Relieve Stress by doing this

We all have this favorite expression when it comes to being stressed out, and I wouldn't bother naming all of them since it may also vary in different languages. But when it comes down to it, I think that it is how we work or even relax, for that matter that triggers stress. Ever been stressed even when you're well relaxed and bored? I know I have.

Since Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and decrease negative reactions to stress. Here are some of the things that can be done by just remembering it, since life is basically a routine to follow like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. You can do a few of them in a longer span of time, but as they say-- every minute counts.

Managing time

Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends and possibly increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.

To improve your time management:

· Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
· Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
· Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
· Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don't commit to what is not important to you.
· Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
· Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like.
Build healthy coping strategies

It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life.

Lifestyle

Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to:

· Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
· Have a sense of purpose in life.
· Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.
· Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
· Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
· Limit your consumption of alcohol.
· Don't smoke.

Social support

Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. Social support is the positive support you receive from family, friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates a strong relationship between social support and better mental and physical health.

Changing thinking

When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body's stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.

· Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help eliminate stress.
· Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and interpreting an event incorrectly.
· Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
· Changing your communication style helps you communicate in a way that makes your views known without making others feel put down, hostile, or intimidated. This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style.

Even writers like me can get stressed even though we're just using our hands to do the talking, but having to sit for 7 or 8 hours is already stressful enough and have our own way to relieve stress. Whether you're the mail guy, the CEO, or probably the average working parent, stress is one unwanted visitor you would love to boot out of your homes, especially your life.

Simple ways to Beat Stress during Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a time of added stress for both you and your partner. Although it is a special time in your life, it also is a time of physical, social and emotional changes. Some of these changes are due to the hormone increases that occur during a normal pregnancy. These can cause mood swings that interfere with your usual stress management skills, making those little problems seems bigger than they actually are. Because how you cope with stress affects your mental and physical health, keeping stress under control can help you stay healthy during your pregnancy.

Try one or more of the following strategies to help you manage stress in a positive way during your pregnancy:

• Eat a balanced diet = Not eating the right foods or enough food can make your irritable and tired, which may make you more prone to react negatively to the stress in your life. Avoid caffeine and cigarettes.
  
• Exercise regularly = Try to get some physical activity almost everyday, unless your Doctor tells you otherwise. Go for a walk.
  
• Make sure to get plenty of rest = Don't let the demands of everyday life overwhelmed you. Make time to rest, even if you have to schedule it.
  
• Find out what helps you relax = And then do it! Some things that might help you "wind down" could include taking a nap, resting your hand on your belly and feeling your baby move, taking a long warm shower or talking to your baby.
  
• Tune up = Playing classic or other music that you enjoy can help you relax and concentrate. There are also a number of relaxation tapes that combine nature sounds or soothing music with instructions that either ask you to visualized a specific scene or to teach you to relax specific muscle groups.
• Take some quiet time = Spend some time alone, meditate, read a book or keep a journal. Imagine your stress away = When you are feeling tense find a space where you can sit quietly for 10- 15 minutes.
• Hold that thought= When you have a stressful or negative thought, try these techniques : Stop the thought in mind stream. Actually say to your self "Stop" take a deep breathe and exhale slowly. Mentally take a step back, look at the situation objectively. Ask your self "Is my reaction overblown?" Remember that hormones swings during pregnancy may make things worst than they are. Then ask your self "What's a more constructive way to approach this problem ".
• Control your breathing to relax = Most meditation exercises use breathing techniques to help relax the body and mind. Try these simple relaxation techniques : Find a private spot where you can be quiet for 10-15 minutes. Sit erect , with your hands in your lap or relax at your sides. Close your eyes. Inhale deeply, hold your breathe for 5 seconds and exhale slowly. Sit quietly, concentrate on your breathing. Breathe through you lungs. On every exhale say the word "Calm". With every breathe, feel your mind becoming more still. Don't fight other thoughts or distraction, let them come, let them go. Just concentrate on your breathing. After 10 - 15 minutes, Open your eyes. Remain seated for 2-3 minutes. Resume your normal activity
• Tense, then relax = Progressive relaxation is a popular relaxation techniques that has been used for years. The idea is first to tense, then to relax specific muscle groups in a specific order. Try these techniques, when you begin to feel tense, if possible, find a quiet private place. Sit comfortably in a armchair or lie on the floor. (Do not lie flat on your back during the second half of your pregnancy, as this could decrease the blood supply to your abdomen and the baby) . Loosen any tight clothing. Remove your shoes, close your eyes and breathe normally, For each muscle groups tense the muscle for 6 seconds, then relax period. Repeat 3 times before going to the next group of muscle. These are sequence: Feet, calves, thighs , buttock, shoulders, hands, forehead and jaw (make a face, stick out your tongue) Reverse the sequence.
  
• Don't do it alone = Let others to help you. (husband, family, friends, neighbor) they can support you physically and emotionally before an d after the baby comes. They care about you and your baby's well being, but may not always know how to help you. Don't be afraid to tell them what you want and need.
  
• Dads get stressed too= Although they do not go through the same changes during pregnancy as mothers to be do, Dads get stressed too. They maybe worried about family finances, changing relationship and many other things. Take time to talk about what's going on. Give each other a hug, Dads also can help in a special way. Your partner can help you stay calm and relax by being aware of the changes you are going through and offering to rub your back or help with the housework, or just making an extra effort to keep the lines of communication often when things get tense.
  

Dealing with Stress in everyday life

Many people deal with stress almost everyday.Some factors that may contribute to stress includes social experiences and financial matters, medical problems, lack of social support, and family problems. The sources of stress can be internal or external. Social and financial problems are common triggers of prolong stress leading to medical problem if left uncontrolled.

Anything that provoke stress are called stressors. Our body responds to stressors by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. It signals the adrenal glands to produce more of the hormones and release them into the bloodstream. These hormones speed up heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. Blood vessels open wider to let more blood flow to large muscle groups, putting our muscles on alert. Pupils dilate to improve vision. The liver releases some of its stored glucose to increase our body's energy. And perspiration is produced to cool our body. All of these physical changes prepare us to react quickly and effectively to handle the pressure of the moment.

This natural reaction is known as the stress response. Working properly, our body's stress response enhances our ability to perform well under pressure. But the stress response can cause problem when it overreacts or fails to turn off and reset itself properly. This results in harmful effects on our body.

It is important to know that everyone reacts to stress differently and can withstand different levels of stress. Only you can assess your level of tolerance to stressful situations.

Stress usually first affects the inner emotions and hence our feelings. These emotional states can then begin to affect a person's outward appearance. As the stress level increases, or if it lasts over a longer period of time, a person may begin to feel more severe emotional or physical effects. In most cases, these symptoms are very minor and don't last very long. If they become more severe or increase in frequency and severity, you may need to seek medical help. Individuals suffering from stress overload will likely display one or more of the following signs listed below.

Depression or Sadness
Drinking too much, smoking, overeating, or doing drugs
Problem falling asleep
Allergic reactions, such as eczema or asthma
Physical symptoms, such as stomach problems, headaches, or even chest pain
Irritability and moodiness
A feeling of being constantly pressured, hassled, and hurried
Anxiety or panic attacks

The most helpful method for us to deal with stress is to learn how to manage the stress that comes along with any new challenge, good or bad. Here are some ways to keep stress under control:

Solve your problems, break problems into manageable and achievable parts.
Share your thoughts with others, build strong relationships and develop a support system
Be positive in your thinking and outlook
Treat your body well, exercise regularly and fun
Learn to manage time and anger
Learn to relax (breathing exercise, listen to soothing music, etc)
Rest well and have sufficient sleep
Be realistic, accept that no one is perfect and set appropriate goals / limits for yourself
Take control of your busy schedule

You should call your doctor when you are unable to identify the source of your stress or anxiety and if the condition continues or comes and goes. You should immediately seek help should you have any of the following symptoms:

Headaches unlike your usual headaches
Fluttering or rapid heart beats
Chest pain or discomfort
Thoughts about harming others
Thoughts about harming yourself
Any other condition that you feel may result in serious harm if not treated immediately.