A rapid heart rate can be lowered with deep breathing techniques. The most commonly utilized strategy is breathing by contracting the diaphragm, a horizontal muscle in the chest located just above the stomach cavity. There’s no quick-fix cure for stress, and no single method will work for everyone. However, there are simple things you can do to change the common life problems that can cause stress or make stress a problem. These include relaxation techniques, exercise and talking the issues through. If you can’t manage stress on your own, you may want to talk with your health care provider.
JED has developed programs and resources to help students have a healthy and positive college experience while preserving their mental health. Listen to music, meditate, practice yoga, or learn relaxation techniques that can help you when stress is especially high. By briefly removing yourself from the stressful mental health situation, your mind can clear and gain insight. If you’re living with high levels of stress, you’re putting your entire well-being at risk. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life.
Exercise gives your mind an activity to focus on and can help relieve anxiety. Taking part in regular exercise—whether it be a trip to a gym or something simple in your home —can have lasting stress-relieving benefits. Many people eat and drink excessively when dealing with stress or anxiety, leading them to potentially gain weight. While eating unhealthy foods may feel good at the moment, the long-term effects outweigh the short-term benefits. Eat a balanced diet and try to stick to natural, whole foods when not feeling well.
Or consider seeing a therapist or counselor who can help you find other ways to deal with your stress. Depending on the cause of your stress, you also may find it helps to join a support group. There is nothing more calming than spending quality time with another human being who makes you feel safe and understood.
The human costs of unmanaged work related stress is extensive. Feeling unhappy about the amount of time you spend at work and neglecting other aspects of life because of work may increase your vulnerability to stress. Increased levels of stress can, if not addressed early enough, lead to burn-out or more severe mental health problems.
Stress can trigger anxiety, which everyone can experience as well. Those who have anxiety disorders have excessive and persistent worries and fears, even in situations that are not going poorly and are not threatening. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health illnesses in the United States, with approximately 18 percent of the adult population living with one or more types of anxiety disorders.
Deep breathing is a great way to reduce the activation of your sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s response to a perceived threat. Stress refers to your body’s reaction Atlanta to challenges and demands. Stress can be positive or negative and there are healthy ways to deal with it. Having supportive people in your life is the key to stress management.