Methods and techniques to deal with stress

Most people associate stress with something unpleasant. No-one likes to get stressed but, in case you didn’t know, stress can actually be really helpful in lots of situations and it’s thanks to stress that we survive every day and can protect ourselves, e.g. from danger. It has an adaptive function and if it hadn’t been for stress and adrenaline, which is released as a result of a stress stimulus, primitive people wouldn’t have had the power to escape any threat or to fight a predator. On the other hand, there is no doubt that intense and long-term stress is something negative. It may seriously affect health now as well as in the future. Below you will find the most common symptoms and effects of chronic stress and ways to deal with it.

 

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU’RE STRESSED OUT? – the most common symptoms of stress

Sometimes stress is such an insidious enemy that we do not always realize it’s actually affecting us at the moment. How can you tell that you are stressed? Below you will find the most common symptoms:

• rapid breathing
• dry mouth
• increased sweating
• chills or hot flashes
• stomach cramps
• tension in neck and shoulder muscles
• inability to focus
• headaches
• irritation
• bad temper
• insomnia
• the feeling of tiredness and low energy
• lower physical and intellectual efficiency
• clenched jaw
• nausea
• rapid mood swings

 

HOW DOES STRESS AFFECT OUR APPETITE?

Stress has a significant impact on our eating habits. Our behaviour connected with food changes in stressful situations. It affects not only the amount of food we eat, but also the quality of the products we choose. Many people think that stress promotes weight loss because we feel a knot in our stomach and don’t feel like eating anything. On the one hand, it’s true. On the other, the pressure they experience can result in increased appetite and lead to consuming more high-calorie sweet or savoury snacks that might ruin the effects of any diet, even the best one.

Apart from changing our appetite, chronic stress can also lead to other negative health consequences.

 

OTHER EFFECTS OF STRESS

Chronic stress can lead to many serious health consequences, e.g.:

• weaker immunity and increased susceptibility to infection
• gastrointestinal problems
• chronic gastric and duodenal ulcer disease
• hormonal disorders
• menstrual problems
• low libido  and sexual dysfunctions
• recurrent headaches and migraines
• low mood

Stress can also lead to a higher risk of autoimmune diseases, diseases of the cardiovascular system, or even cancer.

 

How to reduce stress?

As I have mentioned before, it is impossible to avoid stress and we can’t control it completely. However, it is definitely up o us how we cope with the tension and how we face a challenge. Physical activity is definitely one of the best ways to defuse stress. It happens quite often that by lowering the physical tension, which occurs while working out, we also lower the stress in our psyche. Moderate activity is especially recommended to reduce stress, not too intense, and the best and most permanent results can be achieved when the activity lasts longer than 45 minutes.

However, if you don’t have so much time, let me show you some quick and useful exercises to fight stress.

Breathing exercises

Breathing with diaphragm is a well-known and efficient way to reduce tension. This exercise takes only 35-40 seconds and you can do it anywhere. Stand up or sit straight and try to get away in your thoughts from the stressful situation and what is going on around you. Take a deep breath through your nose while counting to three. Then deeply breathe out, also counting to three. Repeat three times.

Squeezing a ball

Squeezing a ball is very often used in the rehabilitation of people after injuries of fingers, hands, wrist, forearm, with weakened hand muscle strength. In addition, squeezing the ball can also help loosen up and reduce tension.

Functional training

With body weight, fast HIIT cardio, tabata. 4 minutes is enough to lower tension, reduce stress and forget about your troubles.

Isometric exercises

Isometric exercises consist in alternate tightening and loosening of muscles in particular parts of the body. It works especially well with people who are not aware of the tension they feel and only after tightening their muscles they can really relax. One more advantage of these exercises is that you can do them anywhere: at home while relaxing on the sofa, at the desk in your work, or while sunbathing on the beach. Sample exercises: a wall sit, squeezing a soft ball between your knees.

Relaxation training

In this easy and pleasant exercise you have to focus on particular muscle groups. You can do it in several ways, but it’s best to lie down. Close your eyes and think about all your body parts, starting with your head (the skin on your head, facial muscles, eyes, palate, throat), then the torso, stomach and back, legs and feet. Try to concentrate on gradual switching off and loosening up of all your body. Once you’re sure no muscles are tense – try to work on your breath to make it as deep as possible. Breathe in through your nose, deeply, down to your stomach, then slowly breathe out through your mouth. You can open your eyes after a few minutes and start concentrating on the outside world. You can repeat this exercise as often as you need to – especially in highly stressful situations.

Rest

Make sure you get a good rest. Try to take breaks more often while working. Remember that switching your attention will not only help reduce stress but also improve the quality of your work. Spend your free time in an active way by riding a bike, running or walking your dog.

Massage and acupuncture

Your skin is covered with 4 million receptors which react to pressure and temperature. The most sensitive parts of our body are mouth, neck, fingertips and soles. Massage has a great influence on our well-being, as the touch can be an effective stress reducer which lowers cortisol level. What’s more, massage increases the concentration of three neurotransmitters, namely: serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. Acupuncture has been known in Chinese medicine for millennia. It helps to lower the level of stress in a natural way, as well as reduce many other ailments with a mental background, such as joint pain, headache, problems with fertility, sleep, or circulation. Following my midwife’s advice, I used acupuncture at the final stage of my pregnancy.

Meditation/prayer

It’s no surprise that meditation reduces stress. This method will help you calm down and relax, and when practised on a regular basis, it increases the ability to focus. It is important to do it in a quiet and calm place. Don’t forget about some relaxing music and make sure no-one disturbs you.

Sleep

I have already written about the role of sleep in stress and tension reduction HERE.

Music

Music therapy has long been used to treat various diseases. A properly chosen melody will help you relax, reduce tension and will put you in a state of relaxation. Find some time during the day to listen to your favourite music. You can combine it with breathing techniques which will intensify its effects. Playing an instrument is also a great way to reduce tension.

Talking to and being with positive people – take care of your surrounding

First of all, you should take care of your home base, the place you go back to after work. The next zone is your workplace. Pay attention to the people around you. Contact with other people can help reduce tension. Talking to your friends soothes anxiety and improves your emotional state. The support you get in the form of a sincere, free-flowing conversation relieves anxiety.

Touch and hugging

Physical intimacy also helps, e.g. holding hands or hugging, Such behaviour decreases the level of cortisol in the stressed out person and, as a result, reduces the tension.

Eat healthy

Do you know that a properly personalised diet can also reduce stress? Try to make it varied and make sure your meals are colorful. This will lower the risk of potential nutrient deficiencies. Make sure you provide your body with the right amount of magnesium. Chronic stress and long-term nervous tension may lower the amount of this element. Nuts, pumpkin seeds, cocoa, and wholemeal products are rich in magnesium so remember to include them in your diet. It is also important to cut down on coffee and alcohol.

Would you like to change your diet for the better and feel great? Check out my Diet & Training by Ann application.

 

Bibliography:

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3. Torres SJ, Nowson CA. Relationship between stress, eating behavior, and obesity. 2007;23(11-12):887-94.
4. van der Zwan JE, de Vente W, Huizink AC, Bögels SM, de Bruin EI. Physical activity, mindfulness meditation, or heart rate variability biofeedback for stress reduction: a randomized controlled trial. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2015;40(4):257-68.
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