Stress - 8 Ways To Beat Stress

The most common signs that you are stressed are frequent headaches and tense shoulders, though experts in stress relief claim there are more like 75 different signs. Small amounts of stress can be good for you, keep things sharp and interesting, but too much of the stuff can make you sleepless, anxious and depressed – unable to face day to day life.

Work-related stress is very common in today’s society, with as many as two thirds of workers suffering from severe stress at some point in their career; this can lead to strokes, heart attacks and high blood pressure. The good news about stress though is that it isn’t incurable –stress can be beaten!

1. Being deprived of sleep is probably the number one cause of stress, the reasons for sleep-deprivation are many but, ironically, stress is one of the major causes. Breaking this cycle will not always be a quick and easy process, but it possible if you learn to slow down and relax before bedtime. A nice massage late at night can be very beneficial, but not always possible if you live alone. There are many varieties of relaxation tapes and CDs on the market; whale-song is particularly soothing, or any kind of ocean sounds. Warm milk releases an amino acid, called tryptophan, into your system, a substance that aids restfulness and sleep, so get yourself into the habit of drinking some warm milk at night before bedtime. A few drops of lavender or rose essential oil on your pillow will also help.
2. People who are prone to stress will often feel it more when they need to accomplish something taxing, like a big meeting for instance, or an exam. Bach flower remedies are ideal for this situation; they are a system of 38 flower essences that level out emotional imbalance. Rescue Remedy, a mixture of 5 essences: star-of-Bethlehem, cherry blossom, clematis, impatiens and rock rose is perfect for facing stressful situations like a driving test, or important job interview.
3. Keeping a well-balanced and varied diet is essential for maintaining a healthy, stress-free body. Today’s food stores are stacked to the roof with foods that are filled with additives, preservatives and unhealthy amounts of sugar and salt – all of which are linked to increased levels of stress. A sudden influx of sugar, for instance, can dramatically alter your mood – a surge in blood-sugar levels is always followed by a dramatic drop in blood-sugar; making you hungry, weak and depressed. Eating five smaller meals a day instead of three larger ones will help reduce the level of sugar in your blood, and your negative emotions. You can choose foods that make you feel better just by eating them, not comfort eating but eating to be comfortable. Porridge with raisins and cinnamon should make you feel great. Other great stress preventing foods include those high in vitamin B6, such as yeast extracts, liver, fish, eggs, whole grain, nuts and bananas. Peppers, baked potatoes and citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, which helps to reduce the risk of infection during times of stress. Coffee, tea and some sodas can increase your blood-pressure if too much of it is drunk; try drinking herbal teas instead – especially camomile or peppermint.
4. Laughing and crying are two of the best ways of dealing with stress, so being in touch with your emotions can help a lot. Laughter releases endorphins which make you feel good, it also soothes your nervous system and improves your circulation. It is now well documented that people who allow themselves to cry during times of trauma recover a lot quicker than those who bottle up their emotions; so if you feel like having a cry, just let it all out.
5. Exercise is very popular these days, and an excellent way to beat stress – just as important though is the ability to relax. Being fit does help you cope with stress better than if you are unfit, but if an equal amount of effort is put into relaxing you’d be far less prone to stress in the first place. If you are lucky enough to be a member of a gym, have a go at the yoga or tai chi class to wind down. Many people do not know how to relax, there is more involved than just sitting in front of the TV, you have to switch off from all your daily worries, forget about them for a while. It wont be easy for some, but the benefits are enormous. Try as many things as you like until you find the ones that help you relax/switch off the most; it could be yoga, tai chi, meditation or reading a book – it could just as easily be going out with friends, bowling, or visiting new places.
6. Crystals may be a step too far for some, but they are said to have a very calming effect just by having them near you, or wearing them on a necklace – the theory is that the minerals that make up the crystals are all present within your body, when the two (the crystals and your body) are in close proximity there are sympathetic vibrations, for want of a better word, that naturally calm your nerves and feelings.
7. Sometimes it’s hard to be positive when you are stressed or depressed, in fact someone telling you to be positive can really get you annoyed if you feel this way; but there may be something to it, athletes often use positive mental imagery to achieve their goals, visualizing themselves winning the race can often make them run faster than ever before.
   Utilizing a form of controlled daydreaming can also help beat stress; try picturing event turning out just how you’d like them to, they may not actually turn out that way but daydreaming about it releases positive thoughts into your subconscious mind. It’s something you actually do all the time anyway, talking to yourself in your mind helps determine who you are and how you feel about different situations – have ago at manipulating the process and see what happens.
8. Finally there is aromatherapy, stress-busting oils. Certain smells will release feel-good chemicals into your brain; sometimes smells that remind you of happy childhood memories will do the same thing, a certain scented soap may remind of someone or someplace special. The following oils are great for relieving stress: jasmine is relaxing and uplifting, neroli is a good anti-depressant oil, and rose oil can help you feel calm. Other relaxing oils include: lavender, camomile, lemon balm, clary sage, ylang ylang, green mandarin, vanilla and marjoram. You can add a few drops of any of these to a pre-bedtime bath or sprinkle them on your pillow. You can also use lemon or peppermint essential oil as a quick pick-me-up by putting one or the other on a tissue and inhaling.