The Subtle Art of Stress Management
2020 has well and truly begun and as the euphoria wears off, the weight of all that needs to be done in the year ahead becomes heavier. With work, priorities, family, selfcare, health and everything else going on, we can only assume it’s a balancing act we all perform day in and day out. Although without stress management, balancing life can seem like an endless, stressful cycle.
Stress?
What’s causing Stress?
Well, to really know why you or someone is going through stress, one needs to look inward. Stress is subjective, it appears unannounced, and at different points in people’s lives. It isn’t necessary that what stresses you, must stress others.
You may feel stress that is related to a family or personal situation, sometimes stemming from a relationship or life change. Stress may sometimes be linked to disasters, surviving tragedies, or illnesses, and crime. One may experience stress from their working situation or careers, and financial situation as well.
Recognizing Stress
Stress may manifest in different ways in different people. The most common ways to identify it are:
- Pain or headaches: You may experience tenderness or headaches and migraines due to stress
- Insomnia: Changes to sleeping patterns and trouble falling asleep may persist dueling prolonged periods of stress
- Digestive problems and changes in diet: Often there will be a lack of interest in eating or craving more food, when stressed leading to stress eating. You may also have a stress ulcer or heartburn.
- Fatigue: With the excess stress hormones, the body may feel tired or fatigued.
- Emotional changes: Stress may cause erratic mood swings, upset in mood or emotional reactions.
Combating Stress
Stress needs to be managed, and stress management is a combination of techniques and lifestyle changes that one makes to adapt to their environment and make it less stressful. This means one needs to pay attention to self-care to avoid stress.
Sleep:
Sleep is essential to beating stress, as it is the body’s self-preservation and care process, everybody needs at least eight hours of sleep and when stressed, all the more. Sleep is often underrated especially in the lives we lead, but sleeping the right amount keeps the stress at bay.
Eat right:
Maintaining a healthy diet, keeps your ready for stress and can also be a stress-buster in itself. This way you can avoid stress eating, and load up on the nutrients you need to keep the worry and stress away. Whip up a delicious, healthy meal and beat the stress.
Yoga:
Yoga has proven to be an extremely effective and calming way of beating the stress, by loosening your muscles and helping you centre yourself and breathe better. Breathing right is a big part of getting rid of the stress, and yoga focuses on the breath as well as the mind. Stress can tire one out and Yoga helps rejuvenate and strengthen your body.
Socializing:
Talking about stress, and ensuring you stay surrounded by people for a little bit of stress relief is fun. Spend time with friends and family to help understand and address your stress better, it also provides a break from stressful thoughts. They may even help you get rid of the stress and be good company.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We at MBS, know what it means to take care of stress and manage it for a healthier lifestyle. We provide a range of services to help you manage stress. Make 2020 a stress-free year!https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress_management
