How to Relieve Stress The school year is a busy time for students to stay active and involve themselves in multiple extra-curricular activities and clubs inside and outside the school. With added homework and pressure from parents and peers to maintain the proper balance of academics and social expectations, we tend to over-fill our plate and before we know it, we are stressed to the max. However, there are solutions to eliminate your stress and help you relax! First, lets learn a little bit about what stress actually is: Our bodies respond to events that pack on pressure or stress with an instinctive “fight or flight” response. This is a physical response that comes from a rush of adrenaline and other hormones that speed up our heart and breathing and give us a burst of energy so that we are able to respond adequately to danger (like, say, running away from a predator). However, in modern times, no one is using this fight or flight response to run away from the dangers of a predator-instead, our bodies turn on the stress signal on for events like traffic jams and homework overloads, resulting in our bodies continually wallowing in stress, or, our stress button always being "on." While built up stress is mentally grueling, it can also take a tole on us physically, which is why being able to relieve it is so important. So, how can we relieve stress? Here's a list of some simple stress-relievers that may come in handy. Go for a 10 minute walk A walk will clear your head and boost endorphins (which results in the reduction of stress hormones). Find a nice open place that brings you a sense of peace. Walking in a park or other green space can actually put your body into a state of meditation known as “involuntary attention ,” during which something holds our attention, but simultaneously allows for reflection. Eat a snack As teenagers, we often joke about the dangers of binge eating or stress eating, but did you know that stress eating is not always a bad thing? “The connection between the brain and the gut is huge – called the ‘gut-brain axis’ – and lots of interesting data supports the idea that the gut is a major mediator of the stress response,” Dr. Drew Ramsey, an assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University college of Physicians and Surgeons said. When your brain feel malnourished, it will cause you stress - so feel free to eat up! Log off and shut down Uninterrupted computer use has been associated with stress, loss of sleep and depression in women according to a study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. In the same study, late night computer use was also associated with stress. In a world where we do a majority of our school work and homework on our laptops, staring at the TV, or using social media on our phones, it has become incredibly difficult to stay away from the ever-prevalent electronics. Learn to break away from it! – it will be hard but the end results will be worth it. Listen to Music Classical music has been linked to being an incredibly effective stress management tool. Music in itself, however, can have a huge relaxing effect on our minds and bodies. Classical music in particular can have a beneficial effect on our physiological functions, slowing the pulse and heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the levels of stress hormones. Craft
Repetitive motions like the fine motor skills used to knit, make jewelry or cross-stitch can soothe anxiety, according to avid knitter and pediatrician, Perri Klass, M.D.. Mindfulness expert Dr. Herbert Benson agrees: Knitting fulfills the two criteria of mindfulness practice, as he sees it, “the repetition of a sound, work, phrase prayer, or movement, and the passive setting aside of intruding thoughts and returning to the repetition.” Essentially, your mind will be so busy that you won’t have time to think about whatever is stressing you out! Personally, I find that drinking some tea is often the best stress-reliever. Why green tea is so good for you Want to find out your stress level? Click here Stress is a hard thing to deal with, and something everyone will feel at some point in their life. Hopefully, these tips will help you manage it when that time comes. Stay classy Valley, Rachel
3 Comments
|