Healthy Ways to Reduce Stress
By Donna Stark
When most people think about maintaining optimal health and wellness, they think about their diet, fitness routine, and the amount of sleep they get each night. But there is a lot more to good health than just those. Good health also requires effective ways to manage stress. Stress, and in particular chronic stress, can lead to devastating health issues if left ignored, so the best thing to do is to take the necessary steps to get it under control. How can you do that? Keep reading to learn more.
How Bad Can Stress Be?
Are you wondering how bad that excess stress in your life can really be? Well, if it's not dealt with, it can actually be quite bad. Over time, that stress you are choosing to ignore or that you don't know how to deal with will change the way your body functions, and that will put you at an increased risk for the following.
- Anxiety and depression
- Disruptions to the body's major systems (digestive, endocrine, immune)
- Headaches and migraines
- Muscle tension and pain
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease, heart attack, and stroke
- Sleep issues
- Weight gain
- Cognitive impairment
- Mood swings and disorders
Ways to Manage Your Stress Effectively
There are many ways stress will enter your life, and while you may not always be able to change the circumstances that create it, you can change the way you react to them. After identifying what it is that is causing you stress, try to come up with a plan that will help you react better in the future. The key idea here is to choose some kind of behavior that will help you relax in as healthy a way as possible. Here are a few suggestions to get you started from your local chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic.
- Listen to some soothing music
- Practice deep-breathing exercises or meditate
- Get your body moving (a short, brisk walk is great for this)
- Engage in a favorite hobby or pastime
- Connect with a friend so you can talk it out
- Start a daily journal
- Watch a favorite show or movie
- Take a break from all electronic devices
- Spend time in nature
Less Stress, Better Health
Learning how to identify your stressors and manage them better is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health and wellness, so try to incorporate the suggestions above as soon as you can into your daily life. And if you need more ideas on how to manage your stress effectively, just head on in to see your local chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic. They have a lot to share!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Huntingdon Valley, Pa.