Stress Management Techniques Known To Be Effective

By Esther Tan

So you want to manage stress? Just about time, as allowing the problem to linger any further will surely create dents on your life and the relationships that you have whether personally or professionally. Just to recap there are many life changing things that stress can offer (not for the better, mind you). Headaches, nausea, chronic fatigue, decreased immunity, agitation, difficulty in concentration, anxiety, difficulty in sleeping, and stomach as well as heart problems.

So with all of the things that stress have in its weapons cache it seems to be only fair that you also have something in hand to fight back with, just to level the playing field. But if you are really interested in seeing for yourself all the wonderful things that stress can give, by all means, leave it alone. Kidding aside, stress is something that you really shouldn't ignore, with the multitudes of stress management technique available to you, both for expert as well as self help; you will definitely be able to locate useful ones. Here are some examples:

Deep Breathing: For quick stress alleviation during straining situations, you can always count on deep breathing and if you know how to do abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing properly, so much the better. When we are stressed, we tend to breathe a lot heavier and much faster, resulting to the slight feeling of being light-headed. This feeling when combined with stress can heighten anxiety, which in worse cases can induce panic. Try taking deep regulated breaths when stressed, to bring things under control quickly.

Avoidance: By avoiding the things or the people that stress you out for even just a few minutes or maybe even hours, you will be able to reduce the stress that you are feeling and regain control over the situation. This of course does not mean that you will be totally avoiding, but in a sense, limiting your interaction by taking intervals in between to prevent stress from compounding and ruining your day.

Take a break: All of us need breaks. Who doesn't? Timing yourself out or taking a short break during physically or mentally straining times can help eliminate the stress that you feel. Plan a few days off; spend your weekend alone or with friends, do something new or something that you enjoy. Anything that will take your mind off of your usual grind will help in minimizing and controlling stress.

Aside from the three mentioned above, there are many stress management techniques that you will find useful either on the web, from your doctor, or from friends and family. It's up to you to sift out and decide for yourself which ones will prove useful for you and which ones won't.

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