6 Ways To Ease Stress

Stress rears its ugly head when we bring worry, doubt, and fear into our lives. Something that happened 10 or 20 years ago, even a lifetime ago, can be stressful today. If not dealt with, stress can lead to emotional and mental issues like depression, anxiety, and mood disorders; and even physical illnesses such as high blood pressure and heart disease. According to a Swedish study published by WebMD.com, stress could double a woman’s chances of having breast cancer. http://www.webmd.com/breastcancer/news/20030924/does-stress-cause-breast-cancer#1

Some people think there isn’t a lot you can do about stress, but there is if you’re equipped with a little information.

Here are 6 tips to help you manage everyday stress:

You can’t change the past, so make up your mind today to let it go. You can’t control tomorrow. You only have today to work with, so try to focus on the present. Dwelling on anything but the here and now can keep you in a constant state of anxiety. Being stressed does very little to

change circumstances. If there is something you can do to change your circumstances, do. If

not, then decide to accept it and move on. Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation. It means recognizing that the only person you can control is yourself, and that it is a waste of your precious time, life, and energy to try to change others. Begin to treat yourself a little better. Not in a selfish way, but in a self-preservation way. If you don’t take care of yourself and meet your own needs, how can you be of help to anyone else?

This could mean prayer, Yoga, meditation, taking a walk, taking a long bubble bath, or even just sitting quietly by yourself and thinking positive thoughts.

This covers a lot of things, from proper diet, to exercise, to finding time for rest and relaxation. When it comes to diet, the food we eat has a direct impact on how we feel, physically and emotionally.

feeding your body junk, toss it out in favor of healthy, natural food. A diet high in sugar and

caffeine can also lend to feelings of stress.

Exercise can include walking, dancing, biking, any kind of aerobics that gets you moving. It

releases stress and chemicals in your brain that make you feel good.

Does stress keep you awake? Your body needs 7 or 8 hours of sleep each night. Stress can cause

insomnia or poor sleep, so reducing the stress will improve your sleep, and improving your

sleep will help you feel rested and less stressed.

If you take control of your life at this very moment, your

stress level will begin to lower today.