Dealing with stress
Techniques for stopping stress in its tracks
Once you've recognised the "I'm stressed" feeling starting to build up - well done! That's the first step to dealing with it. Now you can quite literally take a deep breath and relax. One thing that people who are dealing with a stressful situation seem to do is take shallow, fast breaths, so stop for a minute. Make sure you are sitting, lying or standing in a comfortable position, and breathe in really deeply, to the count of four. Hold this breath for another four counts, and then exhale really slowly to a count of eight. Repeat this exercise six times, concentrating on each breath and counting as you go. This will start to slow you down, and mentally disconnect you, however briefly, from the stress that you can feel escalating inside you.
Dealing with stress on a daily basis
There is no magic secret when it comes to dealing with stress, we all have to find a way of dealing with it that works for us. Recognising that you are feeling overwhelmed, and that it's OK just to take some time to look after number one, is key.
If you can take a day off from the things that are causing you stress, it won't make them go away but can at least give you some breathing space to decide how you are going to approach the problems. Spend a day, or a couple of days, being kind to yourself. If work is the stressor, removing yourself from a busy office can make all the difference.
If it's hard to escape from the things that are causing you stress, sometimes facing up to issues such as relationship problems, money worries or any other major issues can help you to deal with them. Don't just sweep these kind of long term worries under the carpet, the relief you could feel from actually getting your fears out in the open could go a long way to helping you relieve some of the pressure.
Make sure that you eat well, as stress can cause you to either binge eat or lose your appetite. Many women turn to food when they feel stressed, and researchers at the University of Liverpool1 discovered what most women could have told them anyway, that stress acts as a trigger to over-consume and in particular, women who eat in response to their emotions as a rule were more prone to excessive food consumption when they were feeling stressed. Eating cakes doesn't make you feel better in the long term, and when the cake has gone, the stress is still there.
Try to get enough sleep, even when you think there's no point going to bed because your mind is racing. Sometimes the old tricks are the best - a soothing cup of chamomile tea, a warm bath and an early night really can help. They won't make the cause of your stress magically disappear, but at the very least you'll feel as though you are taking care of yourself, and sometimes that can make all the difference.
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