Stress Management: 3 Steps to Reduce Stress
Everyone encounters stress. How we respond, manage, and cope with stress impacts our overall well-being.
“Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. ”
What does stress look like?
Here is a scenario you may be familiar with:
You wake up in a faze and realize you missed the alarm. As you are getting ready it dawns on you that your phone didn't charge overnight. Your heart is racing, jaw is clenched, and your breaths are short and fast. This is your autonomic nervous system, which has a built-in stress response, also known as the “fight-or-flight response.”
What happens when you are constantly experiencing high levels of stress?
Ineffective coping and management of stress can manifest in different ways. Chronic stress wreaks havoc on your physical and mental health, as well as your emotional equilibrium. It reduces your ability to think clearly and function effectively. Chronic stress can even worsen pre-existing health problems.
You cannot avoid stress, but you can control its hold on your well-being. Effective stress management looks different for everyone, because stress is a subjective experience. However, the following 3 steps are general tips that anyone can implement into their stress management routine.
Say your name.
The goal is to stop yourself from spiralling into the overwhelming changes the stressor is having on your body and mind.
Take 3 deep breaths.
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Deep breathing summons the other part of your autonomic nervous system - the parasympathetic system into action. Deep breathing helps your body go back into a neutral relaxed state.
Question
The last step is to ask yourself: What can I do right now? For example, in the earlier scenario, effectively managing your stress response could turn a bad morning into a good day with a small mishap in the morning.
I hope you found these tips for managing stress helpful. Leave a comment below on how you manage your stress.
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