The 5 Best Ways To Relieve Stress

Updated October 14, 2022by BetterHelp Editorial Team

Stress is something that everyone may feel from time to time; it isn’t something that should cause you to worry. At the same time, if you have too much stress in your life and it is affecting your routine or behavior, this is something that needs to be addressed rather quickly. Here’s a look at what stress is, how it may affect the body, and five stress relief options.

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What Is Stress?

Stress can be harmful or beneficial, depending on the severity and frequency of stress. Stress is simply the reaction your body has to any real or perceived threat, which can be anything from getting into a new relationship to not being able to find your keys. When low amounts of stress motivate us to finish a task (like cleaning your home or finishing homework), stress can be beneficial and does not cause harm to your body. However, high amounts of stress (or stress that lasts for a long time) means your body has to make adjustments to get used to stress hormones, and too much stress may have negative effects on the body.

What Are Some Causes Of Stress?

There are causes of stress that are considered to be external, and others that are internal. External causes are issues with work, school, family, finances, or not being able to do all the things you want to do.

Internal causes are things that are taking place in your mind, including being negative about a variety of things, thinking negatively about yourself, or thinking that those things need to be handled perfectly.

How Can It Affect My Health?

Stress can, in fact, affect your health, and too much stress can affect your health in negative ways. Since stress is common as you go through life, the body can react to a certain amount, in a manner that causes few problems.

For instance, if you find yourself in an emergency situation, your stress reaction may cause you to be able to get out of it and get to safety.

However, if there is constant stress or stress bothers you too often, it can cause many types of health issues, such as stomach pains, headaches, illness, and can ultimately lead to serious health implications, such as heart disease.

It may also negatively impact many areas of the body, including the muscles, endocrine system, nervous system, and even your reproductive system.

Effects Of Stress

Here is a look at some of the effects that stress might have on the body.

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  • Muscle pains
  • Headaches
  • Chest pains
  • Changes in sleeping patterns
  • Feeling dizzy
  • Anxiety
  • Changes in mood
  • Depression
  • Memory problems
  • Changes in interests
  • Worrying often
  • Not being able to concentrate.
  • Nausea

If you start to notice that you are experiencing some of the effects or symptoms listed above, this could be a signal that you have too much stress in your life. It may be necessary to change some of the things you’re doing, so you can reduce stress in your life. Otherwise, you may start to become physically sick or experience a serious health complication.

Managing Stress

When it comes to stress management, it may be something you have to work on. There’s no way to know what situations will come up in your life, or when you will become stressed. Instead of just getting rid of all of your stress, which can be difficult, it may be easier to concentrate on stress relief. Here’s a look at some ways to do just that.

5 Ways To Relieve Stress

There are so many aspects of your life that can be causing you stress, such as a job or your home life, but this doesn’t really change how you should go about trying to reduce stress. It is important to work on both your mental and physical health when it comes to stress relief, so your body will be able to cope with stress better when you are faced with it.

Get Your Body Moving

Adopting an exercise regimen can help your body in many different ways. It can lend a hand in dealing with the stress hormones that your body creates whenever you develop stress, and it can also help keep your muscles loose. If you don’t know where to begin, you can start with short walks whenever you feel like you need a break. This is not only good for stress relief, but it can also improve your health overall. It even allows you to take yourself out of a stressful situation, where you will have time to clear your mind and think to yourself. Moreover, it will allow you private time to yourself to work through what is happening, which can sometimes allow you to figure out how to handle certain situations better. Doing this may allow you to be able to handle stress better in the future.

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Sleep An Adequate Amount

Getting the proper amount of sleep is important so that you will be able to function and achieve the goals presented to you every day. Stress can cause you to lose sleep, which may be detrimental to your health. Your body needs sleep to reboot, and so you can have the energy you need. It’s a good idea to shoot for going to bed at the same time each day and make sure you give yourself enough time to get the number of hours you need every night.

Find People You Can Count On

It is beneficial to have a support system you can lean on. Having friends and family that you can call or visit when you need to talk about your day, may be able to assist you in getting through even the most stressful of situations. You can spend time with them as a way to manage stress and forget about the things that are bothering you, even if it is just for a few hours at a time. It is okay to lean on someone when you need emotional support.

Develop A Routine That Works

Finding a routine that works for you can be challenging, but it is worth the trouble. It can also help you plan how to get everything that was done that needs to happen on a certain day or during the week. The other reason why this can help you is that it offers you more control over what is going on around you. There are things in life that you simply do not have control over, and sometimes those are the things that can cause stress. This is why it is important to limit your stress in areas that you have power over.

Get Help When You Need It

When you need help, you should not feel ashamed to seek it out. There are times when stress can get the better of you, and during those times, you might need to talk to someone about what’s going on. This doesn’t have to be someone in the support system that was mentioned above. At times, you may need professional help to begin to feel better and lessen your stress.

Treatment Options

One possible treatment option involving a professional that you can use to help you manage stress levels is psychotherapy. A psychotherapist or psychiatrist will be able to offer support, where you can learn techniques on how to manage your stress better. They will also be able to talk to you about the things that are going on in your world if you don’t feel comfortable talking to people you know about these things.

A method that has shown promise for helping an individual deal with stress is cognitive-behavioral therapy. This has also shown to be effective when it is internet-based.

If you are interested in trying internet-based therapy, you can check out BetterHelp. They have trained counselors that can aid you with this, from the privacy of your own home and at your own pace.

Overview

Stress is something that everyone will have to face from time to time. You must be able to manage stress and have stress relief options available to you. Not only should you concentrate on the aspects of your life that you can control, but you can also talk to people that matter to you when you feel like you need a little reset. Take the time you need to relax, so you will be able to deal with the stress you are facing better.

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When you need professional help when it comes to dealing with the stress in your life, there is help available to you. You should not feel like you are alone when you have stress; it is common and is a fact of life. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t learn to deal with it and your health. Get help when you need it, and remember that experiencing some stress in your life is healthy. You don’t have to get rid of all of it, but you should learn how to manage it effectively.

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The information on this page is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. You should not take any action or avoid taking any action without consulting with a qualified mental health professional. For more information, please read our terms of use.
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