Are Your Stress Management Techniques Healthy?
By Sara Butler
Stress is something everyone has to deal with at one time or another, but it's not always something that people understand how to cope with. When people are under pressure, they can choose from a variety of things to help them deal -- from chats with friends to big juicy cheeseburgers, maybe a pint of ice cream or five. How you choose to deal with stress can have a huge impact on your health, both mental and physical. That's why it's good to identify your stress coping mechanisms and determine if they're healthy. If they're not, then it's time to find healthier ones.
A Few Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Identifying your bad habits when you're stressed is the first step to changing them. Some of the most common unhealthy coping mechanisms include:
- Excessive alcohol or drug use or abuse - Having a glass of wine every once in a while doesn't constitute abuse and it's not entirely an unhealthy habit. But binge drinking, using drugs, or chain smoking are unhealthy coping mechanisms.
- Eat junk food - Eating because you're stressed is an unhealthy coping mechanism. Pay attention to what you reach for when you're feeling stressed and be mindful.
- Sleeping too much or too little - Sleeping to escape or staying up and slamming coffee to get things done are both unhealthy.
A Few Healthy Coping Mechanisms
There are some healthy ways to deal with the inevitable stress that you experience in life. Some of the healthy ways you can cope include:
- Getting together with friends and family - Developing a support system you can count on in times of stress is important. Spend times with family and friends who can offer support.
- Exercise - This is one of the best stress relievers out there. Simply taking a walk or dancing around to your favorite tunes is a great way to bust stress.
- Find something that makes you happy - Part of the reason you may be so stressed is that you aren't focusing enough on time for yourself. Do something nice for yourself such as going to see a movie, getting a pedicure, or even chilling out and reading a good book.
Stress is something you cannot ignore. If you don't identify the stressors in your life and find a way to deal with them in a healthy way, then it will start to have an impact on your overall health and wellness.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sandy, Utah.