Last update: April 01, 2020
Stress is one of the great evils of our time, especially in more developed countries. It is not easy to stay calm in a world that runs at breakneck speeds, especially thanks to new technologies. Nor is it easy to tolerate the high levels of noise and hostility in big cities. While many people have developed a great deal of adaptability, managing stress continues to be a difficult task.
In the medium and long term, stress causes serious damage both mental and physical. Many physical ailments are the result of this unhealthy psychophysical state. Likewise, stress blocks us, doesn't allow us to think clearly, and can have repercussions on our relationships.
If it is not too serious a case, which requires the intervention of a psychologist, it is possible to learn how to manage stress through some simple tricks. Sometimes it is enough to take a break and put into practice the healthy habits that we present to you below.
"Relax. A land that has rested produces an abundant harvest. "
-Ovidio-
Tricks to manage stress
1. Identify when stress sets in
Recognizing stress is not as easy as it may seem at first glance. Many times we can only identify it when it reaches high levels. Stress manifests itself on a physical and emotional level. It can have an increasing intensity or remain latent.
A physical clue to stress is muscle tension, especially in the jaw, neck, and shoulder area. There is also some tension in the face, and we often tend to tighten our lips. Emotionally, we experience a feeling of irritation mixed with anxiety. These feelings are telling us it's time to take a break.
2. Practice breathing techniques
Breathing is a powerful tool for everyone and easy to use at any time or situation to manage stress. It is an extraordinary way to recover serenity. Slow, regular breathing has been shown to activate the vagus nerve, which is responsible for moderating the stress response.
Just get in as comfortable a position as possible and start inhaling very deeply. Try to focus on the sensation of the lungs filling up with air. Then exhale very slowly. In just two or three minutes, you will have reduced your stress levels.
3. Distract attention
Stress is associated with an fight or flight response. Because of this, when we are under stress, our attention is focused as much as possible on the object that originated the state of tension. If you continue to focus on the source of unrest, the feeling of stress will only increase.
For this reason, it is important that you make an effort to divert attention. Observe an object that is close to you. Try to mentally describe it in as much detail as possible. Then repeat the same exercise with two other objects. This simple trick will help you manage stress by regulating your impulses and immediately broadening your emotional landscape.
4. Look at a relaxing image
The images convey sensations that remain impressed on the observer. For this reason it is good to always have a photograph or image at hand that gives us a sense of calm. The most suitable are the images of landscapes, especially if they are isolated places, with a cold climate, a lot of green or a lot of water.
When you are feeling highly stressed, looking at these pictures will help you relax. It is also a useful way to focus attention on something pleasant, which helps to decrease the feeling of anxiety.
5. Reinterpret the experience
Sometimes knowing that we are stressed increases the stress we feel. We realize that we are distressed and want to get rid of that feeling as soon as possible. But, since it is not always easy, this awareness, instead of calming us, worries us even more. Once stress is identified and accepted, it is important to put in place a number of mechanisms to reduce it. There is no need to apply complicated and frustrating strategies that will only raise it.
Try to recognize all the ways that stress manifests itself in you. What state is your body in? What position have you adopted? How does your heart beat? What kind of thoughts are produced in your mind? This and other similar questions will help you reinterpret what you feel. In this way, the feeling of tension will gradually fade away.
6. Adopt an anti-stress body posture
You must know that there are stressful body positions and other anti-stress body positions. The former are, for example, sitting down with your legs crossed or moving one leg, or both, at a fast and steady pace. Your back will be more arched and your face muscles very tense.
In reverse, standing, with your back straight, and making faces with your face will help you manage stress. It is a position that gives us confidence and security. According to a study published in Health Psychology, this position also inhibits cortisol production.
7. Do a simple hand exercise
It has been shown thatand forcefully closing the fists of both hands and then opening them is an exercise that helps reduce stress. It is an aggressive gesture, and for this reason it helps to release tension in moments of strong restlessness.
All these little tricks can be very effective in managing stress. It is normal to feel a little tense in a world like the present one, especially if we live in a big city. The important thing is not to allow ourselves to be invaded by stress and to apply the necessary tools to control it when it appears.
