Stress is something we all know. You surely experienced its effects many times, and you know how it feels. Although we have negative associations when it comes to stress, it’s actually something that is supposed to help or even save us. Yes, stress is, in fact, the body’s reaction to a dangerous situation. In the past, our ancestors had to face many threats. Thanks to acute (short-term) stress, they were able to perform better when the situation became dangerous. The short term stress isn’t painful at all, and it boosts man performance.
Unfortunately, when you’re exposed to long-term stress, it might cause health problems. That’s why it’s essential to know how to relax, and here you’ll find the best techniques, which will allow you to do it.
Play sports
Unfortunately, these days we don’t move enough. It often happens that the only physical effort that you have is a short walk from home to car and then from parking to the office. It might feel like a mission impossible because you feel tired after work, but exercise after work. Paradoxically, if you do it regularly, you’ll feel fresher and much happier. It happens because stress hormones like cortisol are reduced. On top of that, physical activity releases endorphins, and as you might have heard, they boost your mood and are natural painkillers.
Physical activity is by far the most successful way of dealing with stress. If you’re suffering from stress or anxiety, make sure to include exercises and physical activity in your schedule. It’ll help you, because your sleep quality, strongly affected by stress, will significantly improve. Keep in mind that you don’t have to torture yourself with extremely tough workouts. Find any activity that brings you happiness, and do it. You’ll see how stress relieving it can be.
Cuddle and have sex
Physical contact can significantly lower your stress level. Many couples love hugging. Why is it? Once again, hormones are responsible for it. When you hug or touch somebody, oxytocin is released in your body. That’s why you feel so calm and happy. Do it often, because it’s a great way of relieving stress, not only for you but your partner as well. Kissing and having sex bring the very same results. It’s not only an excellent way to enhance your relationship but also to feel better. What if you don’t have a partner, though? Sex Dolls and toys will have to do in such a case.
Spend time with friends and family
Friends and family are the most important people in your life. They can help you get through stressful situations and give you emotional support. Humans are, by nature, social animals. When you know that you belong to some group, it’s much easier to survive hard times. Also, talking to your closest ones allows you to get something off your chest. So, if you don’t know how to deal with stress, and you feel like you can’t stand the stressful situation anymore, let your family or friends know. They’ll know how to cheer you up and help to find solutions.
Laugh often
It’s not a coincidence that people often say “laughter is the best medicine”. And indeed, laughing is good for your health. First of all, it strengthens your immune system in the long run. So people who often laugh are on average healthier. Also, laughing relieves tension, because you relax your muscles. That’s why you should look for opportunities to laugh. Meet with friends, watch funny TV shows, comedies or stand-up. Funny memes and videos on YouTube will make your day as well. Right now you might be thinking, that it’s only a waste of time and that you don’t have time for such activities, but you’ll see, they will make your mind fresh, and you’ll be more productive. So, next time you watch something funny, enjoy the moment!
Don’t procrastinate
Majority of people tend to procrastinate. Of course, sometimes work overload is gigantic, but let’s be honest – it surely happened, at least a few times, that you were behind at work because of poor time management, bad organization, or too much time spent on social media. Catching up is a long process, which will definitely make you feel under pressure.
In order to feel relaxed, make a list of things to do. Organize it, according to task priority. At first, it might be demotivating, but once you deal with the most important tasks, you’ll surely feel even more motivated, to finish the other tasks as soon as possible. Always set realistic deadlines, and slowly and steadily do your job. Stick to this system, and you’ll see that proper time management, and work organization is key to success.
These five techniques are likely to help you when you don’t know how to release stress effectively. Avoid taking medications and other various stimulants. They might make you feel better for a short time, but in the long run, they are harmful. Stick to the strategies described in this article, and you’ll see significant mood improvement.