Stress – Kitchen Table Medicine

The saying “home sweet home” cannot be true every time. Like any other place like an office or school, our home can also become a stress zone sometimes.

The stress at home can be due to many reasons like

A very noisy environment like living in the heart of a city
Personal problems like financial issues
Physical pains, broken relationship
Tiring household chores like doing a ton of laundry, cleaning the house, etc.

Although it appears as a simple discomfort, stress is not something that can be taken lightly. Many psychologists say that stress can be related to many psychological and physical problems. Stress and anxiety are some common things experienced by people. About 60 to 70 percent of people pass through mild to extreme stress conditions.

Stress

What is stress?

Stress is a common feeling of both emotional and physical tension. It can happen because of any incident or thought that could make you feel irritated, angry, and nervous, and tensed. Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge you are facing. It can be emotional or physical. Stress can sometimes be positive also. For example, if you are stressed about the work you have to do, then it will help you to complete the work at the right time. But if the stress you are experiencing persists for a long time, then it can cause damage to your both mental and physical health. There are mainly two types of stress:

Chronic stress: This type of stress can persist for a long period. It can be there for about weeks or even months. This stress can be many like money problems, relationship problems, work problems, etc. The main issue with this type of stress is that you can get adapted to the problem and may not even realize you have stress. If not treated timely manner, it may have repercussions like suicidal thoughts or depression.
Acute stress: This is short term stress. It will be there for just a moment, and then it will fade away. The reasons for this stress can be a fight, falling, hitting the hands or legs somewhere, etc. It can also be considered as positive stress since it can help you to overcome the bad situation. Most people have acute stress one time or another.

Symptoms of stress

To recognize and understand that you have stressed is the initial step to manage stress. Your body is an emotional, physical, and behavioral way that indicates that you have stress. Some of the stress signs exhibited by the body are:

Emotional signs: difficulty in sleeping, anxiety, depression, feeling of emptiness, nightmares, negative feelings etc.
Physical signs: body pains and aches, rapid heartbeat and breathing, tiredness, nausea, headache, sweaty palms, trouble in speaking and concentrating, etc.
Behavioral signs: anger, impatience, social isolation, change in appetite, no interest in doing anything, boredom, getting demotivated easily, irritability, aggression, etc.

When stressed, the body will release hormones called stress hormones like cortisol. These hormones alert the center of the brain, increase the pulse, and make muscles tense. These are good for the body to cope up with the stress. Cortisol will increase the glucose in the blood, thereby enhances the brain’s utilization of glucose and increase the availability of substances that repairs the tissues. Too much stress can also cause skin problems, menstrual problems, and sexual problems also.

Tips to reduce stress at home

Some of the strategies you can use to avoid stress at home are:

Make your schedule less tight: If you have made a schedule that includes too many tasks to do without any break, it can induce some stress. Try not to take too many projects or commitments all at once and try to prioritize.
Speak for yourself: In the house, there can be many issues from small to big. If you are feeling mistreated or used, stand for yourself. Express what you are feeling. If the works of the house are too burdensome for you, then speak it out. You can diplomatically express what you are feeling. It can help you to strengthen your self-esteem also.
Surround yourself with supportive people: You are lucky if you have a supportive family. Try to be around people with a positive attitude who can help and support you. Be close to people who were there for you through your thick and thin if you can help to give you a positive mind and can relieve your stress.
Try to be more organized: If there is a lot of work to do, and you do not know where to start, it can make you stressed. Making a to-do list helps you in this situation. Living an organized life not only helps you to overcome the stress but also help you to do everything more easily and effectively.
Always find time for fun and relaxing: Try not to spend half of the life running to do things you want to do. Find yourself time and space to relax and explore yourself. Taking a break between the jobs also make you more productive. You can do simple things like hearing music, cooking something you like, reading a book, playing with your pet, etc. It will help to enhance the emotional center of the brain and can make you happier.
Find your personal space: Being alone for some time in your personal space can help you explore and know yourself more. It does not mean you have to forget about your responsibilities. In addition to caring and look after others, self-care is also important. The personal space can be anywhere like a lounge or a chair in the balcony somewhere calm. Make yourself happy.
Select a stress management activity: Even though you have many things to do, find a way to do something that can decrease your stress, and calm you. If you have things to do, like cleaning the house, try to do it along with some music. It can make you less stressed and also help you to be more productive. If you are working at home, take some snacks along with you. You can also have some yoga sessions, gardening, etc.
Try to solve the problem: There will make some reasons that are making you stressed. Find that reason and try to solve it. For example, if the problem is financial, try to solve it by preparing a budget, increasing your saying, or finding other sources of income. Trying to solve the problem is always better than solving the symptoms.
Try to convert your home to a more peaceful place: The surrounding of the place where you are living can have an impact on your behavior. If it is a noisy region, then it can be very stressful. Try to avoid those places if you are dealing with stress issues. You can also transform your home to a peaceful environment by adding decors like plants, stones, paintings, etc. that can give a warm feeling.

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Stress can be removed completely through proper caring and therapies. But you can also do something from your part to deal with stress. Our home is the only place where we can be ourselves. If you do not feel that the place you are living is not feeling like your home, it is very important to change it.

There’s not a single person on this planet earth who hasn’t felt the heat of stress, isn’t it? Stress has reached the level that it has become a universal experience for each one of us. Everybody gets stressed out and many think it’s a very normal part of their life as well; However, this shouldn’t be the case! Okay, you are undergoing some stress but it doesn’t mean that you have to find a way to deal with it. The competitive world that we live in, the deadlines that we need to meet, the traveling in traffic, the stress of paying your bills, buying groceries, raising your kids, battling that extra bubbles, meal planning — all of these scream stress! According to statistics, in the United States of America alone every seven adults out of ten report that they feel some kind of stress all the other daily. You see, different people have different stressors; this is something that once it starts negatively affecting us the person will feel it very hard to put an end to it. Some people often stress over the tiniest of things while others have a lot of tolerance towards stress. Regardless, it is something that can definitely take a toll on both physical and mental health if it isn’t handled on time. This is where the need for stress management comes into the picture and one should never click its importance in today’s life. Let’s just face it, stress is something that not just affects the brain but it has so many connections with your entire body. For some, stress has the capability of manifesting anger, exhaustion, sadness, mood swings, panic attacks, insomnia, and many such things. The key to assisting or manage stress is directly linked with learning certain skills that help you cope with stress and also raises those endorphins in your brain that will help counteract feelings of stress.

Dealing With Stress

If stress knocks at your door that doesn’t mean you have to deal with that! There exist several techniques, therapies, and activities that help relieve stress. Out of them, exercise is what has proven to be the most beneficial and natural way of reducing stress. Of course, you must be wondering why physical activity alone, right? This is because physical activity has the capability of producing the cortisol levels of the human body; for those who don’t know cortisol is nothing but our body’s stress hormone. And if we get active and break a sweat, our body will produce endorphins that will help our mind and body to relax. When you do this, you will be sleeping better, you will have a clearer mind, and you will also enjoy an improved mood. While studies say that any exercise has the capability of reducing stress, we did a bit of research and I wanted to introduce you to our favorite exercises that will specifically act in connecting your mind and body whilst promoting instant well-being and feelings of calmness. The following exercises will provide you with a good workout session for your body and will also help you relax and feel therapeutic. Read on and pick your favorite from our favorites.

Yoga

How it works to cut down the stress: Yoga is a very popular form of mind-body practice that helps in bringing physical and mental disciplines together which helps you relax and also increase your physical flexibility and strength. Yoga is considered to be a form of strength training that makes one more flexible and resilient and this in turn relieves all the physical and mental tension from the body. Yoga makes use of deep breathing and this specifically triggers the human body’s relaxation. Several studies show how yoga can help in reducing one’s stress, it also lowers heart rate and blood pressure levels. Anybody belonging to any age or any kind of fitness level can participate and practice yoga and also benefit from it. There is this disbelief that one has to be strong and flexible to get the yoga mat, however, this isn’t true! In the world of yoga, there exist several different styles, intensities, and forms of yoga and its posters that anybody can find their fit and begin with.

How to do it: There are yoga classes that appeal to all ranges of ages, fitness levels, and temperament which are bound to certain gyms, fitness studios, and even certain community colleges. Find the one nearest to you and get enrolled for yoga. Certain classes like Hatha, are considered to be gentler and tend to focus mainly on stress reduction. You can also practice yoga in the comfort of your home if you find a good online yoga teacher.

Pilates

How it works to cut down the stress: Pilates can be considered as a group of exercises that emphasize body awareness, proper alignment, and core strength. Its fitness system is made to strengthen muscles, flexibility, and improve body posture while laying focus on mental awareness. Certain studies have proved that Pilates helps in relieving both anxiety and stress symptoms. Doing Pilates will release tension from the muscles and Pilates exercises are performed by emphasizing breathing techniques that will help boost oxygen levels to your brain, and this, in turn, will make you feel calm.

How to do it: A machine called the reformer is used generally to perform Pilates and this is available in Pilates studios. Or one can also perform Pilates on the mat on the floor. Get enrolled in the nearest Pilates studio or follow online tutorials that will help you learn Pilates as a beginner.

Tai Chi

How it works to cut down the stress: This is an ancient martial art form derived from the Chinese and it is very non-competitive. It is known to link every physical movement with breath. Another name for tai chi is meditation in motion – it helps in mental absorption which helps everyday worries disperse away. Tai chi has become very popular because of its health benefits that it provides which are very effective both on body and mind. Just like yoga, there are different forms and styles of Tai Chi. There are tai chi health institutes that have proven how tired she improves flexibility, muscular strength, immunity, and also helps in relieving mental pain and achieve serenity and a sense of peace.

How to do it: Tai Chi is generally comprised of hundred-odd gentle and fluid movements that link with every breath that you take. There are many wellness centers, community colleges that offer classes in tai chi.

Dancing

How it works to cut down the stress: we all look at dancing as a very happy activity to indulge in, isn’t it? Dancing has several mental, emotional, and physical benefits as well. It’s a very great form of workout that not just improves the grace of a body but also its agility as our heart rate races. As much as dancing seems to be fun it is also very stress relieving; it provides this outlet for a person to undergo self-expression and indulge in some creativity. It helps to build confidence in a person and also the ability to express emotions in a safe environment which is very essential for mental health. Also, getting Ruby will help you in weight loss, improve heart health, strengthen bones, and build muscles as well.

How to do it: Zumba, salsa, ballroom dancing, or Square – pick what excites you! You can always find a dance studio or a community center in your vicinity and get enrolled there. Dancing helps lower stress levels and give you happiness. All that you need for dancing is just a comfortable pair of shoes.

Gardening

How it works to cut down the stress: Gardening is considered to be a very low impact workout, so let’s get our hands dirty, shall we? For many, gardening might just be a hobby, but in reality, it is also a workout for them. If you are just reading alone, you end up burning 200 cal in one hour and if you indulge in more strenuous activities like hauling bags of dirt, you will shed up to 600 calories in one hour. Gardening helps you connect with the earth and refreshes your spirit from within. Studies show that gardening directs you to a very positive mood and promotes relief from any form of acute stress that you’re facing.

How to do it: We would ask you to start small, even by planting just one or maybe to her plants will increase your connection to nature. If you feel more ambitious towards gardening then invest in getting a beautiful garden set up at home.