I recently came across a wonderful article from the site powerofpositivity.com that I wanted to share with you. There are many valuable principles and skills for you within it. (I have also included links to more tips you can use) I hope that you find it valuable!

Stress is an inevitable part of life. Your day may be great, and the sun is shining bright, but the next minute you could have a significant crisis turn your world upside down. You cannot control the circumstances around you. Thankfully, you do have the power to control your response to them.

You’ve probably heard a million times that stress kills. There have been many studies done that prove that stress is harmful to your overall well-being.

Being in a constant state of distress can affect your well-being. You must have stress-relieving tools that you use to keep your angst under control.

When you become stressed, the cortisol levels in your body elevate. The negative stimuli activate the “fight or flight” response internally, which can cause uncomfortable effects. When you are under significant stress and anxiety, you may experience the following:

•Racing Heartbeat
•Sweating
•Shaking or Chills
•Nervousness
•Feeling of Impending Doom or Death
•Panic Attacks
•Feeling Faint
•Irrational Fears
•Dizziness

Stress that is not managed correctly can lead to a stroke, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and a plethora of other conditions. It can negatively impact your life to where you cannot drive, work a job, or even leave your home. Finding coping skills to help with stress relief is imperative.

Quick Tips for Stress Relief

In most cases, you cannot stop your entire day just because you feel anxiety or stress. However, incorporating calming techniques that can bring your levels of angst under control is advisable. Here are some of the most used methods that work well.

1. Meditation

Meditation is a great way to bring stress relief quickly. You can do these sessions in your car, office, or home. Since there are many different forms of this art, you should experiment with a few and see which ones work best for you.

The essential art of meditation is for you to use your senses to ground yourself. You must control your breathing as you focus on the tangible things in front of you as well as what you can see. By diverting your mind to the here and now, you can change your stress levels. You may not master this art overnight, but with practice, you can soon reap the benefits of these relaxation techniques.a

More tips from Dr. Nick

2. Exercise

You should exercise not only for your overall well-being but to make a fast impact. If you’re driving down the road feeling overwhelmed by life, then pull over and take a walk. It may be just around your car, but fresh air and moving your body can help your stress.

You need to develop a routine exercise plan that can help you keep your cortisol levels low and your serotonin levels high. When you are working out, your body automatically stimulates the neurotransmitters in your brain, which brings your essential chemicals into balance.

More tips from Dr. Nick

3. Guided Imagery

Guided imagery can be compared to daydreaming. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could escape the current toxic situation with a short mind vacation? Remove yourself from your current location and put yourself in the middle of your happy place.

Where do you find the most stress relief in life? Are you a beach person that loves to hear the crash of the ocean’s waves, or do you prefer gazing at a mountain’s peak in amazement? Though you can do guided imagery on your own, it’s best to follow a recording.

There are numerous video versions online that can help you learn this calming technique. While you’re in your comfortable spot with your eyes closed, engage in all the sensory experience that you will feel while you are there. Then, when you open your eyes back into reality, you should contact a sense of calm from your reality break.

More tips from Dr. Nick

4. Deep Breathing Exercises

One of the easiest ways to bring your body down from anxiety is through breathing techniques. Start by inhaling through your nose, holding the breath, then releasing it through your mouth. Each step should be done to the count of seven.

As you are breathing in the air, you should see your stomach rise. However, as you dispel the air, your stomach should return back to normal. By monitoring your stomach, you can easily make sure you are doing the exercises correctly.

Why does breathing techniques work so well? The science behind this is because when you are under stress, you stop breathing normally. Your body can quickly become deprived of oxygen, which can make you have all sorts of sensations.

When you are doing breathing techniques, you are restoring lost oxygen to your brain. Your body will instantly feel the calming swoosh of air it needs.

More tips from Dr. Nick

5. Muscle Relaxation

Finally, the last quick way to get stress relief is by using muscle relaxation. Did you know that you have the power to release all the tension in your muscles by using relationship techniques? From your forehead to your toes, you can control the pressure by working on each group.

You start by tensing the muscle group you want to work on. Then, you release the muscles. You will feel them relax more smoothly each time you focus on a group. As you work your way down the body, you should feel deep relaxation sweeping through every core of your being.

The reason why relaxation is so essential is that stress has a direct effect on the muscles. When your body is under distress, your muscles carry the brunt of this strain. They will tense in response, which causes headaches and other bodily pains. Relaxation techniques will release that strain and help with chronic pain from the tightness.

Dr. Nick Relaxation CD

Final Thoughts on Stress Relief and Taking Charge of Your Life

The best way to get rid of unwanted stress is by taking charge of your life. What can you eliminate that is causing you so much pain? Do you have a hard time saying “no” to people, or do you take on more of a load than what one person can handle?

One of the most significant things you can do for yourself is to set healthy boundaries. Learn when you have had enough and need a break. Don’t be afraid to say “no” to people and to schedule a weekend get-a-way when you need it.

Life is stressful, and there is no way around it. However, you can control how you react and what you do when you are faced with circumstances that weigh you down. Start today new and fresh and make some decisions for you and your life. It’s time for you to make a change to improve your overall well-being.

Not only will you feel better, but your family will appreciate the new reduced stress version of you. Life is too precious to not enjoy every minute.

More tips from Dr. Nick

The post Why Stress Relief Is So Important (& 5 Ways to Do It) first appeared on Dr. Nick Lazaris.