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The many obligations and concerns that surround our jobs, homes, and personal relationships make stress an unavoidable part of life. People experience stress in different ways, and some cope with it better than others. Feelings of stress can even cause physical effects on the body; varying from high blood pressure to long-term heart problems.
While we can’t always prevent life from getting a bit overwhelming, we can take steps to keep our stress under control. Here are some ideas to better manage stress:
Get Quality Sleep
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep per day. However, quality sleep depends on more than simply getting enough hours each night. You can improve your sleep cycles by practicing good sleep hygiene such as avoiding large meals before bed and going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
Tracking personal sleep patterns in a diary can also help you discover new ways to improve your habits. The National Sleep Foundation provides additional tips for improved sleep; including cutting down on naps, investing in comfortable bedding, and avoiding alcohol and cigarettes before bed.
Eat Well
Maintaining a nutritious diet keeps your mind alert and reduces your risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Visit Mass in Motion – a statewide movement that promotes community wellness – for kid-friendly and adult-friendly guidance on healthy eating, appropriate serving sizes and how to make the right food choices while dining out.
Exercise
Physical activity is a natural mood enhancer that keeps you energized and reduces the risk of depression. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week – such as brisk walking or jogging – and additional muscle-strengthening activities twice a week.
Remember, you don’t need a gym membership to exercise, and you can break up the work into smaller chunks of time throughout the week. If you’re new to exercise, it’s important to start small and work past your barriers. There are also unique physical activity resources for people with disabilities and pregnant women.
Have Fun
You’ll be better equipped to deal with stress if you make time for the things you love. Try incorporating something fun into your regular schedule such as calling a friend, exploring the Commonwealth’s amazing arts and culture scenes, or doing outdoor activities like camping to help reduce stress.
Talk to Someone
If you find that stress largely interferes with your life and does not seem manageable with these basic tips, consider talking to a trusted professional.
What stresses you out and what do you do to manage it? Share your thoughts in the comments below or by tweeting us, @MassGov.
Tags: exercise, Mental Health, sleep, stress, tips
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Your post is very useful. I'm nothing more than agree with the points you described. Maintaining a balance of life is very important because when our lives become imbalanced, that's when all sickness and diseases and and dysfunction, both physically and psychologically, appear. As for me to de-stress myself, I do things I like very much such as gardening or riding my bike around the village to enjoy the sightseeing of the rice fields and mountains and inhale fresh air. Doing meditation is also very effective to eliminate the burdens of thought.
Really awesome tips, your post is very helpful for us. In today's day people are so busy in their daily routine work & in that case they need to do some activities such as exercise, sleep well, etc., which you have already suggested above.
Thanks,
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I have struggled with mental health issues for most of my adult life and have found that exercise and the positive psychology found on sites like [Link removed so as to not imply endorsement.] have helped my stay focused on the good things in life.
Thank you for the article and spreading the message about mental health.
In everybody's life there comes a stage when they suffer from some mental tension or stress. At that time they avoid everything. But exercise is a good medium to avoid or reduce the stress and depression. Not only exercise but good and proper sleep, perfect food, going for a walk makes you free from mental tension. Exercise and meditation help you to recover from all types of mental stress. P90X review taught you the best anti-depression exercises and meditation techniques.
http://www.agirlwhomakes.com/reviews/p90x/