10 Ways To Manage Stress

In this stress management article, I'd like to offer you 10 Ways To Manage Stress in your life on a daily basis.


It's a fast-paced, crazy world that we live in, and it's very easy to feel overwhelmed with all of the responsibilities that seem to fall on your shoulders. You have to juggle your…

• Family obligations
  
• Work demands
  
• Financial pressures
  
• Physical discomforts
  
• Social relationships

…and probably even more, often leaving you feeling stressed out, depressed, and unable to cope.

A lot of people don't realize how stress can affect their health in a very negative way.

I don't understand all of the science behind why this is true, but I've seen it time and time again.


I'm not just talking about someone having a nervous breakdown from stress overload – although that's more common than you might think.


I'm referring to actual physical illnesses, not just emotional and mental distress. There are even documented links between stress and cancer.

With this list of "10 Ways to Manage Stress," I hope to help you ease the burden of your daily life. By using some of these quite simple but effective activities for stress management, you'll find yourself feeling more relaxed, enjoying better health, and able to take pleasure in life a little bit more.

1. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 1
   
   Smile! Yes, something as simple as a smile can help to reduce your stress levels. Try it right now. Not just a cheesy little grin, but a full-blown smile. Feels good, doesn't it? I try to make it a habit to smile at everyone I see. It doesn't matter if it's someone I know, or a stranger I'm passing in the store or on the street. And guess what? They almost always smile back. It's contagious! In a small way I'm helping to reduce their stress levels, too.
   
   
   
2. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 2
   
   Exercise! When you exercise, your body produces chemicals that make you feel good. As a result, you get the instant benefit of stress relief, but you also gain long term benefits in the form of toned muscles and a fitter body. Your exercise doesn't need to be rigorous to be effective. A nice brisk walk, a swim, or a bike ride will do nicely.
   
   
   
3. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 3
   
   Hormone Balance! When your hormones are out of balance, your emotions are greatly affected. Hormone imbalance is also linked to a number of other symptoms and even disease. Most women in western countries are suffering from low progesterone levels. A very simple remedy is natural progesterone cream, like Renewed Balance.
   
   
   The use of natural progesterone cream will reduce or eliminate most PMS symptoms, stabilize your emotions and reduce the stress in your life. I've used progesterone cream for years myself and have also had dozens of ladies report back with their own good results.
   
   
   
4. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 4
   
   Healthy Diet! A healthy diet is another practical way to help manage your stress. If you don't know how to manage stress with your diet, think about eating more foods as close to their natural state as possible.
   
   
   Eating more raw foods (fruits and vegetables) gives your body more nutrition to work with. If you have trouble getting enough raw whole foods into your diet, consider adding some whole food juice powders to your daily routine. You'll definitely feel better and enjoy improved health.
   
   
   
5. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 5
   
   Say NO! Back in my college days I had a staff member give me very good advice. He told me that I needed to learn to say "no." There are responsibilities in your life that simply can't be avoided. Those 'jobs' you must do. But many of us take on tasks that we really should have refused. Each of us only has 24 hours in a day.
   
   
   To manage your stress better, take time to go over your schedule. If your stress is from doing too much, eliminate some of the non-essential activities in your life.
   
   
   Although we all like to think we are indispensable, the world will keep spinning without our supervision or input. If you know your schedule is already at breaking point, learn to graciously say "no" when asked to take on more responsibilities.
   
   
   
6. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 6
   
   Volunteer Work! Inactivity and lack of purpose can also be very stressful. Not to contradict the last tip for reducing stress, but some of us DO need to volunteer and take on MORE responsibility. There's just something very fulfilling and relaxing about doing work for others for no personal gain.
   
   
   Local groups and organizations are always looking for volunteers – church groups, nursing homes, schools, hospitals, the library, non-profit organizations, etc. Find some volunteer work that you will enjoy doing and that will benefit someone else. You'll benefit, too.
   
   
   
7. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 7
   
   Laugh! The Bible says that "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." ~ Proverbs 17:22. Laughter is a great stress reliever. When you know you are starting to get uptight or you're beginning to feel overwhelmed. Find something to make you laugh for a little while. What tickles your funny bone?
   
   
   Several years ago I saw on television a program called, "Kids Say The Darndest Things." I recorded it back then, and now I play the tape on days when I feel like I need a good laugh to reduce my feelings of stress. It works every single time. I can't help but smile while I'm watching and I even get the giggles at some of the delightful children who really DO say the 'darndest' things.
   
   
   Figure out what gets you laughing and use it to brighten your day and manage your stress.
   
   
   
8. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 8
   
   Sleep! Sleep is crucial in how to manage your stress. A good sleep relaxes your mind and body. Sleep is actually very healing to the body, too.
   
   
   Because we get so busy, we often cut back on our sleep time because sleep "appears" to be the least demanding activity in our lives. That's a big mistake. Lack of sleep will magnify every difficulty and shoot your stress levels right through the roof.
   
   
   Most people function better with at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If you have difficulty sleeping, the natural progesterone cream I mentioned earlier may be of help. But I would also highly recommend that you try the following natural herbal supplement.
   
   
   
9. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 9
   
   Natural Herbal Supplements! I'm personally very much against prescription medication for the purpose of reducing stress, dealing with depression, or improving sleep. I've seen first hand the damage that these mind altering drugs have on the individual and, in turn, the family.
   
   
   God gave us herbs in nature that we can use for so many different purposes. Composure capsules are a natural herbal combination that relaxes your body and allows you to sleep better without the nasty side effects of sleeping pills.
   
   
   The herbs in Composure capsules work together to naturally reduce your stress levels and calm your emotions. Natural herbal supplements may not be your ultimate solution for how to manage stress in your life, but it is a safe and effective option that is well worth trying.
   
   
   
10. 10 Ways To Manage Stress - Tip 10
    
    Good Music! I can't complete this stress management article without mentioning the stress relieving benefits of good music. When I say "good music" I'm not talking about any kind of music you happen to prefer. To really reduce your stress levels, you need to choose music that is uplifting in both tempo and lyrics.
    
    
    Classical music is an obvious choice, but you don't have to limit yourself to the classics, particularly if you’re like my husband who can't really stand it. :) Marching band music, gospel music, certain types of country music, etc., may be an option for you.
    
    
    I would avoid any of the heavy metal and most of the rock and roll type of music. Even though they may fall into the category of making you 'feel good,' which is what we are aiming for, it has been reported that those types of music actually have a negative effect on your health.

I hope you can incorporate some or all of these 10 Ways To Manage Stress into your daily routine. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the way your stress is reduced and how much better you'll feel in mind, body, and spirit.


To your good health!

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