7 Ways To Deal With Stress In the New Year?

Overcoming Stress and Dealing With It

To deal with stress and overcome it, because of the fast-paced nature of our society, has made it to the list of top ten New Year’s Resolutions. Approximately 19 million Americans suffer from stress-related illnesses. The hormone and cortisol are both released during stressful events. When stimulated constantly, over time it can lead to mental disturbances and a risk of infection and disease. Learning to deal with stress leads to healthier and happier living. Here are seven solutions for regulating stress.

Adequate Sleep

Sleep is the number one defense against stress. It allows the mind and body to rejuvenate. When we awaken refreshed, we are more able to handle stressful situations. For the average person, adequate sleep is eight to ten hours of uninterrupted sleep. If you sleep less than seven hours, your ability to deal with stress will be greatly reduced and that can lead to consequences.

Meditation

Meditation is the opposite of the flight or fight mechanism. It is a deep state of restful awareness that counters stress. Practicing twenty minutes a day helps us to remain calm in stressful situations. Deep breathing, relaxation techniques or visualization are all helpful in lowering cortisol levels.

Exercise

Resistance Training or lifting weights has proven to be very effective in controlling stress. A high-intensity workout of no more than sixty minutes is a successful strategy in stress management. A moderate aerobic workout, such as walking or bicycling for thirty to forty minutes, three times a week, is also effective. A balance of both types of exercise is optimal when dealing with stress.

A Balanced Diet

A healthy diet containing Vitamin B and Magnesium helps to relieve chronic tension. Vitamin B is essential for stress management. Magnesium helps to ease muscle tension, stress, and anxiety. When exercising to reduce stress, a balance of carbohydrates and protein is necessary.

Laughter

Laughter boosts the body’s immune system and reduces the number of hormones, such as cortisol, that your body produces during stressful times. One way of using laughter is to picture the ridiculous, meaning that it is ok to express yourself instead of feeling embarrassment and shame. The next time you feel that you are losing our mind, picture your brain flying out of your head and landing someplace silly. Go to a good comedy show or rent a tape. Watch funny videos on YouTube (can be Cat videos or stand up comedians making jokes about virtually everything). As well as dealing with stress, laughter has healing properties.

Attitude

Chronic stress is a factor in how we perceive the events surrounding us. We can remain optimistic when confronted with challenges or a new situation. How we perceive situations is a choice. When looking at a situation, break it down into manageable components. Instead of making sweeping negative statements, look at the situation realistically and create steps for resolving it.

Be Social

Studies have shown that people who are more active socially are better able to deal with stress. If you don’t have one, set up a network of friends and family who are listeners. When you feel stressed, call someone in your network to talk or set up a date to do something fun. Allow your friends, family, and other loved ones to be supportive of you and your quest to dealing with stress.

Try one or more of these solutions if your New Year’s Resolution is to reduce stress in your life. Any one of these will aid you in reducing stress levels. Choose one that is slightly above your comfort zone but workable for your lifestyle. Learning to deal with stress will lead to a happier, healthier, version of you.

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