Stress seems to be an inescapable aspect of the human condition, as there are numerous factors present in many people’s personal and professional lives. As per YouGov’s 2018 data, about 74% of UK adults had experienced so much stress at some point during the previous year that left them overwhelmed. Therefore, it’s prudent to find better ways to cope with life’s stressors for optimum mental health. If you wish to learn more about effective stress management, please consider the following points.
1. Release accumulated stress
Bottled-up emotions can take a significant toll on your emotional health, so it’s always best to release feelings of stress immediately when you start feeling overwhelmed. Depending on the type of person you are, you can release tension in many ways; it begins with identifying what works for you. Open and expressive people may find talking to loved ones and friends about their problems very therapeutic and effective in relieving their built-up stress. On the other hand, recording emotions and thoughts in a journal can work for more private people, as it can help you identify and tackle your stress head-on. You can also try nicotine salt as an alternative to smoking since you can enjoy high nicotine strengths with more minor throat hits and smoother draws.
2. Practice meditation
The Mayo Clinic reports that meditation’s benefits extend beyond merely calming your mind and body to include emotional benefits. Therefore, frequently meditate to boost your self-awareness and remain in the present to prevent you from worrying too much. Meditation can also lower negative feelings and offer you a fresh perspective on stressful situations. Additionally, it can help you manage symptoms of high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep deprivation, and depression. Finally, meditating can help you fight addictions, control your anxiety, and lengthen your attention span, so it’s worth practising to tap into comprehensive and long-lasting physical and mental health benefits.
3. Get enough sleep
Getting enough shut-eye as often as possible has significant benefits on your emotional well-being besides your physical health. Multiple research proves that individuals who report subpar sleep quality experienced high stress and lower life satisfaction. Sleep is a well-known de-stressor, and not getting enough of it can leave you irritable and stressed out in the long term. Therefore, always strive to get the recommended 7-8 hours of daily sleep since your sleep’s length and quality is essential to enjoy the full regenerative benefits that sleep has to offer.
4. Make time for hobbies
Since stress causes you to feel overwhelmed, it’s essential to set time apart for the things you enjoy. Consequently, prioritise engaging in activities that you enjoy every day, which will help you manage your stress effectively. A study published in the Annals of Behavioural medicine likened hobbies’ stress-reducing capabilities to exercising since it found that participants who engaged in more leisure were 34% less stressed. Therefore, you can explore a broad range of activities to destress daily, including watching a movie, playing cards and board games, knitting, and reading.
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