Fight Stress and Improve Your Health

Fight Stress and Improve Your Health

Ways to reduce stress

This world full of stress. Regardless of who you are and what you do, there's simply no way you can get away from the pressures of life. Whether you are in the office, at home, or in school, there are things that will rob you of your cool, raise your blood pressure, and increase your heart rate. Stress is just inevitable, so even though you're feeling good right now, expect to feel the opposite a few moments later. But even if that is the case, it doesn't mean that you just have to succumb to stress and let it take its toll on you and your health.

In recent studies, scientists have found out that the root cause of most of the deadly diseases that are killing men and women is stress. The good thing is, while stress is unavoidable, there are many things you can do to at least put it in such a level that it doesn't affect your health in a negative way. Stress can be controlled, and believe it or not, it can be done even through in the most unusual of ways.

One of the most common causes of stress is sleep deprivation. You will notice that you feel cranky and grumpy each time you fail to get a good night's sleep. That's because sleep is designed to give the body the opportunity to repair itself. If you can only afford to get four hours of sleep, chances are, your bodily organs will fail to function at their maximum level, your brain becomes foggy, you lose your focus, and you easily get stressed. Obviously, the best solution to this problem is to get to bed early. According to studies, the period between 10 pm and 6 am is the time where the body can function fully to repair damaged tissues and cells. Therefore, make it a habit of going to bed on or before 10 pm to give your body the adequate amount of time it needs for sleep and rest. Another factor that affects how you deal with stress is your diet. For your information, there are certain types of food that can actually help you put stress at bay. Eating omelette for breakfast, for example, can help clear your brain and improve your focus and concentration. This is because eggs, along with milk, cheese, and nuts like almonds are high in tyrosine. Tyrosine is a type of amino acid that helps improve focus and increase alertness. Not only that, but it also helps increase your ability to do multiple tasks at the same time. Another type of food that can help you fight stress is sesame seeds. During a hard day's work, try to snack on some sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are found to help relieve stress because they contain a form of an amino acid called L-arginine. This form of amino acid helps the blood vessels relax, so if you are having a bad day at work, try sesame seeds, as well as cashew nuts, soybeans, and peanuts, as these contain L-arginine too.

Do you know that an apple a day keeps the stress away?

You have heard that apples are an excellent choice for boosting one's health, but it is actually because of the apple's ability to combat stress and fatigue that makes it a favourite of many. Apples are rich in antioxidants, which can help jump-start your system every time you feel too tired because of stress. Not to mention its palatability that will surely help you forget anything that causes you to stress.

Aside from getting enough sleep and snacking on stress-fighting foods, perhaps one of the most excellent ways to beat stress is through exercise. Exercise, no matter how simple the routine, is not something that's pleasing to do. However, you have to understand that there are many benefits of exercising than burning fat and building huge muscles. For your information, exercising is the fastest way to improve your mood and eliminate your stress. Each time you stretch those arms and swing those hips, your brain releases a form of chemical called endorphins. Also referred to as feel-good chemicals, endorphins have the ability to boost your mood so that you feel good just about anything all throughout the day.

Don't let stress beat you, instead, overcome it with these simple yet effective stress-busting methods.

Reviewed By:

Dr. Bharti Talreja (MBBS, DPM, FAGE, MIPS)

She is a Psychiatrist practising in Botad, India.