4 Ways to Manage Stress and Its Effects on Your Life

Our bodies are wonderful creations that allow us to be immersed in the spaces in which we find ourselves. Through our five senses, we can experience the world around us, reacting to it and shaping it in various ways to meet our needs. The world we find ourselves in isn’t always hospitable toward us though. Our bodies can take strain and we can find ourselves struggling to cope with our environment and its demands upon us. If you’re looking for practical ways to manage stress, this article is for you.

The word “stress” is familiar to most people. According to a recent study, about half of all Americans say they’re dealing with moderate stress, and that’s a significant figure. All of us deal with stress at some point in our lives, whether it flows from our job situation, going through a crisis such as a family illness, financial strain, a difficult relationship, or trying to deal with something unexpected such as a global pandemic.

These and many other common triggers of stress are a part of daily life. Stress is how your body reacts to pressure from certain situations or events, and that reaction can be a physical, mental, or emotional one.

Our stress response is our body’s way of dealing with difficult, dangerous, or demanding situations, and it causes changes in a person’s cardiovascular, hormonal, respiratory, and nervous systems. For instance, stress can make you tense up, sweat, breathe rapidly, or make your heartbeat faster.

The body’s fight-or-flight response that gets activated when you’re in danger and that gives you a burst of energy is similarly activated when you’re dealing with a death in the family or when you’ve lost your job.

Stress is not all bad, because it can help you remain focused before a big presentation or exam. That can give you the strength to get things done, as many people can attest to when they’re working under pressure. However, if stress isn’t relieved or becomes chronic, it can have serious negative effects on your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Some of the emotional consequences of stress, especially the chronic kind, include:

• Feeling overwhelmed and that you can’t get things done
• Sadness or depression
• Being moody
• Anxiety
• Feeling restless
• A lack of motivation and energy to accomplish your goals
• Being irritable

The physical effects of chronic stress include:

• Aches and pains such as headache, muscle pain, or tension
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia, or finding that you’re sleeping too much
• Digestive issues
• Change in libido

As one can imagine, these negative effects on your health and sense of wellbeing can themselves become additional causes of stress. Bringing stress under control is important, and below are a few ways to manage stress.

Ways to manage stress in your life

You’ll inevitably experience stress in your life at one point or another. Being able to handle stress while carrying on with life is thus a vital skill. A few ways to manage your stress well to ensure that it doesn’t overwhelm you include:

Identify the main sources of stress in your life

It’s important to recognize what causes you stress whether at home or work. Either you can find ways to avoid those situations where possible, or if you can’t avoid the situation, find ways of preparing for it ahead of time. Some stressors are avoidable or have a workaround, such as an over-stuffed schedule, while others such as a death in the family aren’t.

Find healthy ways to decompress

Being able to relieve stress can do you a world of good. It allows your body, mind, and emotions the room they need to recover from dealing with stressors. Exercise, and taking time off during the day or the year are fruitful avenues to pursue. During your day, you can try and carve out a little “me time” for yourself, and get some exercise, whatever that means for you.

Taking a brief walk a few times a week, for instance, can break up your day into manageable chunks and help you deal with stress. Exercise not only allows your body to produce endorphins, which are mood boosters, but it allows your body to deal with cortisol, the stress hormone. During your day, you can also use meditation, guided imagery, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques to help quiet your mind and calm your nerves.

Other healthy ways to decompress include having a network of close friends and co-workers that are open to you approaching them when stress starts to build up and threatens to overwhelm you. A hobby such as crocheting can absorb your attention and help you to decompress. Other people find that having a cause to volunteer for can be a good outlet for stress as it takes their focus away from themselves and directs it to others.

Lighten your load

One of the key stressors for many people is having too much to do and finding themselves feeling overwhelmed by all the tasks that require their attention. If you can take on less, do so. Delegate what you can, and learn to say “no.” You can lighten your mental load by being a little compassionate toward yourself.

If you fail to meet your goals, you can deal with yourself gently, because being self-critical can add to your stress. Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts or denigrating yourself, it’s far more helpful to focus on positive thoughts and affirmations. Remind yourself that you are capable and that you can do hard things – “I think I can handle it” will take you much farther than “I know I can’t do that”.

In addition, you can help yourself by learning to say “no” and planning your life out better. Make a concerted effort not to take on too much and learn to prioritize your tasks while setting reasonable goals. Give yourself a break and be more forgiving toward yourself when you don’t get to everything you’d like to.

Take care of your body.

Your body is a gift and taking care of it will ensure that it’ll take care of you when you need it most. We’ve already mentioned exercise and the many benefits it brings. In addition to that, there’s no way to oversell the importance of a good night’s sleep.

Sleep gives your body and mind the room they need to recover from and process the day, preparing you for whatever comes tomorrow. Sleep gives you the capacity you need to deal with stressors. To get a good night’s rest, you may need to change some habits that undermine good sleep. So perhaps you may need to cut down on caffeine during the day and especially close to bedtime.

Also, while it may be the only gap in our day to stream your favorite show, you need to limit your screen time at night to allow yourself time to settle in for sleep. Some people find it helpful to stretch a little before bed. You can also take care of your body by being vigilant about what you put into it.

Eat well, because a balanced diet can help keep your body healthy and give you the ability to better able to handle stress. Certain foods such as oranges and grapefruit that are rich in vitamin C may lower stress hormones. It’s also helpful to avoid habits such as smoking and drinking since alcohol and tobacco can make you more anxious and they can generate longer-term health issues.

It’s important to remember that stress is in many ways something quite subjective. One person may find something stressful while another takes it in stride and handles it with ease. It’s important to pay attention to your reactions to situations and to take those cues seriously.

Stress can be managed, but if you find that you’re struggling to keep your stress under control, you should approach your doctor or a specialist. They can diagnose whether your reactions to stress are more intense and longer-lasting than might be healthy and recommend the next steps.