Learn How to Lower Your Stress

Stress is something all people experience from time to time. Your anxiety levels can multiply with added responsibilities at home or work. Learning how to combat it with healthy choices will help keep it manageable and keep its bedfellow, depression, and bay. 

Although stress can lead to depression, it is not an inevitable reality. That said, it is important to handle your daily stress to keep from having to manage depression. Depression is an illness that can be treated by therapy, medication and/or TMS treatment.

So, what’s TMS treatment? Simply put, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a non-invasive treatment where doctors place an electromagnetic coil on the forehead, and pulses are sent through your skull, targeting the part of the brain responsible for your mood. Although there are effective ways to manage depression, prevention is always the best medicine by far. 

Sleep

Getting proper sleep is when your body can relax, and your internal functions have the opportunity to repair themselves and prepare for the coming day. It’s no surprise getting adequate sleep is not only a key component in overall good health, but it also helps you to keep your stress levels down.

Talk

Did you ever notice when something is playing on your mind, you feel better after talking it over with someone? That’s no accident. When you speak with someone you trust about something that is stressing you out, it lowers your stress level. 

By discussing the issues causing you anxiety, you get to put to rest any negative thoughts at the root of your stress and replace them with the positive support you need to manage it effectively. 

Exercise 

When you are experiencing anxiety, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. When you are feeling stressed out, anxious or scared, cortisol levels increase. Consistently high levels of cortisol inflame your organs, and that can potentially lead to organ damage. 

When you exercise, your body burns the released cortisol in your body. Not only that, but it also causes your body to release endorphins, which are your “feel good” hormones. That is why you feel good after physical activity. When you feel stress building up, taking a brisk walk, or doing any other physical activity you enjoy, will benefit you in more than one way.

Yoga and meditation are also effective ways to counter stress. Taking the time to clear your mind and focus on deliberate stretches and breathing is something you can do on your own where you have a peaceful setting to recoup. 

The beauty of meditation is there are several different approaches. Some effective meditation can be learning how to clear your mind where other types may have you focus on visualizing things that will calm you. You can do it either sitting in a chair, on the floor, or lying on your bed. There are no physical limitations in meditation. Explore a few different options and see which one works the best for you. 

Domino Effect 

Because stress alters your mood, it can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms that include avoiding friends and loved ones. You think because you are feeling down, the last thing you can do is interact with people who will not embrace your less than social mood. Allowing yourself to be secluded because you’re stressed out can manifest into depression. If you aren’t aware of how your actions aren’t helping, you can quickly spiral downwards.

To avoid the complications associated with unmanaged stress, learn to recognize when you need to take time for yourself. You will feel much better and lead a longer, happier life. Who doesn’t want that?