Stress is one of the most common problems of the modern world. It’s commonly known that it can trigger illnesses, both mental and physical, as well as make existing conditions worse. You’ve most likely experienced stressful moments in your life at least a few times. From exams during your school years to the demands of your job and the additional family responsibilities and household chores you need to see to, life can often make you feel overwhelmed. And, of course, you’ve probably discussed daily life stress with your friends, family and work colleagues.
Everybody is dealing with this pesky problem; try as you might, it seems like stress cannot be avoided. Even if you set your mind on relaxing and plan to keep calm the next time, the moment a high-stress situation arrives, you find yourself returning to the same old concerns and apprehensive emotions. Some even claim stress helps them, that they work better under pressure and can complete any task more efficiently if they feel like there’s a little pressure on their shoulders. And while it can seem like that, the truth is that the effects of stress are overwhelmingly negative, and dealing with chronic stress can leave you struggling with various problems over time.
Here are some of the benefits of relaxation, as well as what you can do to promote peace and quiet in your life and give yourself the necessary time to truly relax and unwind.
Systemic reactions
When you’re stressed, your entire body is on edge. It may not seem like this because once the stressor is out of the way, you’re quickly back to normal. Therefore, it is easy to dismiss any signs and symptoms you might feel while you’re stressed, but the situation is different. When you’re stressed out, the body experiences a systemic reaction. Hormones such as cortisol are released in the bloodstream as a response. They can act as sedatives, and while their primary purpose is to calm down your heart rate and pulse, their effect can also cause you to feel fatigued. This is a problem if you have urgent things you need to finish but can’t muster up the energy to get together and start working on them.
Tense emotions can also make your body feel taut, and headaches, stiff neck and shoulders, and dizziness are common concerns that have stress as a culprit. The overload of emotions can impact your cognitive functions and leave you unable to concentrate, control your thoughts (some of which can become intrusive and particularly unpleasant), and struggle with constant worries. If your stress becomes chronic, it can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. These severe mental health conditions can cause additional stress, therefore creating a cycle you’ll feel like you can’t escape.
Best ways to unwind
Relaxing can be a struggle sometimes, and finding the best ways to put your mind at ease can be challenging. Taking a break every now and then is very important. If you’re dealing with an ongoing stressful situation, stepping away from it can help put your mind at ease. If you become too focused on something stressful, it can narrow down your worldview, and you become incredibly focused on the thing causing your stress. Your mind ends up blowing it out of proportion and making it seem more important than it is, further exacerbating your stress. Giving yourself enough space and putting some distance between yourself and whatever is causing your anxiety will make you calmer and help you think more clearly. You can do this by reading something, watching a movie, playing with your pets or having a long and relaxing walk. Spending quality time with loved ones can also help you put things into perspective.
Some foods, drinks and supplements can also help you relax. If you have certain foods that are more likely to comfort you, such as hot soup, cake or anything else that reminds you of your childhood, you can try cooking them. Hot tea also helps, but you should be careful that you don’t resort to eating as a coping mechanism, as it can create additional problems. CBD is also helpful for relaxation. If you’re looking for cannabidiol products to try, you can check them out here. There are several different types of products you can choose from, depending on your preferred method of consuming CBD. Vape carts, gummies and CBD flowers are the most common, and there are many different flavors available, so you can choose the perfect product to help you relax after a long and busy day.
Improved quality of life
If you’re not yet convinced that stress management is critical, you should be aware of the many benefits of taking the time to relax, including:
- Immune system boost: When you get ill, the first thing your doctor will recommend to go along with your treatment is plenty of rest. Research has discovered that stress and anxiety have a negative effect on the immune system, so if you want to stay in good health, remember to practice self-care and relaxation.
- Sleep better: You’ve probably noticed that when you’re stressed out, the quality of your sleep tends to suffer. If you wake up many times throughout the night, struggle to go back to bed, or can’t even fall asleep anymore, the culprit is likely to be stress. When you manage to relax and let go of your worries, you’ll enjoy a better, more restful sleep.
- Improved creativity: You’ve undoubtedly noticed that being stressed makes you less productive. You have trouble concentrating and coming up with creative ideas, and if you have something new to learn, it can seem that try as you might, you can’t memorize anything efficiently. Stress causes your mind to exhaust itself, and you have no energy left to focus on other things. Relaxing will set you free from this problem.
When you’re stressed, it’s difficult to unwind, and you can feel stuck. It’s a common problem that everyone deals with at some point, but becoming unstuck is not impossible, and you need to do it for yourself and your health.
