There’s no preventing pressure and deadlines, causes of stress, from coming up in the professional and personal sides of life. Along with deliverables at work, there’s stress that’s bubbling in the periphery of an 8-hour day such as getting caught in traffic or not finding a document needed for a meeting that’s happening in 15 minutes. And according to medical opinion, about 90% of diseases are stress related. Its detrimental effects include cardiovascular ailments, risk of obesity, and depression.
Behavior and mindset change to minimize stress are achievable, difficult as they may be. Supportive family and friends are critical in helping lessen stress hormone levels. Cancer survivors attest to the important role of techniques that reduce stress in healing.
Physical activity increases growth hormones while lowering stress causing ones. For example, simple morning and evening stretches will go a long way in preventing immune system health problems. Recognize and clear stressors from personal life, which means not wasting time over activities that are unsatisfactory. Breathe deeply. Impulsive decisions and actions are avoided when one is in a serene state of mind. Gardening, as hobby for relaxation, is a good preventive tool against stress.
Over and above all, getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night is essential. Finding a method for falling asleep is personal to each individual. Cancer patients use mindfulness meditation, “the intentional, accepting and non-judgmental focus of one’s attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment,” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_meditation) to reduce stress and sleep better. Writing a to-do list helps the mind relax as work waiting to be done usually puts sleep at bay.
The best method, however, is changing perspectives. Instead of looking at problems, focus on the solutions. Replaying the challenging scenarios increases stress levels and doesn’t bring up the answers. There’s no controlling every problem but selecting the ones that can be changed is an available choice that leads to good management of stress.