How to beat stress

 

 
culled from:http://liveto100.everybody.co.nz

When you learn to manage your stress, you will find peace of mind and have a longer, healthier life – that’s according to the famed Mayo Clinic in the US. The most up-to-date thinking on stress management has found that you should tackle it before the symptoms appear, which means learning to recognise what sparks stress in your daily life.
In order to beat stress effectively you need to have a grab-bag of anti-stressing tools that you use often and proactively before your body's stress response fully kicks in. The more anti-stressing tools you can learn the better – get started today!

Top tips

Do
Relax
	Take part in activities that calm you; they can be achieved while you are gardening or going for a walk. It’s worth exploring various techniques to find what works best for you – then do it regularly!
Healthy breathing	Healthy breathing is simple and quick – you can relax and take in more oxygen if you breathe using your diaphragm, and this is good for your heart. The American Medical Student Association provides guidance on how to practice ‘diaphragmatic breathing’: Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Breathe in deeply through your nose, making sure the hand on your stomach rises and the hand on your chest doesn't. Breathe out very slowly, then clench your abdomen muscles. Repeat these steps four times. If this seems right for you and you would like to find out more about health breathing, there are breathing therapists listed in the Yellow Pages who can help you, or ask your GP.
Eat Well	A good diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables and low in fatty, sugary and processed foods provides your body with the nutrients it requires to maintain good health. Food rich in carbohydrates like rice, potatoes and pasta can help the brain to maintain strong levels of serotonin in the brain, a chemical that has stress reducing properties.
Visualisation	Close your eyes and visualise a scene of relaxation, letting your imagination wander there for a few minutes or even just for a few seconds as your body and brain unwind.
Mindfulness meditation	Mindfulness meditation is a technique to bring your focus into the moment and thereby escape some of the constant chatter of your brain. It’s been shown to reduce stress and improve health among a range of people. Mindfulness meditation needs to be taught and there are courses in most New Zealand cities.
Massage and other complementary therapies	Such things as massage, hypnotherapy, yoga, exercise and aromatherapy have all been shown to have some effect in alleviating mental distress. For more information see the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand’s booklet Complementary Therapies in Mental Health.
Listen to music	Listening to music you enjoy has been scientifically shown to reduce a host of mental distress syndromes.
Shrug it off	Raise your shoulders, and then drop them. The Mental Health Foundation suggests this relaxes your whole body.
Take a break	Give yourself a breather every now and then; take a short break during the day at work or home. Do something you really enjoy. Make sure you plan for a longer break or 2 over the year to relax more fully.
Exercise	Try walking, swimming, yoga or anything you enjoy doing three times a week minimum.
Sleep	Lack of good sleep can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, tiredness and lethargy, morning headache, poor memory, anxiety and depression. People who regularly don't sleep well are also more likely to have accidents, abuse substances such as alcohol, and suffer greater illness and disease.
Talk to someone	Often a natter with a friend, your partner, parents, counsellor or clergy or someone else you trust can really help. You can also ask yourself if what you are stressing over really is a problem.
Limit your expectations	Be selective in the tasks you take on and in your goal setting – don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Get organised for and at work	Get up 5 or 10 minutes earlier so you don’t have to rush. Organise your desk, put flowers in your office, make sure the lighting is right for you. Break large projects down into small steps Spend 10 minutes at the end of the day preparing for the next.
Learn to problem solve	Stay assertive and learn to say ‘no’. But also practice compromise and learn how to deal with your frustrations and anger.
Practise positive self-talk	Identify what you do well, and recognise and acknowledge your qualities and characteristics.
Put fun and laughter into your life – SMILE!	This has been proven to be good for your health and it feels good too!
Get a pet	People with pets can feel calmer and feel less alone.
Write it down	Keep a notepad by the bed, write your down what is stressing you and tell yourself you will deal with it in the morning. Do this during the day, too, and allocate 30 minutes later to deal with the list – that clears the rest of the day for 'stress-freeness’!

Don't
Take to cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol or snack foods	These only make things worse in the long term, even if they appear to offer some kind of temporary relief.
Over-extend yourself	Instead, take one step at a time.
Blame yourself if you don't reach all your goals	Remember, these may be possible next time.

Who can help?

The best person to go to for help initially is your GP. He or she should be able to offer stress reduction techniques or direct you to courses that teach stress reduction. Your GP should also be able to draw up a stress management plan and monitor your stress over time. He or she may also refer you for psychotherapy or counselling, and will talk to you about medication if it is appropriate for you.

Additional information

Meditation in Auckland 
Meditation in Wellington
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand’s booklet Complementary and 
Alternative Therapies in Mental Health