Stress and stress conditions. Causes, stages of what happens in the body, positive and negative consequences, methods of combating and increasing stress resistance

"Stress" is a word worn to the limit, but do you know exactly what it means? In order to function normally, our body constantly strives to maintain all physiological processes in dynamic balance. Stress is any influence that disturbs this balance. The body has to work hard to defend itself against the physical and emotional stress to which it is subjected every now and then.

Stress is a necessary evil that comes in many forms. It's hard to imagine a life without stress; Each of us is exposed to stress at one time or another. There are two types of stress - external and internal. External (exogenous) stress factors, the most familiar to us, affect the body from the outside. Internal (endogenous) factors act from the depths of our body. Descriptions of both types of stress are given in the table on the right.

Stress is modern, but the reaction is antediluvian

To understand what exactly is the detrimental effect of stress on the body, you need to look into the past. The survival of primitive man depended primarily on his luck in hunting and on his ability to avoid the claws and fangs of predators. With the threat of an attack, our body instantly releases stress hormones into the bloodstream, which contribute to the flow of energy to those organs on which our protection and salvation depend. This is the so-called "fight or flight" response. Although in our time we are rarely attacked by predatory animals, nevertheless, the physiological reaction to the danger threatening the body has survived from the time of Adam. As soon as the release of stress hormones occurs, the brain immediately comes into a state of combat readiness, and the organs of all five senses begin to function at an acute level. At the same time, glucose stored there is released from the liver, which enters the muscles.

Identify your stressors

External stressors

• Pollution environment
• hydrogenated fats
• Smoking and alcohol
• Excessive exposure to the sun
• emotional problems
• Pain after bereavement
• Divorce/breakup
• Internal stressors
• Food allergies and intolerances
• autoimmune disease
• Increased metabolic rate
• high cholesterol
• Blood sugar disorders (and diabetes)
• Malnutrition
• Depression caused by lack of minerals

When the body responds to stress, significant changes occur in it, each of which is an extension of the fight-or-flight syndrome. They can be divided into seven main types.

1. The pulse quickens and the heart pumps more blood to increase the transport of nutrients needed to generate additional energy.
2. Breathing becomes more frequent to enrich the blood with oxygen and increase the release of carbon dioxide.
3. The blood vessels that supply blood to the brain and muscles expand, which contributes to an increased flow of oxygen, glucose and nutrients to them.
4. The blood-supplying function of the spleen increases, the influx of lymphocytes increases. Increases blood clotting, in case of injury.
5. To increase energy, the liver and skeletal muscles release additional glucose into the blood.
6. The pupils dilate and more light enters the eye, which improves vision.
7. The digestion process slows down, the production of digestive enzymes stops, as a result of which more energy is released for the muscles and brain.

Thus, the complex of reactions "fight or flight" prepares the body for purposeful active actions for a short time. Too long stay of the body in a state of combat readiness has a harmful effect on health and psyche. For comparison, try, while sitting in a car, put the gearshift lever in “neutral” while pressing the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time!

In such cases, the body tries to return to the usual state of harmonic balance, for which it changes its settings, adapting to stress. For example, the body may voluntarily increase blood pressure or drastically lower the concentration of glucose in the blood. Both are fraught with potential threats.

CONSTANT STRESS IMPACTS LEAD TO WE LIVE "ON NERVES" - AND SPEND PRECIOUS ENERGY RESERVES.

But back to our ancestors. After prolonged stressful exposure, they gave the body a respite, allowing it to restore balance. The symptoms of the “fight or flight” complex subsided, normal levels of hormones and blood sugar returned, and digestion returned to normal. The modern rhythm of life often leaves us with no such luxury as time to recover.

How to deal with stress

There are so many stresses in our lives - and often they are so long - that the body almost without respite is in a state of "fight or flight". And, as a result, we constantly live "on the nerves", wasting precious reserves of glucose and energy. The body has no time to recover, which can eventually lead to physiological changes. Listed below are the most common physiological effects of stress. In addition, some types of food can put additional stress on an already overloaded body, contributing to the depletion of energy resources.

Symptoms of stress - physiological effects of stress:

• Suppression of the immune system leading to an increase in colds and infections
• Cravings for a certain type of food
• Constant fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Sudden mood swings
• Depressed state
• Excitement
• Skin rashes

How to deal with emotional stress

It's curious that emotional stress everyone feels differently. What is unconditional stress for you, someone else may not pay attention. The stressful impact in any situation can be weakened by forcing yourself to evaluate it from a different point of view. Take, for example, public speaking, which scares many people. For the first time, they may well cause a stress reaction: sweating of the palms, adrenaline rush. But already during the second or third public speech, these reactions, as a rule, are dulled, and the speaker copes with his task with much greater calmness. As a result, stress is also reduced. But the situation remained the same - only its perception has changed. If you train yourself to treat stress as an inevitability, then it becomes easier to cope with it.

food as a stressor

An optimistic attitude towards life also helps to reduce the harmful effects of stress. For example, you are stuck in a traffic jam, so what? It's not your fault, so you can relax, listen to music, or have a chat with your companion. Do your best - call the service on a cell phone and explain why you are late. If it is not in your power to change the situation, then take it for granted.

Stress, food and nutrients

So what are we to do? If we can’t influence most external stress factors in any way, then we are quite capable of helping our body cope with their manifestations.

Some nutrients, for example, not only help manage stress, but also support the functions of the organs involved in stress responses. So, let's say, the "magnificent five" - ​​vitamins A, C, E, as well as trace elements zinc and selenium - successfully neutralize free radicals that are formed in the body under the influence of stress. Foods containing these vital antioxidants include plums, tomatoes, kiwi fruit, dark green vegetables, seafood, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

Stress and the immune system

It is well known that stressed people are the most prone to illness. This is because stress weakens the immune system.

When stressors increase, we are more likely to suffer from colds and infectious diseases, and in the most severe cases, our immune system does not cope with a precancerous condition, as it would during a period of rest and carelessness. The state of combat readiness lowers the body's resistance to infections, since it treats them as a lesser evil compared to the danger that threatens in this case. As a result, the activity of killer cells is inhibited, the T-system of immunity is disturbed, and infectious agents feel at ease. It is obvious, therefore, that during times of stress it is necessary to stimulate the immune system.

Hormones of the immune system

In times of stress, a balance of two hormones is vital to maintain the immune system. These are dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA) and cortisone. Scientists have shown that many people with chronic diseases have low levels of DHEA, and vice versa - significantly increased levels of cortisone (the amount of these hormones is easily measured using a simple saliva test). There are several reasons why DHEA content drops. Under stress, the adrenal glands stop secreting DHEA and switch to cortisone. The resulting imbalance has the same negative effect on the body as the suppression of the immune system. The level of DHEA decreases with age, and in our 70-80 years our body produces five times less of it than in adolescence and youth. The decrease in the level of this hormone depends on body fat (especially around the waist), constant hunger, insomnia, lack of sexual desire, a tendency to allergies and infectious diseases.

If any of the above apply to you, ask your consultant dietitian or therapist to test your DHEA and cortisone levels.

When stressed, try to avoid coffee and tea, replacing them with diluted fruit or vegetable juices. They will provide your body with vitamin C and magnesium necessary for health, the amount of which drops with stress.

If it turns out that their levels are low, then restoring the normal content of DHEA will allow you not only to reduce cholesterol levels, but also to strengthen the skeleton and improve the ratio of muscle tissue to fat. But the second hormone, cortisone, is potentially dangerous. An increase in its content can lead to a breakdown in the function of the thyroid gland and joints, and lead to a decrease in energy. Moreover, with a high level of cortisone, there is a violation of the structure of muscle and bone tissue, which can lead to osteoporosis.

SOME FOOD PRODUCTS HAVE A STRESS IMPACT ON THE ORGANISM. A DEFICIENCY OF ANY NUTRIENTS IS ALSO A STRESS, BECAUSE A LACK OF THEM NEGATIVELY AFFECTS THE ENZYMATIC PROCESSES DEPENDENT ON THEM.

How to Increase DHEA and Lower Cortisone

The balance of DHEA and cortisone can be restored by supporting the adrenal glands with recommended anti-stress foods (see - 61) and by relaxing through meditation or yoga exercises.

In the most acute cases, caused by prolonged stress, the adrenal glands reduce the secretion of both DHEA and cortisone. This condition is called adrenal insufficiency or crisis. In such cases, it is desirable to make up for the lack of both hormones through dosed supplements of licorice rhizome and Siberian ginseng. However, this can only be done under the supervision of a professional nutritionist.

In the US, supplements containing DHEA are available not only from pharmacies, but also from some health food stores. However, in some countries, only a doctor can prescribe DHEA or its predecessor, pregnenolone, which has a similar effect.

Fight stress with proper nutrition

So how do you manage stress? Although it is not in our power to counteract some external stressors, nevertheless, we are able to radically change both the diet of our diet and our own lifestyle.

Some foods have a stressful effect on the body. The lack of any nutrients is also a stress, since the lack of them negatively affects the enzymatic processes dependent on them. The body needs vitamin B5, vitamin C and magnesium to support adrenal function. To combat the effects of everyday stress, you need to include enough foods containing these vitamins and minerals in your diet every day. For the normal functioning of the adrenal glands, a lot of vitamin C is needed, and this is the only vitamin that does not accumulate in our body in reserve - we must receive it daily with food. Most vitamin C is found in all red and black berries, kiwi and citrus fruits, as well as potatoes and peppers. All this can be purchased at any supermarket.

During a period of increased stress load, the need for these vitamins increases many times over. One of the most typical signs of vitamin C deficiency is stomatitis, or ulceration of the mucous membranes of the mouth. By normalizing the intake of vitamin C, you can get rid of unpleasant sores in just 24 hours.

Stress Fighters

With a busy day at work, few have the luxury of taking a little breather to take their time to taste healthy food. For such busy people, we recommend preparing in the morning and taking nutritious mini-snacks with you to work, which you can grab literally “on the run” during the day.

• Smoked salmon pate on whole grain crackers
• Rye toast with almond butter
• Spinach salad with sunflower seeds

Magnesium is essential for the normal functioning of the adrenal glands, so foods high in magnesium should be included in your diet daily. These are grains of cereals, greens, soybeans, wheat germ, almonds, cod and mackerel. Whole grains, leafy greens, and meat and dairy products are high in vitamin B5.

Of course, the presence of foods that fight stress implies the existence of foods that, on the contrary, contribute to it. Thus, the abuse of sugar and refined carbohydrates leads to the depletion of many essential trace elements, in particular magnesium, and also affects the pancreas, forcing it to increase the secretion of insulin (see Maintaining normal blood sugar levels). For some time, due to the increased load, the functioning of the pancreas is disrupted, which in some cases leads to an early manifestation diabetes adults.

Reducing or completely eliminating sugar from the diet has an extremely beneficial effect on the liver, increasing its function to neutralize toxic substances. The liver is the main cleaning organ in the body. Its role is to constantly filter the blood and remove all potentially dangerous toxic substances, as well as toxins formed as a result of normal digestion. Therefore, any reduction in the stress load on the liver affects its main function in the most beneficial way. Be aware that stimulants such as tea, coffee, and alcoholic drinks deplete the reserves of some trace elements and stimulate the production of adrenaline; therefore, reducing your consumption of these drinks will also allow you to deal with stress more effectively.

How to deal with stress

Obviously, you should also limit or even completely eliminate refined and long-term “ready-to-eat” foods that contain a lot of artificial preservatives, salt, sugar and have extremely low nutritional value from your diet.

Weekend stress plan

In order to feel a surge of energy, as well as in order to relieve your utterly stressed body at least a little, choose a couple of days off when you can afford not to work too hard. Store plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and mineral water. Instruct yourself to eat only raw food throughout the weekend: from it you will draw in abundance the nutrients you need to deal with stress.

Start each morning with 3 cups of warm boiled water. You can add a slice of lemon to it or 2-3 pieces of fresh raw ginger for flavor, but drink water strictly on an empty stomach. This tonic drink will have a beneficial effect on your liver and stimulates the outflow of bile. This is especially useful if the day before you allowed yourself to overindulge in food or abuse alcohol.

Almost all vegetables and fruits can be juiced. Try to drink fresh green juice 3-4 times daily. The best vegetables to juice are watercress, parsley, spinach, zucchini, green peppers, and lettuce. Since fruits are very high in fructose, it is advisable to dilute fruit juices by half with water before drinking.

Try to get some rest, go for a walk, get enough sleep. It is possible that on Sunday you will feel a slight headache, or your muscles will ache, but this is a good sign that your body is being cleansed. Remember that already at the beginning next week You will feel as fresh as if you were on vacation! And don't forget to drink plenty of water throughout the weekend. You can also go for a session of acupressure or aromatherapy - combine business with pleasure in the process of cleansing the body.

• Soy milkshake with fresh berries
• Potato salad with herring rollmops
• Strawberry and kiwi salad with soy cream
• Mango cream sauce with soy milk and sunflower seeds

In the past, I was afraid of dogs. I remember well the state, how thoughts concentrate only on the dog, I want to run away, it becomes difficult to breathe, and the whole body becomes tense. I did not like this condition, and when it arose, I wanted to get rid of it. Of course it was stressful. In this article I will describe how to deal with stress, but first, let's define what it is.

What is stress

Stress has another subtle but destructive property. If it is repeated often, it begins to kill a person. A nervous person sleeps poorly, swears at others for no reason. He constantly has high blood pressure, and digestion does not work well.

All this leads to many unfortunate consequences. Such as depression, hypertension and stomach ulcers. Over time, a person gets used to such a life and perceives it all as something completely normal, but this, of course, is not normal.

Why does he appear

In general, stress occurs in situations that cause two feelings:

1 - a threat to something important to a person
2 - lack of control over the situation

This is not an objective assessment of the situation, but the feelings that arise in the brain, and methods of dealing with stress are based on working with them. In the dog situation, they were both. I believed that they would bite me and could not control their behavior.

How to deal with it

2 - Understand that there is no threat
Sometimes there is no threat, and we only imagine it. In my case, I was afraid of dogs, but usually there was no danger. Often they didn't pay any attention to me at all. Sometimes you just need to understand a little to understand that there is no danger, but sometimes the situation is much deeper. A person can understand the absurdity of his fear, but still be afraid. Such fears come from the depths of the subconscious, and in order to solve them, you need to painstakingly understand yourself, which psychotherapists help to do. This can be very effective, but long and complicated, and besides, if the danger is very real, then this method does not work. For example, if a bag with all documents is stolen from a person in a foreign country, then this way of dealing with stress will obviously not work.

3 - Stop wishing
We love to have a lot of money and conveniences and are afraid to lose it all, but in fact, most of them can be easily dispensed with. You can not fly on vacation, you can quarrel with a friend, and things will still go well. You can live in peace only with a roof over your head and simple food. It's not very comfortable, but quite bearable. Moreover, from the moment of the appearance of mankind until recently, almost everyone lived this way, and many people still live like this. If you do not want something, then there will never be stress because of it. It is desires that give rise to suffering, and in order to get rid of suffering, one must get rid of desires. It is clear that this is easy to say, but difficult to do, especially when experiences are rolling in. But it's big and difficult topic for a separate article.

Once again, the rules are:

1 - get ready
2 - understand that there is no threat
3 - stop wishing

From this article you will learn:

• Why stress can be dangerous and why it is so important to deal with them
• What are the ways to deal with stress
• What are the ways to prevent stress?
• How to become a stress-resistant person

Stress is firmly established in modern life. Many people simply do not notice it now. They are so accustomed to constantly being in a stressful state that, leaving it, they feel discomfort. Scientists claim that prolonged nervous tension causes cardiovascular diseases, neurosis, diseases of the digestive system and other health disorders. Therefore, it is very important to know and apply ways to deal with stress, as well as to be able to respond correctly in stressful situations.

Why you need ways to deal with stress

Stress is the body's response to negative emotions or negative events. Adrenaline is “thrown” into the blood, its amount depends on the emotionality of a person and his susceptibility to stimuli. The heart begins to beat hard, blood pressure rises, muscles tense up. Thus, the body comes to “combat readiness”, mobilizes its reserves. And if he stays in such a state of overvoltage for a long time, then this will inevitably lead to unpleasant consequences. To prevent this, you need to deal with stress in all known ways.

Some doctors believe that the majority of all diseases (about 90%) are caused or aggravated by stress. It affects many organs and systems of the human body.

In stressful situations, blood vessels narrow, making it difficult to supply the brain with oxygen. This causes headaches, insomnia, weakness, neurosis and depression.

Stressful conditions are especially dangerous for the cardiovascular system. They cause arrhythmia, hypertension, increase the risk of occurrence and development of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

Stress can cause disruption of the digestive system, diseases of the liver and gallbladder, exacerbation of stomach ulcers.

Prolonged severe stressful conditions lead to malfunctions in the body's immune system. As a result, a person becomes vulnerable and unprotected against infectious diseases.

Therefore, no one should have any doubts about the need to deal with stress. There are several ways to fight this.

The most effective ways to deal with stress

Everyone is different, and therefore there is no universal way to deal with stress for everyone. What is perfect for one person will be completely useless for another. And yet there are several common methods who help one and all. These include: removing the cause of stress, alleviating stress, and preventing stress.

Eliminate causes of stress

Try to change the situation that led to the tension. Eliminating the cause is a great way to deal with stress. If this is not possible, try to change your attitude towards her. But do not "cut off the shoulder", do not solve the problem immediately, on a "hot head". Take a break, take a break, do something. Or just lie down and sleep. After rest for a shift negative emotions logic always comes. And the current situation will no longer seem so terrible and hopeless to you.

There are two types of problems - solvable and unsolvable. Learn to distinguish them. If the situation can be corrected, then direct all your strength to it. In cases where you cannot change the circumstances, just forget about them. Take what happened for granted, do not wind yourself up, learn the lessons and move on. Constantly thinking about unsolvable life problems, you increase stress tension.

Relief from stress

You need to get rid of stress, because it can lead to various diseases. If the cause of stress cannot be eliminated, try to relieve stress and alleviate your condition. There are several fast and effective ways fight stress. These include:

• Switching attention. Don't dwell on the problem that caused you stress. Try to shift your attention to something pleasant. For example, meet with your friends or loved ones, go to a cafe, watch a kind funny movie, do an interesting job, etc. This way of dealing with stress will help you quickly relieve nervous tension.
• Physical activity- very effective way fight stress. When a stressful situation arises, the human body tenses up, mobilizes its forces, produces adrenaline, which needs a way out. At this time, a person wants to scream loudly, slam doors, break dishes, etc. Sometimes this helps, but it’s still better to throw out negative energy by “peaceful” methods. You can, for example, take a walk, play sports, do spring cleaning or do any other active physical work.
• Breathing exercises. Another way to deal with stress is breathing exercises. Here is one option: lie down or sit down, put your hand on your stomach, close your eyes. Relax. Take a deep breath and imagine that the air fills your lungs, moves down and lifts your stomach. Exhale and “feel” how the exhaled air carries away negative energy with it. Breathing exercises relieve tension, calm the heartbeat and normalize blood pressure.
• Herbal collections. Many medicinal herbs have a calming effect. They are used in the form of infusion, decoction or tea. Soothing herbal preparations are recommended to be taken in courses or during periods of severe nervous tension. It is necessary to take breaks so that this way of relaxation does not become the norm and habit. To combat stress, valerian, Ivan tea, motherwort, oregano, chamomile, lemon balm with mint are used.
• Relaxation. It means relaxation, decreased muscle tone, a state of rest. A great way to deal with stress, helps to contain it, preventing it from escalating. To relax, you can lie down with your eyes closed, listen to good music. You can take a bath or go to the park, get some fresh air and sit in the shade of the trees.
• Relaxing baths. These baths are in a good way dealing with stress. They are made with the addition of aromatic oils or decoctions of medicinal herbs. Use decoctions of oregano, lavender, rosemary, mint, lemon balm, oregano. Of the oils, basil, verbena, orange and anise oils are used.
• Tears. For many people, they are a great way to deal with stress. They give a good discharge and relieve nervous tension. Scientific research showed that tears contain substances that increase a person's stress resistance (peptides). It is not for nothing that in difficult life situations they advise: "cry - and you will immediately feel better."

Another very important topic: ways to deal with stress at work.

Ways to deal with stress at work

With the modern rhythm of life, the problem of dealing with stress at work is becoming very common. It is becoming increasingly relevant in the practical psychology of our time.

Can stress at work be avoided?

Psychologists say that in most cases, stress at work can be dealt with. But if the situation becomes unmanageable, then drastic measures should be taken, up to a change in work activity.

In order to prevent the occurrence of stress at work, it is necessary to analyze all the conditions offered by the employer during employment. The mode of work should be such that you have at least 10 hours of rest every day. If you have to work in dangerous or non-standard situations that require instant decision-making, try to pass a special test that will determine your stress tolerance.

Scientists have developed a special system containing a description of probable situations for a specific work activity. Therefore, a person, passing testing, will be able to understand whether this vacancy suits him.

When employed, a person is usually in a calm, familiar state. That is why it can be quite difficult during stress testing to determine whether he will have stress at work in the future. In most cases, stressful situations do not occur immediately, but only after a while. The reason may be excessive requirements or discrepancy between the expected real situation.

It should be understood that the ideal work "in nature" does not exist. Remember catchphrase"Well, where we do not"? In any type of work activity, there are certain nuances that entail the occurrence of stressful situations. Because of them, a failure in the work of various systems of the human body can occur. The human nervous system is always exposed to the greatest danger. You can fight stress by reducing your requests and expectations to reasonable limits.

Ways to deal with stress at work include:

• the correct distribution of your time (for work, leisure and entertainment) is one of the main ways to deal with stress;
• work planning (distribution of workload and rest during work) is a very effective way to deal with stress;
• self-education and development (study and application of new achievements in a certain professional field);
• the absence of conversations about work outside of it (in your free time, do not talk about it if these conversations cause you negative emotions).

Knowing how to deal with stress at work, a person will always be able to keep his emotional state normal. Due to constant severe stress, performance decreases. Regular stress testing will help reduce the influence of “harmful” factors. Get rid of the cause of nervous tension. Learn to treat people you don't like with understanding or avoid contact with them. If such “meetings” are inevitable, after them, try to quickly switch to positive emotions. For example, a sweet tooth will be saved by a small piece of chocolate.

Life is complicated. Anyone who wants to succeed must be prepared for the fact that many difficulties will have to endure. Yes, of course, difficulties make us stronger. It is readily believed in, but do not forget that even the stones of the rock crumble over time. What happens to a person if he constantly experiences incredible physical and mental stress? He gets stressed out.

Stress is a state when the nerves are at the limit, and there is no longer the strength to endure adversity. Everyone should know how to deal with stress. Why? Yes, because no one is immune from it. The one who knows the methods is always one step ahead of everyone else. Self control is very important.

Causes of stress

Before we talk about how to deal with stress, let's focus on its causes.

Many who want to prove themselves at work, take on everything at once. Yes, it can be a good move up the career ladder, but it will affect the body just terribly. Vanity, attempts to understand what you don’t understand anything, the intrigues of envious people - all this unsettles us. The body is gradually depleted, which means that it becomes more and more difficult to resist external stimuli.

The cause of stress can be moral oppression. Problems with a spouse, children, parents, friends - they deal a very big blow to our psyche. It is difficult when there is no support from loved ones, but even more difficult when aggression comes from them.

The cause of stress can be various kinds of failures. Dismissal, man, the realization that time was wasted, unjustified hopes. Stress can also be caused by the death of someone dear to you.

How to deal with stress

In fact, it is not always difficult. Stress can be treated in a variety of ways. We note right away that you should not look for a way out of this situation at the bottom of a bottle of alcohol - alcohol never helps in such situations. He will only make things worse.

First of all, I would like to advise you to strengthen yourself physically. In a healthy body... Yes, it's really true. It is easier for a person who is healthy in body to fight for his psyche. Of course, stress affects our well-being. How can someone who is constantly sick feel normal?

Go in for sports, and generally lead a healthy lifestyle. Sports will help you become stronger, cheer up, and it will also help you distract from what is happening. In some cases, it becomes a hobby.

In times of stress, it is best to seek support from loved ones. If you find such support, consider that stress is defeated. Explain the situation to them. Admit that you are having a hard time. Don't hide anything. Sometimes a frank conversation can change everything overnight. A really good friend will get into the situation and be sure to find plenty of ways to help you.

How to deal with stress? Leave your work for a while. The best way- take a vacation and go as far away as possible. A place where you can gain new experiences, meet new people, experience something unusual. Show your imagination and come up with something really original and worthwhile.

Maybe it's time for you to change jobs. Think about what you will lose and what you will gain if you leave everything that you are so used to. Is the game worth the candle? Getting used to the new is sometimes difficult, but sometimes it is simply necessary.

In some cases, a psychologist will be helpful. Yes, this is also a way out and by no means the worst. A psychologist is a professional who knows how to help. Don't be afraid to contact him. You will feel the result soon.

Consider which of the following suits you best. You may decide to try a few tips right away. Remember, stress can be beaten.

The desire to lead a healthy full-fledged lifestyle, characteristic of people, sometimes stumbles upon the vicissitudes of the life path. The abundance of stress factors and their increasing pressure, caused by the acceleration of modern realities, brings a person to the need to increase the threshold of stress resistance.

The higher this threshold, the easier the adaptation in society, the greater the social achievements of a person, and simply the more joyful his days. The ability to regulate the inner life has been known for a long time, and a huge variety of methods allows you to find a shortcut to peace of mind and balance of feelings.

Basic relaxation (relaxation) techniques that allow you to better endure stress

The desire and thoughtfulness of actions for one's own recovery, purposeful steps in the intended direction will help to find effective means - Learn how to manage stress better which to warn, and subsequently to defeat him.

Deep breathing

Deep breathing is a simple yet powerful relaxation technique. Its strength is in direct connection with emotions - the main irritants of the human nervous system. Deep breathing is a way to convince nervous system calm down and start relaxing.

A wide variety of breathing techniques allows you to choose the right one for help in each case. Breathing rhythms affect the body, exciting or calming it. The combination of breathing exercises with relaxation techniques, of which there are a large number, will allow you to better endure stress.

Deep breathing allows you to relax, regardless of the thoughts that overcome a person., works like meditation, redirecting attention to the breathing process. The time spent on the practice of exercises will pay off with help at the right time, and the ease of implementation will make it a universal means of relaxation.

Necessary:

• sit down lie straight or lie on the floor with your eyes closed;
• Arms put on the stomach;
• Inhaling slowly through the nose, feeling how the stomach is filled;
• Having counted up to 5 exhale slowly through the mouth;
• Repeat inhale and exhale for 5 minutes.

Note! When choosing techniques that allow you to better endure stress, remember that breathing exercises, no matter how diverse they may be, are easy to remember and perform. They do not require special equipment, space or clothing.

Visualization of a safe place

Visualization - the art of volitional creation of visual images in the mind involving in the process of imagination, sensation, knowledge and feelings. You can control the visualization by managing the created images and directing them to the desired development of the plot.

To create a safe place in your imagination, sit down, relax, try to use all your senses and all your imagination.

A safe place can be familiar or imaginary, the main thing is to concentrate on comfort and safety.

Which female figures are most liked by men and why.

Imagining positive images

The human imagination has the ability to deliberately build ideas, concepts and images in the mind. A great opportunity to model goals and guide steps in the intended direction along life path. Building positive images in the imagination not only improves mood, but also helps to endure stressful situations more easily.

Self-hypnosis with soothing words and phrases

Self-hypnosis with soothing words and phrases involves assuring oneself of desired settings , getting rid of far-fetched phobias, achieving your goals.

There is no doubt that there is a relationship between internal state man and the outside world, though not fully understood connection, but no one doubts its existence.

Remember! A calm atmosphere of self-hypnosis involves setting the inner world to a positive perception of the world around. Gives peace and self-confidence.

Self massage

Massage is a targeted effect on the skin, soft tissues, and muscles of the body. Very useful and immediately beneficial effect on the body. Under various stressful conditions, it brings a double benefit, acting both on the body and on the human psyche.

Well relieves nervous excitement and normalizes sleep. The need to go to a massage master may not be necessary if, after trying to learn some movements, you become a good massage therapist for yourself.

Self-massage is a technique that allows you to better endure stress and has a healing effect on the body. Increases sweating, improves blood circulation, speeds up metabolism. With chronic stress, relieves accumulated muscle tension.

Additional techniques to reduce stress

A change of scenery

The desire for a change of scenery when stressed is a natural and effective step towards calming down. A person on a subconscious level is trying to get away from the hated place in which he is.

Most psychologists believe that it is necessary to start dealing with stress by eliminating contact with the cause or place of stress, moving to another room or going outside, sometimes just step aside. It is important to switch attention from the irritant to the contemplation of calm, positive things.

A change of scenery brings fresh emotions, energizes. Fresh air and sunbathing have a beneficial effect, it is difficult to fall into sadness and despondency in nature. Active rest has a beneficial effect on the physical condition, normalizes the nervous system and paints life with new colors.

Cardinal changes in life are not always needed, such as changing jobs, moving to a permanent place of residence in another city. It is quite enough to take a vacation or go on a trip, the main thing is to look with new eyes at the problems leading to stress.

A change of scenery sometimes implies a change of environment. In communication, it is useful to choose good, sparkling positive people. Acquiring a hobby is another great option to decorate the gray everyday life and spend your holidays in an interesting, relaxing atmosphere.

Important to remember! In the fight against stressful conditions, one should not abuse the discharge with alcohol or other simulators. This does not solve problems, but adds new diagnoses - alcoholism, dependence on drugs.

creative pursuits

Wanting to succeed in society, it is important for a person to find out what helps and what hinders in his campaign and what methods allow him to better endure stress.

Creativity is a gift from nature to a person, releasing emotions, leading to self-confidence and a systematic exit from a stressful state.

Art therapy is a method of treatment, the principle of which is based on visual art classes. In the classroom, negative emotions, coming out, become available for purposeful visualization, it is possible to remove them, express them in a drawing, sculpture, collage.

Attention! Even half an hour of creativity a day helps to learn a lot about yourself and cope with stress.

Laughter therapy

A simple smile helps to forget about the problems that have piled up and helps to relax emotionally. The more often a person smiles, the longer and happier his life is. Laughing is easy to relieve negative emotions and nervous irritation, get rid of resentment and anger.

Laughter is an emotional outburst, a positive energy blocking the entry of stress. and destructive negative programs into a person's life.

aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of volatile aromatic substances by affecting the body. Aromatherapy uses essential oils derived primarily from plants. Smells bring inner order, harmony and inspiration into the human world, and have a healing effect on the body.

Fragrant, light and clean smells are attractive and pleasant. More importantly, the positive impact on the body and soul of a person. The aromas emitted by essential oils are perceived by the sense of smell, which reacts faster than the rest of the senses of our body.

Properties rendered by oils in aromatherapy:

• Antibacterial;
• Antioxidant;
• Stimulant;
• Regenerating;
• Anti-stress;
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Antifungal;
• soothing;
• General strengthening;
• Relaxing;
• Exciting.

Great opportunities for aromatherapy, give many pleasant moments and offer a wide scope for experimenting with smells.

Relaxing music

Listening to your favorite music has an overall relaxing effect on the body and mind, reduces the level of the stress hormone. Singing also effectively affects the body during stress, allowing you to forget your fears and turn off nervous tension. People like a variety of music.

The same style of music affects different listeners in completely different ways. A melody that calms some, brings dislike to others and emotional stress. With fatigue, with an increase in the emotional background, you need to boldly put on headphones and go into the musical space.

Important! Listening music is recommended to be soothing and pleasing to the listener.

Physical activity

Stress gets in the way healthy lifestyle human life. Weakens the muscular and immune system, depletes the energy reserve. The first thing experts advise is to take a walk in the fresh air. In nature, blood circulation increases, the body is enriched with oxygen, thereby reducing the chance of falling into depression.

Cycling, jogging in the morning, walking up the stairs, swimming, gym, any workout at home, if you can’t go out, will help restore normal body work and brighten your thoughts.

Communication with people

The human nervous system is constantly being tested: positive or negative. In everyday life, it is recommended to train your stress tolerance. The most difficult thing is communicating with people who are both good and not so good.

With negative people, once again, you should not communicate, but always be ready for a close conversation. It is most pleasant to communicate with positive people who bring hope, joy and energy. To say goodbye to stress forever, you need to find the strength to direct the flow of your thoughts in a good direction.

Healthy sleep

To normalize internal reserves, people need sleep. For an adult, sleep time should be 8 hours. Stress provokes insomnia, headache, increased nervousness. Healthy sleep must enter into a permanent, necessary regime that must not be disturbed.
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Meditation

Meditation (relaxation) is an inside look at oneself, as an outside observer. The opportunity to think about your actions, looking at yourself, on the other hand, to transfer the mind to positive thinking, to slow down the sequence of events.

When stressed, meditation helps to relax, calm the nervous system, which makes us commit many rash, wrong actions. There are many meditation techniques. You can meditate sitting or lying down with or without music., visualize pictures in different directions, depending on the internal mood.

Yoga

The search for recovery and the answer to the question of what methods allow you to better endure stress will inevitably lead to acquaintance with your inner world. The easiest way to enter it is yoga.

Yoga is not only physical exercise stretching, but also a lifestyle. The totality of the exercises included in the system requires concentration of attention, thereby leading a person away from haunting obsessive thoughts. Yoga relieves muscle tension.

It is important to know! Everyone can do it, regardless of age and health status.

Exercises for Better Stress Transfer

Relaxation according to Jacobson

Stress leads to muscle tension, which increases anxiety, which further tightens the muscles and sets off a perpetual vicious cycle. The Jacobson relaxation technique is a set of exercises that relieve tension.

The system of exercises is built on the alternation of tension and relaxation. used in the exercise of muscle groups. After a strong tension, the muscles tend to relax, which leads to a general emotional calm and relaxation of the body.

Muscle relaxation according to Jackson

Belonging to the group of behavioral techniques, Jacobson exercises (often the surname is translated as Jacobson), with the help of concentrated attention, form the ability to feel muscle tension and develop the skill of voluntary relaxation of tense muscle groups.

There are 16 muscle groups in the human body and it is recommended to start work from the upper muscle groups, gradually going down. Exercises should be started with a short tension of the first muscle group in line, which subsequently completely relax, and all attention is directed to the feeling of complete rest in this part of the body.

Repeat exercises on the first of the muscle groups until you are completely relaxed., and only then proceed to the next group. Having consolidated the skill of complete relaxation of a certain muscle group, the intensity of mental influence decreases and attention slowly focuses on the memory of it.

Subsequently, by analyzing muscle tension that occurs during fear, stress or excitement, independent, complete muscle relaxation is easily achieved, and the ability to smooth out an emotional outburst is developed. The course is aimed at teaching this excellent technique, which allows not only to better endure stress, but also to control its onset.

The course lasts from 5 months to 1 year. A person who has mastered the course belongs to self-control.
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Psychological techniques for stress relief

"Screams into Space"

There is a good practice - cry therapy. Each person has experienced an emotional outburst in which a conversation or quarrel occurs in raised tones and even shouting.

After that, inner emptiness, purification from the inside and balance are felt. This is how it should always be when emotions come up. You can scream any words, sounds, until you feel relieved.

Attention! It is better to shout in nature: in the mountains, near water bodies, in the forest, where there will be no bystanders.

Describe or draw the problem on paper and burn

The Problem Burning Technique is another way to banish stress. Many people carry a heavy burden of resentment, disappointment, failure, unfulfilled expectations on their shoulders all their lives. And they do not know how to get rid of them in order to make room for new energy.

However, a problem is a task that needs to be solved. On a piece of paper, you need to state, in any words, all the fear, any negativity and mentally think about how to deal with it. It is convenient to part with your fears and images of phobias by drawing them on paper.

Then this paper must be burned, and the ashes scattered in the wind. Relief may not come immediately., but moving in this direction, a person will definitely come out a winner.

“Questions to yourself about the importance of the problem”

The epidemic of the 21st century is stress and depression, which have global dimensions and occur in people of various social groups. To start it is necessary to deal with the current situation, which depends entirely on the type of psyche break down the problem into components. How and what happened? Then, having considered it from all sides, proceed to the decision.

Attention! When dealing with stress, it is important to find the main cause of the imbalance and systematically begin to correct the situation.

Write an action plan to overcome the problem

Any problem that has arisen cannot be ignored or forgotten about for a long time. Especially when it comes to stress. The question is serious, it requires balanced and right decisions, immediate action.

For a systematic movement towards recovery, experts recommend drawing up an action plan to overcome the problem and strictly observe it.

Algorithm for dealing with the onset of stress:

1. Neutralize excess bad emotions any possible ways using the methods suggested above;
2. form confidence in itself. Choosing which techniques allow you to better endure stress, use them, constantly increasing self-esteem;
3. Determine the structure of stress having fully understood its causes, what is worth reconciling with, what a positive moment can be found in, what needs to be changed in the current situation;

1. Finding resources, the use of existing developments, the acquisition of new management abilities own personality- which ones are already available, which ones need to be obtained and how, to draw up a plan of decisions for the near future;
2. Planned and immediate start executing the plan.

The fight against stress is a vital necessity for almost every person, and victory will give a calm, full of joyful days, a life controlled by one's own desires and actions.

Useful videos on how to relieve stress and nervous tension

At the end of this article, you may find it helpful to check out a selection of videos that describe some of the other effective techniques for better coping with stress:

Healthy mentality and a calm atmosphere for every day!