Stress relief,stress reduction and dealing with stress
‘Stress can build up without you knowing it,’ says Gladeana McMahon, counselor for the British Association for Counseling and co-director for the Center for Stress Management. ‘And if you’re not careful, stress can very easily turn into depression.’ Here’s how you can make sure you don’t slide into depression:
1. Go for a brisk walk Walking or any kind
of exercise disperses the stress hormones that build up in the body which cause you to feel anxious and wound up.
2. Talk to your friends If you’re feeling low and stressed, you probably don’t feel like going out with your mates and talking about it - but try. Research has shown that a low mood can often escalate into depression if you isolate yourself, socially.
3. Give yourself a pat on the back Recognize that you are a fallible human being and praise your achievements, however small. If you’re constantly criticizing yourself and putting yourself down, you can soon get into a vicious circle of negative self talk (’I'm a failure’, ‘I’ve done it all wrong’, ‘Nothing goes right for me’), which will bring you down even further.
4. Eat little and often When you’re stressed, your blood sugar levels spiral out of control, which makes you feel very low and more likely to interpret the world in a negative way. Eating little and often helps to control that. Eat fruit and vegetables and whole foods stay away from sugary products, which will make your blood sugar see-saw and make you feel worse.
5. Make yours an orange juice Try not to overdo the booze. Alcohol is a depressant and although you may think you’re cheering yourself up, keep on drinking and your mood will soon slump. You’ll wake up with a hangover, your blood sugar levels will be all over the place and you’ll feel even worse.
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