Stress is extremely hard on your body – it can cause fatigue, heart problems, increased blood pressure, and also be a contributor to long-term illness. Of course, if you are stressed right now, then that statement may have stressed you out even more. So, take a deep breath, count to ten, and start to evaluate what stresses you are feeling right now. When you’re asked the question: “what are you stressed about?” what is the first thing that comes to mind? You may be able to pinpoint the (Source)                                                        exact factor in your life that is contributing so much to the overwhelming stress you are feeling, or not. No matter your answer, here are some tried and tested ways of helping you to reduce your stress so you can lead a healthier life.

Be Honest With Yourself

If you are constantly feeling stressed and anxious, it may be time to try and find the root source of what is making you feel this way. If there is something you have been avoiding – whether it’s an overdue bill, or reconciling your differences with a friend you recently had an argument with. Everyone has been there. The problem with avoiding things is: the longer you avoid something, the more stressed and anxious it will make you. It is a never-ending cycle, and no one else is going to take charge of reducing your stress. Write what is bothering you down, and see if you can find a pathway to a solution. Nine times out of ten, after you have planned a solution to a problem, you will feel much better.

Fresh Air

The first thing to do what you feel stressed is to get outside. You may think this is counterproductive, as you are walking away from solving the source of what is making you stressed. However, fresh air has actually been proven to significantly reduce stress and boost your mood. You will also be able to soak up some important vitamin D – the happy vitamin – and return to the problem feeling refreshed and more positive. This will help you to look at the problem with a calmer perspective, increasing the likelihood of a solution presenting itself.

Money

The number one cause of stress is financial problems, and everyone at some point (or multiple points) in their life has allowed themselves to become overwhelmed with stress due to money troubles. Unfortunately, money struggles demand attention, or they just get worse over time. Sitting down like Rachel does in Friends – with a little encouragement – and cutting up all of your credit cards and looking into loan debt relief may be the best stress reliever – even though it is the root cause of stress. Once you see the light at the end of the tunnel, you will be more likely to strive for it – but money problems due to stress can lead to further money problems trying to relieve that stress. Don’t fall into that hole. Get a friend, a bottle of tequila – whatever you need for courage, and break down your monthly income. See what money is going towards your bills, and how much you have left over to start paying off debts. Consolidating your loans and managing one payment a month is an easy and sustainable way of climbing out of the money pit that is causing you so much stress.

Exercise and Diet

Eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly is a great way of getting the feel-good endorphins pumping into your blood, and help you to feel more capable of taking on the day ahead. Exercise will give you time away from the grind of daily life, and anything that is causing your stress, so you can go back with a clear mind, feeling energized and ready to take whatever it may be on. There are major health benefits to exercising – not only does it help you to lose or maintain your weight, but it also helps battle any underlying health problems and counteract the causes of stress. Just half an hour a day can make a world of difference. This is the same for your diet – if you are constantly eating unhealthy, high sugar content foods, you will be feeling sluggish, lethargic, and potentially be relying on food to get you through the stress. Eating as clean as possible and preparing all of your own food, rather than opting for processed alternatives, can help to up your energy levels and feel more optimistic and in control. Especially if what is causing you stress is sudden weight gain, or not being happy with your body – you definitely should not neglect your diet and fitness.

Stress is something that affects every human being quite often – potentially even once every day for some. It is nothing to be ashamed of or fear – but it does help to know how to deal with it should a sudden bout of it arise. Hopefully, you found a few useful tips in this blog that will help you to take a step back in the future, breathe, reduce your stress, and – who knows – potentially even conquer the world.