By Dr. Rubina Tahir
6 Stress Management Techniques You Should Utilize Each Day.
Stress can be productive, keeping you on schedule to accomplish your daily tasks. Or it can be hair pulling forcing you to operate with a lack of energy. No matter the scenario or emotion you feel, the same cellular response is turned ON inside the body. It is called The Fight or Flight response. Here is how it works:
If a hunter encounters a bear, there are two likely outcomes. Either get safely away from the bear, or become dinner. Either way the stress response that was turned ON is shut OFF. In current times, life presents itself with different stressors that don’t operate like a light switch. We leave our stress response on cruise control, and the longer it’s activated; the harder it is to shut off. Instead of leveling off once the crisis has passed, your stress hormones, heart rate, and blood pressure remain elevated. Symptoms of a prolonged stress response include: high blood pressure, headaches, stomach upset, muscle pain, fatigue, chest pain, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, decreased athletic performance, increased oxygen demand on body, decreased productivity in business, diabetes, and arthritis. Current research indicates that between 70% and 80% of all health-related problems are either precipitated or aggravated by emotional stress.
Here is how to turn OFF stress and turn ON success day to day:
1. Deep Breathing: This is a highly effective way to calm the body and the mind. This best part is you can do this exercise anywhere. Start with 10 repetitions of a deep breathe in and exhale out the stress.
2. Physical burst of activity. Simply do 25-50 jumping jacks and repeat 3 times. You will notice an instant change in your mindset. When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine which are the feel good chemicals
3. Drink water: Stress can cause dehydration, and dehydration can cause stress. It’s a vicious cycle. Beat stress by hydrating your body throughout the day.
4. Power foods should be utilized daily to control stress responses in the body. Here are a few examples to stock up on:
Brazil nuts
Excellent source of selenium, a mood-boosting mineral that can keep you from feeling anxious or depressed.
Tofu
Rich in protein which increases energy levels, and improves concentration. Tofu contains an amino acid called tyrosine, which boosts brain chemicals that elevate mood.
Eggs
An excellent source of zinc, which helps you feel more awake and energetic by regulating your metabolism and blood sugar levels.
Chocolate
70 percent cocoa contains magnesium, which wards off high blood pressure and acts like a natural antidepressant.
5. 60 second time management. Time yourself and make a to-do list each day. This helps with control and consistency. Even if you do not check off your entire list, it helps paint a more realistic picture of your goals vs. feeling panicked.
6. Laughter Therapy! WHY? It instantly reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body such as adrenaline and cortisol. This powerhouse stress buster also increases the level of Natural Killer T cells which is the body’s first line of defense against disease. So set a timer for 2 minutes and laugh away your stress!
Practice makes perfect, so try these easy tips to keep your mind and body balanced! With balance there comes an increase in productivity and you are less likely to be susceptible to common stressors.
– Rubina Tahir has a Doctorate in Chiropractic, is an Author, and professional speaker. She writes about health and lifestyle topics to inspire others to fulfill their health and wellness goals.