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**This is a sponsored post Chapes-JPL, all opinions are still my own**
I’m switchin’ things up to talk revisit an important topic since I’ve kinda been going through it this past couple of weeks: stress or more accurately, giving you much-needed tips to reduce stress. If you didn’t already know, let me fill you in on a little secret…stress is a normal part of life. No brainer huh? Don’t get me wrong, not all stress is bad but living with continuous pressure can be detrimental to your overall health. When your body gets stressed, it responds by using the fight-or-flight response and two hormones- adrenaline and cortisol are released. This speeds up your heart, increases your blood pressure and slows down your digestion (can we say weight gain?). Being stressed sucks but there are ways you can cope. I’m here to show you how.
The Impact of Stress
First things first, let’s talk about some of the detrimental effects stress has on your mind and body. Too much strain can cause you to experience headaches, heart problems, obesity, decreased sex drive, and even anxiety. So it’s important to identify the stressors in your life and figure out healthy ways to manage them.
Stress in Pregnancy
Stress can interfere with your menstrual cycle and make it more difficult for you to become pregnant. It can also have negative effects on your pregnancy by making some pregnancy symptoms (think sleeping difficulties and body aches) worse. It can also cause more serious health problems like high blood pressure and depression.
Stress Differences by Gender
Both men and women get stressed but it affects each gender differently. Research shows that women are more likely to report physical and mental stress symptoms like headache and anxiety compared to men.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to reduce stress (keep reading!).
Tips To Reduce Stress
Look, stress is unavoidable but knowing what to do to improve your mood, promote longevity, and help you to be more productive is key.
Exercise
Exercise improves your physical health and is vital for maintaining mental fitness. Experts believe that exercise reduces fatigue, improves alertness and concentration, and enhances overall cognitive function. This is really helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate.
So find a workout program that you love and stick with it. This could be as simple as walking around your neighborhood, going for a bike ride, or swimming. No matter what it is, focus on how it will benefit your overall health and keep at it.
Manage Your Finances
I’m not sure about you, but dealing with money issues can be pretty stressful. I know I’m guilty of indulging in an impulse purchase a time or two. Look, you may not succeed in managing your money the right way every day, but here is one way that you can make it easier on yourself and lower your stress level at the same time.
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Keep a Journal
Journals are a wonderful way to get all of your thoughts out on paper so that your mind feels less weighed down. Jotting down your daily thoughts, to-do lists, concerns, or inspirational quotes will provide you with an outlet to help you clear your mind and get in touch with your feelings. You can also journal to help get rid of negative thoughts by focusing on the things in life that you are most grateful for which helps you gain clarity around what’s important to you and helps to reduce your stress.
Talk To Someone, If Needed
Let’s be honest, sometimes, your stress is too much for you to handle on your own. It’s okay, we all get overwhelmed from time to time. What’s important is that you seek out the help that you need! Talking to a mental health professional will aid to pinpoint specific events that trigger your stress, give you tips to reduce stress, and create a realistic and manageable action plan.
Take Charge of Your Health
Everyone experiences stress but when it’s frequent and intense, it can strain your mind and body and be harmful to your health. Having tips to reduce stress is essential to take control of your health and wellness once and for all.