8 Ways To Help Manage Your Stress

You may be able to lessen the bad effects of stress on your physical and mental wellbeing by following any or all of these 8 Tips:

Establish and stick to a regular exercise routine– Getting regular exercise- even 30 minutes daily of walking- can help you not only get out of a mental funk but also improve your physical health as well. A good thing about this is that after some time, you may want to even increase your physical activity to take things “to the next level”!
Listen to yourself- Observe the response of your body to stress. Are you feeling anxious or depressed, drinking more, having trouble sleeping, or having low energy over a sustained period of time? Recognizing that any one, or any combination of these is triggered by stress can indicate it’s time to take steps to get stress under control.
Explore relaxation techniques- Breathing exercises, meditation, treating yourself to a regular routine of relaxing massages can help you overcome stress.
Talk to your doctor or health care professional– Be proactive and mention your concerns with stress in order for them to get involved with ways to help you manage it.
Time management planning- Take a few minutes at the end of your day, or at the start of a new day to set up your top-priority goals for the day to help you manage your task load effectively. What needs to get done today versus what can be put off? Be flexible enough to be able to adapt to sudden priority shifts (life happens…), but this can help you move forward without being overwhelmed by a long list of tasks, or an onslaught of new tasks. Review what you accomplished at the end of each day.
Keep in touch- Many friends and/or co-workers can often relate to your stress as they may often feel under similar stress themselves, or know you and your specific situation intimately. Taking time to stay connected, talking and listening, can help reduce stress. Ask for help when you can.
Consider joining a study clinic or clinical trial- Many research facilities in the US are actively studying the causes and effects of stress, as well as the effectiveness of stress management techniques. Look online for “clinical trials for stress” or “join a study on stress” to learn more about these trials. There may even be a location near you performing a study that you may be able to participate in.
Seek help from a mental health professional- If you are feeling overwhelmed with stress and are feeling you cannot cope, it is time to seek professional help. Your primary care physician may be able to refer you or feel free to reach out to American Behavioral Clinics for help. If you are having thoughts of suicide, please seek help immediately from resources such as The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8225). They operate 24 hrs a day/ 7 days a week.