There are stress management techniques that researches have identified as highly effective. Persons who are exposed to stressors should adopt and practice them.
Stress is the feeling of emotional or physical tension that arises as a reaction to a challenge or demand.
Basically, it can result from less amount of sleep, brain task, working condition, having to stay in traffic and getting anxious about something amongst others.
Also, the condition has been described as the effect of anything that seriously affects the maintenance of life by alteration of the internal milieu (setting).
Stressors We Face In Nigeria
Sadly, Nigerians who live in highly populated cities often face one stressor or the other. Mostly, they do not have control over these stressors.
From having to wake up early each working day to sitting in traffic and inhaling fume. In the office, sedentary lifestyle is also contributing to the stressors if work hours are not properly managed.
Those who walk in the street are ruffled by the noise that is out of control – the loud music and marketing campaigns from speakers and the uncontrolled blaring of horns by vehicle drivers.
Other more common ones are emotional – anxiety (worries over issues you cannot control), anger, grief, depression and lack of money in the face of increasing obligations among others.
According to studies, these situations often have negative effect on the health of people who are exposed to them.
Most times they increase stress level and this will alternatively have direct impact on an individual’s health.
Stress can affect memory, fertility, the heart, cause stomach problem, lower immunity, trigger onset of certain diseases and more.
That said, managing stress is essential for people who are exposed to these circumstances or stressors, physical or physiological.
Thankfully, research has identified different stress management techniques that an individual could adopt to reduce the impact of these stressors.
When applied, these techniques yielded remarkable results in individuals who did.
Under listed, are some of them.
Regular Exercise Aids Stress Management
One thing that regular exercise does to everyone is keeping the body fit. One of the benefits of staying fit is the increase in the body’s ability to fight stress.
Eat Healthy (Well-balanced meals)
Stress can alter eating habit, but controlling what you eat at that point is vital. This helps you ensure that you feed the body needed nutrients that will help it stay fit.
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Reducing intake of sweetened drinks and foods that are high in carbohydrate and increasing intake of vegetables and fruits can help you build your immune system to fight diseases that could arise.
Keep A Positive Attitude
No one adds to his height by taking a thought, Jesus was quoted as saying.
Accept that there are events and circumstances that you cannot control.
In fact, all that you can do is just pray that they would change naturally in your favour.
Avoid Getting Angry
Anger is something that aggravates you inner setting, but being assertive instead of aggressive helps.
Basically, just assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
Practice These Relaxation Techniques.
According to research, this is one of the most effective ways of managing stress especially because it sends positive signals to your brain.
Try meditation, yoga, or tai-chi for stress management. They work very well.
You can learn these stress management techniques on YouTube and other social networks.
Learn Effective Time Management.
You must not do everything in one day. Schedule task and leave off some for the next day.
For instance, now that your children are on mid-term break, try not to arrange the sitting room every time they scatter it. Leave it till evening or the next day.
Remember that till the holiday is over for them, they are likely to repeat the process.
Say No To Request That Could Stress You Excessively
Categorically, you need to set limits as much as you can to requests that could result in excessive stress.
Learning to say no to some requests is one way of reducing stress.
Engage In Leisure Activities Of Interest
Most persons on paid employments are just all about their jobs. Job, job, job.
They do not know when to take time out and relax.
Interestingly, engaging in different leisure moments helps you relax.
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According to researches, learning a new skill could become a source of motivation that will ease stress.
Engage in things that interest you the most, request for a massage from your spouse or pay for it.
Sleep And Rest Well
Sleep deprivation is one thing that most workers in Lagos face. They get home late, sleep late and wake up early for the next day’s job.
Getting enough rest and sleep will help ease stress.
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More so, one way to complement for the shortfall of sleep is to shut your eyes and sleep on your way home.
Once you are comfortable in the vehicle you are in, take a nap and cover up for the lost time.
Your body needs time to recover from stressful events each day. It has been said that sleep helps the brain to clean itself.
Avoid Relaying On Alcohol, Drugs For Stress Management
Unfortunately, some persons have resorted to taking some medications to address stress. This is a practice that will make the matters worse in no distance time. The body will build resistance against the drug and then the problem will set in.
In stead practice the things mentioned above.
Drug or compulsive behaviors as remedy for stress do not work.
Seek Support And Get Treatment
There is the need for every worker in most populated cities where stressors are higher to often visit a physician.
This will help you ascertain if you need immediate medical attention that you will follow up with lifestyle adjustment.
Another thing you can also do is to seek support in form of a help to take care of some pressing chores that may trigger stress.
This will reduce the burden that you feel when you see these chores undone and also bring relief.
Also, Spending time with people you love is also key in easing stress.
You can also seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional trained in stress management.
Our health coach can also help you understand and identify the stressors you should avoid to improve your health.
Sadly, stress can kill and this is why it is important that you manage it.
kindly share with your friends and loved ones to enable them know how best to manage stress.