What you need to do is learn to manage stress so that you don’t
get to the breaking point.
Unmanaged stress is known to raise blood pressure and cause
heartburn. More serious ailments include the increased potential
of heart disease, cancer and depression. It’s amazing what
having too much on your plate can do! There are some things in
life that you just can’t eliminate - like work or certain
appointments - but that is no excuse to let your stress levels
go uncontrolled.
If you are finding that you feel unnecessarily irritable or
fatigued, that is your body’s way of sending you a signal that
your stress levels are too high and you need to alter something
to help correct the problem.
The following tips will help you manage your stress in a better
way and increase your daily productivity:
1. You must get sleep! It has been
proven time and time again that everyone must make time for at least
7 hours of sleep each night. Trying to get extra hours on the
weekend does not work. If the body is deprived of sleep, then there
is no way to make up that time. Sleep deprivation not only leaves
you unable to manage stress as well as you would be able to
otherwise, but leaves you vulnerable to many other health problems.
Research has proven that lack of sleep leads to increased weight
gain, memory loss, high blood pressure and increased susceptibility
to Type-2 diabetes.
2. Meditate Daily. For those of you unfamiliar with meditation, it
need not be intimidating or “out there.” Meditation is simply a
practice that helps with relaxation. There are different forms of
meditation and many guide books available that may be helpful for
the newcomer. In a nutshell, meditation allows the body to relax
through mindful concentration. Allow your mind to focus on peace and
calm for about 20 minutes each morning and evening. Meditating on a
passage from the Bible is also very powerful.
3. Limit Caffeine. Along with caffeine,
feel free to keep your sugar intake to a minimum as well. That
shakiness and racing heartbeat you feel is not a good thing. Once
again, the body is sending you a warning signal that something is
amiss. Caffeine and foods high in sugar put the body in a constant
state of high energy. This is part of the attraction, no? But the
effects on the body are not positive. Synthetic ‘highs’ have
repercussions, and one of those repercussions is that it leaves your
body depleted of its natural energy sources. The caffeine and sugar
highs lead ultimately to low energy and decreased ability to handle
stress.
4. Fruits and vegetables are your friends. Keeping your body fueled
with the nutrients it needs to function at its best is very
important when it comes to combating stress.
Fruits and vegetables are naturally filled with
antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that not only fuel the body,
but help it to function with stress. When we get busy, it can be
difficult to take the time to make a well-balanced meal, but that
is when our body needs it the most. The busier our lives become
the more we need to nourish it. So eat your green veggies and make
mom proud!
5. Don’t take life so seriously. Allow
yourself to laugh. This is one of the simplest things that you
can do to calm yourself down and ease stress. We often take
things too seriously when we are stressed. Take the time to
analyze how severe the problem really is before stressing out
over it. You might find that after considering it, it’s not so
big a deal after all.
