Extreme stress? Tips to keep your cool under stress

What the brain can’t ‘see’, such as a danger ahead, it understands through the release of certain hormones. Thus, stress and anxiety are your body’s natural response to a potentially threatening situation, you know, like a powerpoint presentation in the office. Yes, that may not be exactly what brain was designed for but that’s what it seems to do too much these days. In some cases, the only option is to take medicines but here is a list of things you can still do to control your stress and anxiety without popping any pills.

Breathing:
It’s been proven time and time again that we don’t breathe in enough air for our lungs to be filled properly; we tend to take short breaths that don’t give enough oxygen to the body. So take deep breaths when you feel like things are going out of hand because it will help you calm down and then think rationally to solve any problem. Oxygen is a hell of a drug, isn’t it?

Thinking about the positives:
Flood your thoughts with the positives and flush out the negatives. Start by believing that there’s no problem which can’t be dealt with and you’ll actually find a way to solve it.

Focusing on the present:
The only thing in your control is you. Now because the past is gone, the future is nonexistent and all you can change is your present. If you have a future goal, forget the end result for now and break it down into smaller goals that you can tackle every day. Then, get cracking on those daily goals for your present day and reap the benefits when it’s time. It’s as easy as that, I swear!

Cut out the procrastination:
The best way to know what you have to do is to make a to-do list. At the end of the day, make sure your daily agenda is finished before you hit the snooze on it. The mind feels lost when it has no map to lead it to where it wants to go, so get yourself one and start crossing out the checkpoints as you hit them one by one, on your path.

Opening up to a friend:
It’s always a good thing to open up to a trusted person who is in a position to help. Whatever be the problem or however personal it is, nothing beats the fact that two heads are still better than one to come up with a solution.

Keeping fit:
Work your body out enough that you flush your brain with the endorphins and other feel-good hormones that make you feel happy. When your body stays fit, it can also house a mind that is healthy.

Eating healthy:
Your food habits determine your moods to a great extent. Too much sugar makes you sluggish while too much caffeine accelerates your anxiety. Treat food as what it is, fuel to keep your body running that also happens to taste good. Which is why the best way to eat is always in moderation.

Getting enough sleep:
It’s really important to give yourself enough rest to recuperate with the day to day stress that comes with life. A tired body has no way of being able to handle as much stress as one with a well-rested brain. So go get some ‘ZZZs’ before you become a sleep-starved zombie.

Soaking up fresh air:
Get out, smell the soil, feel the sunlight on your face and enjoy nature dancing in the light breeze. There’s no better way to relieve stress than spending time in the vicinity of Mother Nature.

Get a dog:
If none of the other things work, just adopt a furry friend. They are your personal stress relievers because they’ll always know how to cheer you up - just by being their own dog selves!

Everybody gets stressed in life, it’s the rule of the game. However, it all depends on how you finish it - like a lion who plays till he wins or a pussy who gives up too quickly. But in the end, they all belong to the same family, don’t they?

This post was originally posted on my blog: http://www.feedagreed.com/reduce-stress-levels/