Stress gets the best of us all. People yell at unhealthy levels. Some people get road rage because their boss thinks being on time is the same as being late. Some people are strung tightly. What’s clear though is that everyone experiences stress in some way.
I had a professor that tried to persuade us that stress is a good thing. “If you’re not stressed, you’re not alive,” he’d say in a sagely voice. And he was right. If you’re not stressed (either in a good or bad way), you’re not feeling anything, so you must not be alive.
But it’s the bad stress that’s the problem. That’s when you yell and scream and don’t really mean any of things you’re exclaiming, but some strange hormones have taken over your body and you just can’t let go of the opportunity to let people know exactly how you feel. While it may be good to get it out, there are better, even healthier ways. Try these the next time you’re over-stressed.
Cry
Don’t hold back your tears. Don’t breathe through them. If you have to cry, the best thing to do is just to let it loose. A study found that tears actually contain stress-induced chemicals. By not crying, you’re keeping them in. So if you’re comforting someone, don’t tell them not to cry. And if you’re on the verge of tears, just cry. You’ll feel at least a little better when you’re done crying due to all the chemicals you released.
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Get Outside
Sometimes all you need is a breath of fresh air. Just get outside for a couple of minutes. Get some vitamin D from the sun if you can. All it takes is one minute to improve your mood.
Sleep
This one isn’t quick and easy, but it’s often at the root of stress. A lack of sleep can cause you to get upset more easily. Check out these 17 tips for rejuvenating sleep to help you go to bed when you want to instead of rolling around in your bed all night due to stress.
Breathe
Sometimes just a couple deep breaths are all it takes. Remind yourself that you don’t have to live a fast pace all day every day. Take a deep breath in and tell yourself to relax (inside your head) and breathe out all the negativity and the stress.
Gratitude
When you’re stressed, it’s important to remember what you’re grateful for. Start counting what you enjoy, what you feel blessed to have. You’ll often be surprised at what you come up with. Life is a beautiful thing. It can be small things.
“I’m grateful someone held the door open for me today.”
“The sun is shining.”
“Yes, that guy just cut me off and I almost got into an accident, but I’ve got a wonderful family back at home.”
Laugh
Find a video on the internet that makes you laugh. I prefer Lonely Island music videos, but it could be anything you find hilarious – whether that’s a cat missing a jump or a comedian. The internet is full of videos to help you relieve stress.
The running theme here is to take some time for yourself. Just take a minute and realign with yourself. You’d be amazed at how often we forget to. Take a step back and try one of these simple tips. If you’ve got your own ways to let go of stress, share them below.
Reference:
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/31/science/biological-role-of-emotional-tears-emerges-through-recent-studies.html
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