How to Get Rid of Stress: Evidence-Based Ways

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

I don’t know about you, but I have days when I’m under stress almost all the time. Towards the evening you feel not just tired, but literally gutted and cannot find the strength to get down to business. But sometimes, without even noticing it, I do something that eliminates stress. It took a while to figure out exactly what I was doing right. And a little more time to find out how stress arises and why some of our actions can completely block it.

Trudi Edginton, a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist at the University of Westminster, believes that physical activity and the psychological state of a person are inextricably linked. Moreover, our thoughts and emotions are associated with physical reactions. It is this fact that is key to understanding the ability to tolerate stress.

Researchers have found that a complex situation can cause a variety of reactions in humans, which can be caused by the presence of certain chemical compounds in the body, such as cortisol and oxytocin. And the level of these substances depends on the presence of strong and trusting relationships, the support of other people, and even a sense of control over the situation.

Why stress occurs

It is very difficult for us to distinguish between work and personal life, if only because the organization of the workflow involves the use of smartphones. Through gadgets, information continuously attacks our senses. Often, work emails and notifications appear on your smartphone even when the work day is over and you are finally ready to take a break. In fact, devices force us to devote maximum time to work, leaving a critical minimum for ourselves. This is a direct path to stress and burnout.

Our responses to stressful situations are natural and necessary for survival. Hit, run, or do nothing - our brain chooses one of these scenarios in order to restore balance. But this is typical for short-term, situational stress.

Long-term stress is challenging. It is difficult to control, because only the brain regulates psychological reactions and releases hormones itself at the moment when the frontal cortex registers a stressful state.

The frontal cortex is the part of the brain that has evolved to enable us to observe, analyze, make decisions, and plan. But she also takes part in the stress generation process.

We have the unique ability to mentally travel into the past in order to remember what happened, and based on this knowledge, imagine the future. This is great, but it also means that we spend a lot of time thinking about negative things, ruining our moods and starting to worry about things that haven't happened yet. People often say, "Don't screw yourself up." This is exactly the case.

As a result, the process of regulating the amount of cortisol in the body is disrupted. This leads to fatigue, decreased immunity, changes in the structures of the brain, including those responsible for learning, memory, emotions.

Therefore, the ability to relax and resist stress is critical to our survival. Of course, the way we manage stress is different for everyone. But, importantly, they work.

Meditation

Meditation is a good way to reward yourself for wanting to control your inner and outer. These exercises help to streamline thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, calm the mind, and relieve tension. Thanks to this, a person gains useful experience and control over attention, reduces the level of discomfort and negative experiences.

Proper meditation strengthens connections within the brain. It activates and thickens the frontal cortex, which reduces stress levels and makes you feel better.

Creativity and sports

Other people turn to creativity or physical activity. Arts, music, sports, dance and yoga have a beneficial effect on immunity, blood pressure, heart rate, cognitive ability and general well-being.

This effect may be explained by the fact that a person is immersed in a special state of flow, headlong into a new occupation.

You can also relieve stress through social interactions. You will definitely feel better after meeting friends, family or just playing with your pet.

Therapy

If a person has difficulties with relaxation and cannot relax on his own, he should turn to specially developed techniques and the help of a trainer.

Progressive muscle relaxationis a special exercise system. First, you need to engage the main muscle groups, and then relax each of them in turn.

This technique has proven to be very effective in reducing stress and physical discomfort. Some doctors help patients connect their imaginations and imagine how the muscles become heavy or warm, amplifying the effect of the entire therapy.

In addition, the technique is widely practiced biofeedback, which involves the use of special medical equipment. The patient is shown on the screen the work of his internal organs - how often the heart beats, how the blood pressure changes, how the brain works. Through visualization, a person gets strong motivation and a sense of control over his own body.

There are complex connections between the environment, our brain and our body, so it's not surprising that stress is a major obstacle to mental health. And you just need to find time for exercises that will help you relax.

Remember: we are all very different, and you may need time to find your own way of relaxation. By the way, for me it turned out to be drawing. What I saw as an evening hobby has become a powerful stress management tool.