12 Steps for Managing Stress

We all experience it at one time or another; this condition is called stress.  

It is perhaps the number one cause of most health problems today including ulcers, coronary heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, lung problems, accidental injuries, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. 

Anti-anxiety drugs and ulcer medications are among the best selling prescription drugs in the United States. 

Nevertheless, stress is the process of living. The process of living is the process of having stress imposed on you and reacting to it without allowing it to cause any of the above health problems. 

Now let’s explore the 12 steps for managing stress in your life in a healthy and effective manner.

1. Talk about the problems you are experiencing with friends, loved ones, or a professional. Keeping everything bottled up will only create more problems later on.

2. Exercise. Exercise relieves tension and produces a calming effect.

3. Take a bath. A warm bath can be very relaxing and soothing.

4. Music can be calming. Listen to some soft jazz or instrumental music. Ocean or nature sounds also are a good way to release stress.

5. Healthy meals can become an important factor in limiting your stress.  Try to eat three meals a day (no heavy meals), and make an effort to avoid too much caffeine and sugar.

6. Sleep deprivation can cause stress. Six to seven hours sleep can often make all the difference.

7. Coping with stress can be challenging.  Every day you seem to be pulled in every direction, trying to accommodate others.  

The first priority is to take care of yourself. You are the thread which holds your family together. If you are stressed, you won’t be much good to anyone

8. Give yourself a break every now and then.  Buy a new outfit; go to a movie; do something you’ve always wanted to do.  Your family can take care of themselves for one day.  

Alone time is just as important to you as it is for everyone else.  Think of yourself as a gas tank; eventually you will run out of fuel.

9. Laughter is a wonderful release. Releasing tension through laughter is one the best cure-all method for dealing with stress-related issues.

10. Avoid stressful situations whenever possible.  If you are a working parent, it’s probably not the job but the people who are causing you the most stress.  Take everything in stride.

11. If you can’t finish a task, don’t worry about it.  If dinner doesn’t turn out as you expected, improvise or pick up something.

12. Life is too short; and stress can reduce it further.  Nothing is more important than your health or state of mind.


How well are you handling stress? Do you think these steps can be helpful?

Leave your comments below. 

4 Ways to Deal with the Physical Consequences of Mismanaging Stress

There is rarely a simple or single solution to any

problem no matter how large or small. However, the situation can be made worse if the resulting problem is stressful and the stress is mismanaged. If so, stress can lead to a variety of health problems.

There is evidence linking the mismanagement of stress with upper respiratory infection, coronary artery disease, auto-immune disorder, poor wound healing, and depression. These health problems represent the extreme conditions that can occur.

With regards to lesser conditions, there is solid evidence that stress affects most of the basic functions of life, including sleep, memory, managing pain, sexual activity, and getting nourishment from food.

It is also becoming acceptable knowledge that many of the changes usually attributed to getting old are likely caused by or accelerated by stress. These changes include the graying of your hair, the decline of your immune system, the aches and pains you accumulate, and your basic ability to learn new information and remember all the wonderful things that have happened to you along the way.

Although stress-related physical symptoms can appear to be overwhelming, stress can be managed and the physical conditions can be minimized or even eliminated, regardless of the cause. Here we will focus on some of the more common symptoms such as frequent headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and restlessness.

1. For frequent headaches, get a good night's sleep. Have something to eat and do relaxation exercises for the neck, head, and shoulders. Message the temples, and scalp, or put a warm, dry, cloth or a cold, wet one (whichever feels better) over, face, head, or neck.

2. For fatigue, don't try to fight the fatigue. Sleep as long as you can and go to bed early every night. Eat small amounts of complex carbohydrate foods regularly during the day. And, consider taking a course of B complex vitamin pills or Ginseng.

3. For insomnia, drink a hot milky drink before bedtime. Eat protein and carbohydrate rich foods in the evening and avoid tea and coffee, especially at this time. Eat your evening meals earlier. And, reduce your alcoholic intake.

4. For restlessness, try relaxation exercise such as lying on the floor and progressively stretch and release each and every part of the body. These relaxing exercises help you to recognize and distinguish between the different sensations of tension and relaxation. Meditation and prayer also can be quite helpful..

Use these strategies to manage the symptoms associated with stress and therefore minimize the possibility of stress escalated to the more extreme physical conditions earlier mentioned.

Your Thoughts? Leave your comments below.