpful tips on how to control and get the help you need!
But it’s ultimately up to you
The sooner you begin to take control of the stress that life is throwing at you, the sooner you may find your way to a happier and healthier life. Just picture how much more you’ll enjoy your life and how much better you’ll feel when you get relief that you are craving! Well, I think I’ve talked long enough, let’s begin.
3 Ways to Banish Anxiety & Stress from Your Life
Sleep Yourself into a Better Life
It was brought to my attention how much a good night’s sleep is vital for the proper functioning of our brain and body.
After a couple of days staying awake at night with this cold, you’d be amazed how poorly you will be functioning both mentally and physically.
Also, let me tell you that every little problem or worry seemed to be magnified during that time as well.
I remember a quote that goes something like this:
A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. -Irish Proverb
You know, I think there’s something in that.
Every little problem that I had (or thought I had) was magnified until it became a major stumbling block. After a while, I wasn’t only losing sleep because of the cold, but also because of the worries that I was adding in my head.
It is essential for you and your stress relief to get proper amounts of sleep.
Studies have shown that people who get decent amounts of sleep are more productive, happy, relaxed and able to cope with their daily problems and concerns. People who get enough sleep are also healthier.
Did you know that your immune system weakens each time you don’t get enough sleep?
The acceptable amount is 8 hours, and some experts are now recommending that we get even more.
A lot of folks try to make up on the weekend for all the sleep they didn’t get during the week.
In some ways, it’s a good idea because you are getting some much-needed sleep, but you are also disrupting your normal sleep patterns which can make it more difficult for you to sleep properly during the week.
It’s much better for your health and stress levels to get the sleep you need each night.
I would recommend that you avoid stimulants or strenuous activity before you go to bed. Instead, focus on relaxing your body and winding down a bit.
Take a bath with a bit of lavender oil, light some candles, read a book (no scary stories if you want to sleep), have a cup of herbal tea, or some hot chocolate.
Relax your mind and body and prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep.
Some soft music is excellent, but keep it low key.
Don’t fall asleep in front of your TV.
Most of the shows aren’t designed to relax you and don’t contribute to restful night sleep.
Most of this information is common sense and easy to do; we have to make an effort to get the sleep we need.
You will soon notice the big difference in your health and outlook.
Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together. -Thomas Dekker
Exercise for Anxiety and Stress Relief
If you do only this one thing to improve your health, make it regular physical activity.
Exercise has many more benefits than you might think.
It increases your energy, improves your libido (sex drive), lowers blood pressure, increases your resistance to disease, helps build lean muscle, AND you can even lose a few unwanted pounds!
It also (and this is important) improves your mood and your ability to handle stress. So, make a regular exercise program part of your stress relieving plan.
Well, now that you know that regular exercise can help your health and your ability to cope with stress, here are a few helpful tips to make the going easier.
First, find an activity that you enjoy and treat yourself to it each day. It’s all in the attitude. A task you enjoy becomes more natural, and you’ll be less likely to quit; so HAVE FUN.
It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, 20 minutes a day will help.
One of my favorite activities is walking; it’s cheap and easy! You get to check out the scenery, get fresh air and sunlight, and the exercise also increases feel-good endorphins. That makes it great for relieving stress.
Second, use your brain. Visualize yourself succeeding with your goal; whether it’s to lose a few pounds, get healthier, or feel better and less stressed. Your mind is an extremely powerful tool.
Use it whenever you can. If you see yourself succeeding, whether it’s to lose some weight, get physically fit, learn to handle your stress better, you WILL be able to do it. I believe Henry Ford said, “If you think you can do a thing, or if you think you cannot, in any case, you are right.”
Third, start slowly. Don’t overdo it, especially at first. The first time I started an exercise program that worked well for me, I told myself that I would only do it for 10 minutes, no more. The next week I only allowed myself 15 minutes, and then I had to stop.
Strange… when I wasn’t “allowed” to do more, suddenly it didn’t seem like work. I wanted to do it. Small steps are easier to manage than trying to do the entire task at once.
Fourth, get some help. There is no reason you have to shoulder it all on your own. It helps if you have someone you can go to for advice or encouragement. Surprisingly, the internet is an excellent place to find fitness help.
You probably wouldn’t have seen this many years ago, but there are some excellent fitness resources out there nowadays.
Fifth, do what works for you. Your best friend may love roller-blading (me, I fall on my butt every time I get on wheels), but if it’s not something that you enjoy and is good at, then it’ll do you no good because you won’t stick with it.
Sixth, give yourself some positive reinforcement. Set some small goals along the way and reward yourself when you meet them. For example, if you’ve exercised diligently for the entire week, treat yourself to a massage, or a new book, or something else that you enjoy.
Seventh, this tip may seem a bit tedious especially if you don’t like to write; but keep a log of how you’re doing (both physically and mentally). Look back on it after a few weeks to see how much you’ve improved. What a great confidence builder and what a boost to keep you motivated!
Eighth, be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up too much if you miss a day and give yourself a break if you don’t see immediate results. Check out the log (from the previous tip) and see how much you’ve improved.
Last but not least, It’s probably a good idea to check with a doctor first before you start a new workout program, especially if you have any health issues.
Hope this is enough to get you started. Now get out and do something nice for yourself.
Diet & Stress Goes Hand In Hand
Stress and your diet seem to go hand in hand. A lot of us turn to food when we’re feeling anxious.
When I’m stressed, I grab for the closest comfort food I can find.
Of course, that doesn’t do anything for my weight, which is another cause of stress (if I let it get out of hand). The scales would continue to rise; I’d feel guilty and stressed about it, reach for more food…you get the picture.
Once I took control of my diet and eating habits and chose a more healthy response, I lost weight and felt better about myself and indeed a lot less stressed.
An important tip is to STAY AWAY from junk food!
Your body needs GOOD fuel to work efficiently.
Junk food gives you lots of fat and calories, but very little nutrition and vitamins. Many vitamins found in foods also contribute to your body’s ability to handle stress.
I find it helps to drink a glass of water before meals. It helps to fill you up, so you eat less and water is excellent for your body.
Another factor in relieving stress is your self-image.
If you feel unattractive, then your mood will reflect that. When I think that I look good, it’s amazing how my outlook on life improves. I don’t get as stressed because I feel more confident in myself and my abilities.
Some people can diet easily. I find it a bit more difficult; you may also.
I happen to like the idea of all the help that’s on the web nowadays. There’s so much to choose, generally something for every taste. I don’t know about you, but I hate to get weighed in front of other people, so the privacy of the web is a big plus.
I like the idea of making one simple change at a time, seems to be an excellent common-sense way to lose weight.
All foods are allowed. That’s another plus for me;
I don’t know why it is, but if I’m told I can’t have something, then it immediately becomes what I want most.
Check out the ones that are right for you. Try one of them out and start slow. Once you start, it WILL become more comfortable as you go.
Hope you’ve found this information and tips helpful. As always, I’m on the lookout for more information.
Stress and anxiety are two factors of life that are just a reality; especially for adults. As human beings we learn to adapt and handle pressures from work, school, family and day-to-day tasks pretty well. General life experiences are probably the best teachers to show us what we can handle and what we are capable of. As a result; have you ever noticed that you don’t think so much about your worries or “bigger” life issues during the day time, but that when you lay down at night it all comes rushing at you? Do you find yourself waking up with anxiety in the middle of the night?