Stress ways to manage and reduce it

We are all exposed to different sources of stress over the course of the day. Sometimes, that stress gives us the energy we need to undertake a project or activity. That is positive stress, called eustress, which gives us the level of activation and concentration necessary to do our daily tasks. When that stress is excessive and continues over time, it can have negative consequences on our health: irritability and sudden changes in mood, sleeping problems, anxiety, muscle pains and headaches, digestive disorders…

To control stress and avoid it becoming a chronic problem, it is important to identify its origin. There will be situations which generate one-off peaks of stress which will be easy to control, whereas other situations will certainly cause prolonged stress which can overwhelm us.

Once you have identified the cause, you can start to put some of these recommendations into practice:

Get organised. Disorder and the lack of organisation are frequent causes of stress, both at work and in our personal lives. When we live in disorder, we are incapable of clearly seeing the goals and priorities of each day, and we make more mistakes.

Prioritise your family and work activities. Classify your tasks according to their urgency, importance and the effort they require. Depending on their impact and the energy they require, you can determine which ones you must do today and which ones can wait.

Do not procrastinate. Normally, we leave the tasks and obligations we like least until the end of the day or for another day. Little by little, our life resembles a funnel blocked up by an endless list of things we don’t feel like doing. By postponing them, we only increase the stress because we can’t stop thinking about how, sooner or later, we will have to tackle that boring or unpleasant task.

Avoid multitasking. We have become used to living at a frenetic pace, with the sole aim of doing a lot of things in the least possible time. In addition to increasing the stress levels, it means that we do not dedicate the time necessary to do things properly, or we make more mistakes. It is better to undertake tasks one by one in an effective, efficient way, rather than trying to do everything at the same time.

Disconnect. If the origin of the stress is work, don’t take your problems home with you. Switch off your mobile, take some time for yourself, do relaxing activities and spend time with your family and friends. That will give you the energy you need to face the next day.

Do exercise. When we exercise, the body produces endorphins, which induce a feeling of well-being and satisfaction. It also increases the levels of other neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, known as the happiness hormone, which improves our mood, and noradrenaline, which prepares the organism to face stressful situations.

Increase your social relations. Many studies have shown that having an active social life has an anti-stress effect. Seek out the company of positive, empathetic people who help you to stop focussing on your stress.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Some people who suffer from stress try to find relief in fatty or sugary foods. That is because those foods activate the dopamine receptors in the brain, causing a pleasant feeling. But it is a short-lived effect which will only increase your risk of obesity and diabetes. Avoid those foods as much as possible and focus your diet on fruit, vegetables and high-quality proteins.

Practice breathing techniques. They help to break the cycle of negative thoughts caused by stress, improve the physical symptoms, motivation, concentration and the ability to solve problems. There are many simple relaxation techniques, many of them focussed on breathing. This is an exercise that you can put into practice right now:

• Sit down with your legs crossed and your back straight, preferably up against the back of the sofa or the wall.
• Close your eyes and put your hands on your knees.
• After taking several deep breaths, breathe naturally, without forcing thoracic or abdominal breathing.
• Concentrate on your breathing, counting the number of inhalations and exhalations from 1 to 10, then start again. It is normal for your mind to stray and to lose count. If that happens, simply concentrate on your breathing again and start counting once more.
• Do this exercise for 5-10 minutes every day and increase the time as you get better at it.