Ten Effective Ways to Beat Your Stress

You know how you feel when you're under a lot of stress. Your appetite changes. You can't sleep. Your muscles ache and you feel tense. You're restless and fatigued. And those are just the physical symptoms. Emotionally, you may be irritable, more anxious, feeling the "blues", easily discouraged, moody and always worrying. Throw in your mental state, which includes forgetfulness, boredom, poor concentration and negativity and you are in the throes of a breakdown.

No one should feel this way for any extended period of time, but if you do, there are some techniques you can apply to make you feel better:

Keep a journal of how you feel, because it's a good way to express your thoughts and then release them.

Make a list of all that is good in your life. Expressing gratitude and appreciation always reduces stress and puts things in a new perspective.

Meditate to relax your body and mind. All it takes is a few minutes each day to quiet your mind long enough to just be centered and balanced.

Daydream. Imagine yourself in a beautiful environment that gives you peace and enjoyment. See yourself carefree, joyful and free.

Laugh a lot. Laughter reduces stress by increasing the endorphins in the brain, which produce a sense of well-being and contentment.

Complete a goal. Finish something you started. This will improve your self-worth and self-esteem.

Reward yourself by doing something special. It could be treating yourself to a fancy dinner, buying an article of clothing, taking time off from work, going on a short vacation, etc.

Give to others because by giving back you feel better about yourself. This could include volunteering your time, donating clothes to Goodwill, visiting someone in the hospital, calling an old friend.

Don't be so hard on yourself. You may have to relax your standards. The world won't end if things don't get done and you help yourself by becoming more flexible.

Do something you love every day. Don't just wait for the weekend for your leisure time and pleasure.

These effective self-care techniques will work to reduce your stress and alleviate the physical/emotional/mental symptoms you may be experiencing. It's never too late to change what you do , so that taking care of yourself is your priority.

Author's bio: Amy Sherman, LHMC, is a licensed mental health counselor in private practice. Amy is the author of the ebook “Distress-Free Aging: A Boomer’s Guide to Creating a Fulfilled and Purposeful Life”

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