Do You Need Better Stress Relief Techniques?

Do you need to learn better stress relief techniques?  From mental and emotional to physical and physiological health concerns, stress is one of the top contributors to poor well-being and health.  If left untreated, chronic stress can have a serious impact on your life.

Do you:

• Feel depressed?


• Doubt your abilities?


• Have difficulty communicating?


• Consume too much alcohol or drugs?


• Find it hard to focus?


• Suffer from stomach pain or headaches?


• Have difficulty concentrating?


• Have mood swings?


• Feel guilty?


• Have trouble sleeping, or sleep too much?


• Become frustrated easily?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then your current stress relief techniques aren’t working.

It’s important to first understand the physiological effects of stress on your body.  When your body encounters a situation where it feels threatened, a ‘fight-or-flight’ response is invoked, which causes your adrenal glands to release a hormone into your blood called Cortisol (also known as the “Stress Hormone”).  In low doses, Cortisol can give you a short boost of energy.  However, prolonged exposure can reduce immune response that can lead to sickness and disease.

Stress relief techniques play a vital role in preserving the body’s immune function.  You can restore your body to its normal balance by activating various relaxation responses.  The sooner you’re able to do this, the less likely you are to experience chronic stress or any of the negative effects of extended exposure to Cortisol.

Any time you begin to feel stress-related anxiety, try to invoke a relaxation response using one of these stress relief techniques, or come up with something that works for you:

• Lose yourself in your favourite activity or hobby.


• Socialize with good friends and family.


• Engage in a physical activity such as running, biking, martial arts, or any active sport you enjoy.


• Focus on an upcoming event that you can look forward to such as a party or vacation.


• Try relaxing by meditating or even yoga.


• Laughter goes a long way to counteract the effects of stress.  Try watching a comedy or read a funny book.


• Try to explore the situation to find potential solutions that can solve your problem.  Identify goals that are specific, realistic, and attainable.

It’s important to not let your problems get the best of you.  If you can find stress relief techniques that work well for you, you’ll be well on your way to living a healthy stress-free life.

To learn more about stress, and various stress relief techniques, take a look at Stress Handbook.