Stress is a part of life. A small amount of stress is not a bad thing. It can motivate us to meet a deadline or force us to push ourselves beyond what we usually think we can do. Unfortunately, modern society has been crafted in such a way that many people are under constant stress. We have stress from work, stress from family, stress from school, financial stress, worry about safety, worry about illness, etc. If a person does not learn stress management, they run the risk of negatively impacting their health.
The medical community has long seen the link between a person’s stress levels and their mental, physical, and emotional health. When a person is under stress, their body is in a fight or flight mode. This means that everything from your cardiovascular system to your endorphin levels are abnormally high. However, your body was not designed to be under high levels of stress for long periods of time. Let’s discuss some steps that you can take to manage your stress and keep your health under control.
Manage Your Stress by Exercising
Working out on a regular basis is one of the best ways to relax your mind and relax your body. When you exercise, you are able to burn off some of the nervous energy that stress may cause you to feel. Additionally, the chemicals produced by your body during stress can improve your mood.
In order for exercise to produce good results, you need to do it frequently. This may mean buying out the time in your schedule from other less important activities. When a person feels stressed, they may feel inclined to want to shut down. A person might think that because they are under stress, the best thing for them to do is sit in front of the television and zone out or spend time watching funny videos on the Internet. This can actually be counterproductive. It’s better to use that time and get out and do some vigorous exercise.
How much exercise is needed in order to see stress relief benefits? Well, it’s recommended that at least three to five times a week you get out and exercise for 30 minutes. The exercise does not need to be exceptionally vigorous, but it just needs to be constant.
It’s even better if during the week, you can dedicate time to doing some form of exercise that is moderately intense. It doesn’t mean that you have to go out and run a marathon, but you could do intense or brisk walks for a few minutes every single day. If you want the best results when it comes to stress management, you could spend about an hour every single week doing vigorous exercise. This could be a sport that you enjoy, a cardiovascular workout, or a brisk run.
Set goals for yourself so that you don’t give up. If you stick to an exercise routine, you’ll not only notice your stress levels reduce, but you are also going to notice an improvement in the way that you look and feel. This is going to boost your confidence, making it easier for you to enjoy the day.
Take the Time to Relax Your Muscles
Muscle relaxation is an important part of stress management. Whether you realize it or not, when you are under stress, you hold your stress in your muscles. Proof of this is seen when a stressful situation has passed and you’re trying to relax but feel tension all over your body. If you have a past injury in your back or in your shoulder, the injury could hurt because of the stress that you’re holding in your muscles.
How Can You Relax Your Muscles?
Stretch. Most people don’t like stretching. Since they do not have the same flexibility they had in youth, they may find it frustrating. This is understandable. However, it is good for you to find a stretching program and stick to it. With time, you’re going to see your flexibility improve, and you’re going to feel more relaxed when you are under stress.
Get a massage. Many people see a massage as a luxury. However, massages have been viewed for millennium as part of a normal health maintenance routine. Massages are especially beneficial when a person is under stress because it gives them time in which to relax and not think about the problems of the day. The massage therapist is able to work out the stress that a person is holding in their muscles. And the physical contact a person has during a massage can be soothing, helping them to feel more relaxed.
Get a good night’s sleep. One cannot overestimate the power of getting a good night’s sleep. When you sleep, your body rejuvenates itself. It repairs the damage that stress causes during the day. When you get a good night’s sleep, your muscles are able to relax. The next day you have more energy, you are more focused, and you have the resilience needed in order to deal with the stress that the day is going to put on your shoulders.
Manage Stress by Taking Care of Yourself
When a person is under stress, it is easy for them to ignore caring for themselves. They may not do things like eating well, sleeping well, or exercising. All this does is make the stress they are experiencing a whole lot worse. We live in a society in which stress is part of life. For most of us, completely eliminating stress is not an option. What we need to do is come up with appropriate ways to manage the stress.
Get In Touch with Us for More Information
Do you feel like you have a problem with stress management? Would you be interested in learning how stress management can help you improve your daily life? If so, feel free to reach out and make an appointment with AURAE MD Aesthetic and Regenerative Medicine. At our convenient location in La Jolla, CA, we look forward to helping you learn different techniques to manage stress and get back to living a peaceful life. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!