The 21st century has radically changed our reality. The development of mass media, technological progress, and the absolutely colossal flow of information, which is bombarding us 24/7 are the main factors that cause stress. This leads us to the first cause of stress – we are constantly rushing, running somewhere. One has no time to process everything and remember everything on their agenda.
In addition, we still have our obligations. We need to go to work, university, and so on. Students are exposed to higher levels of stress and fatigue because of the amount of information they need to remember and the endless homework, like writing essays. Luckily, they can turn to a paper writing service by Essaypro.com, designed to help in such situations. This service will significantly simplify students’ lives and eliminate at least one stress factor.
People tend to neglect stress and mental health issues because of stigma and lack of understanding. They sacrifice it for dedicating time to something that they think is more important, which is making money or studying. As a result, common causes of stress and anxiety become an integral part of everyday life. But in this article, we will share tips on how you can get rid of daily stress by affecting your physical and mental conditions.
Meditation
This ancient art is invariably included in most religious practices. In short, it is the ability to focus on one’s breathing to find inner peace. You need to learn how to be in the present moment by concentrating on that and not being tormented by memories of the past and not worrying about the future. There are hundreds of different meditation techniques. For beginners, it is best to start with simple breathing meditation.
- Sit down in a comfortable chair or just on the floor.
- Get rid of irritants like gadgets.
- Breathe smoothly.
- Listen to your heartbeat.
- Concentrate only on the process of breathing.
- Feel and notice how the air enters the lungs.
- Imagine all the stress, all the internal tension going out with the air you exhale.
At first, it will be difficult to concentrate. You might get distracted by your own thoughts. But practicing constantly, you learn how to clear your mind and pay attention only to breathing.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
This may come as a surprise, but most people are not breathing properly. If you’ve ever watched a baby or pet sleep, you’ve probably seen that their belly rises much higher than their chest when they breathe. The thoracic breathing we are accustomed to is necessary to maintain the body in a state of constant alertness. This is achieved by increased work of the heart and increased blood pressure.
Chest breathing triggers a full alert state reaction: heart rate and blood pressure increase, blood is directed toward the brain and muscles, and stress hormones are released. This is all well and good if you are physically threatened by something, but if we are talking about, say, a public performance, such a reaction makes no sense. Thus, try to do this technique:
- Sit or lie down comfortably.
- Put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest.
- Slowly exhale through your mouth.
- Then slowly breathe in through your nose, concentrating on getting your belly up above your chest.
Yoga
The ancient Indian art has elicited mixed views among doctors. But everyone agrees that exercise combined with breathing techniques helps to relax, relieve stress, and reduce the risk of depression.
Stress often has purely biological causes. It can be poor blood circulation or partial muscle atrophy due to a sedentary lifestyle. Regularly practicing yoga can help you slow down your breathing and heart rate and reduce blood pressure and cortisol in the body.
Object Visualization
If you can’t spare an hour to go into nature, turn to your imagination. By closing your eyes, you can imagine whatever place you want to visit and just transfer your consciousness into this space.
Actually, this technique is similar to meditation. You need to concentrate on one thing. It can be a sensation, a sound, or a smell. The smell of tangerines will transfer you to the New Year. The murmur of running water can take you to the most beautiful waterfall you have imagined. Stroking a cat will remind you of the childlike sensation of snuggling up in a soft wool blanket.
Qigong
The Chinese culture has given mankind a lot of useful techniques; Qigong is one of them. The practice includes physical, breathing, and spiritual exercises. There are many different Qigong exercises, but as a beginner, you should try this:
- Stand with your arms out to your sides, keeping them at shoulder level.
- Put your palms together.
- Say “I accept my past, whether good or bad”.
- Suddenly turn your palms away from yourself.
- Say “Everything that should be accepted, I accept. I no longer allow myself to be controlled by stress”.
You should not expect instant results. It takes years for real masters of qigong to perfect the technique. But in order to learn how to relieve stress, 10-15 sessions are enough.
Emotional Freedom Technique
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping, is a form of acupressure that stimulates “energy meridian points” with your fingertips. It is referred to as “acupuncture without needles”.
It is said that it can heal anxiety, phobias, intrusive thoughts, and insomnia. In addition, you can use it to eliminate negative emotions. The technique has many followers. But there are also those people who are very skeptical and don’t believe it can actually help. This technique is not scientifically confirmed, but in order to reduce stress and relax, it is worth trying. So why don’t you try it and find out if it really helps?
Journaling
When you are overwhelmed with stress, you can’t perform properly. Your head is stuck with negative and intrusive thoughts. In order to get rid of them, the best way is to write down what is on your mind. It doesn’t need to be a perfectly-written essay. It is your conversation with yourself. Write down absolutely everything your mind comes up with. This will help you identify the cause of stress. Once you have done it, you will learn how to manage and resolve these stressors.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
With this relaxation mechanism, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. The technique helps you literally see the difference between tension and relaxation. This exercise has a positive effect on our mood, also because it brings us back to the present moment.
The essence of the exercise is to tense and relax the following parts of your body for 10-20 seconds:
- shoulders
- abs
- legs
- arms
- forehead
- eyes
- neck
Aromatherapy
This is a type of alternative medicine, which uses the effects of aromatic substances derived from plants on the body. When it comes to a particular fragrance, you can choose lavender. It is the most studied and most versatile of all essential oils. It relieves anxiety and stress. In addition, it helps you to relax and boost your mood.
Summing Up
Remember that it is more reasonable to work not with the consequences of stress, but with the cause of it. Talk to a therapist, go for walks, go out into nature, give yourself a break, and don’t forget about proper nutrition and rest.
