Prevent misery 15 signs you’re stressed

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it is STRESS O'Clock
It Is Stress O’Clock Somewherer

As an active blogger my brains are all the time at work. I am writing this article from a base jungle camp, deep in the jungle of the Republic of Suriname where I spent some time to relax and to unite with the nature elements. So I was cleansing my body for stress as well. I really hope you enjoy this blog.

Do you realize in time that you are stressed? Or do you keep letting stress overwhelm you? In this article you can read what you should pay attention to so that you can hit the brakes in time.

Stress starts small

Stress often starts small and subtle. This makes it easy to overlook the first signals. Especially if you are busy with other things. Your mental and physical health will then become less of a priority.

Moreover, stress looks different for everyone. One person suffers from vague physical complaints, while another feels extra irritable , for example .

The problem is, you can get on with these subtle symptoms just fine. You take a painkiller, pour yourself another cup of coffee – and when you don’t feel up to it in the evening, you put a pizza in the oven.

Of course, I don’t have to tell you that this only works in the short term . In the long run you will only make the problem worse.

Do you want to experience less stress on a structural basis and live life more lightly? Then it is smart to hit the brakes at the first signals.

Physical stress signals

A physical response to stress occurs because your brain receives a signal that you need to be extra alert. For our ancestors, this was a useful tool for survival.

This means that your brain, heart and muscles are put on high alert. So that you can give just that little bit extra in the event of danger.

Other parts of your body receive less attention. After all, what good is good digestion if you’re about to be eaten yourself?

Once the danger has passed, your body can relax and recover. At least, that’s how the stress system is intended. But in our modern age there are constant stimuli that activate our stress system. This gives you no time to recover.

These are physical stress signals:

  • An accelerated heart rate and breathing
  • Fatigue, but still having difficulty sleeping
  • The unconscious tightening of muscles, for example in your neck, jaw, back or shoulders
  • Tension headache
  • Dizziness or ringing in the ears
  • Abdominal pain or intestinal cramps
  • Cold hands, dry mouth and excessive sweating

Emotional and mental stress signals

Stress also affects the way your brain works. Just think of an acute stressful situation such as a car running a red light – which requires you to react in a split second. The instinctive part of your brain takes over.

Complicated brain functions such as planning, organizing, concentrating and keeping an overview are temporarily pushed into the background. This also applies to regulating your thoughts and emotions.

Does the stressful situation last longer? Then you become mentally out of balance.

Fatigue also plays a role in this. Because you get little rest during stressful periods, you can cope less and you are more likely to suffer from a bad mood.

Emotional and mental stress signals are:

  • Difficulty concentrating and prioritizing
  • Worry a lot or suffer from negative thoughts
  • Be easily angry, irritated or sad
  • Forgetting appointments or arriving late
  • Feeling gloomy and depressed
  • Not wanting to have sex anymore
  • Snacking a lot or not being hungry at all
  • Avoiding social contacts

Hit the brakes

Do you recognize a large number of these 15 signals? Then investigate where they come from.

Do you have a to-do list that will help you wallpaper the living room? Are you an informal caregiver with a busy family and demanding job? Or do you set the bar so high for yourself that even a pole vaulter can’t clear it?

Then it’s time to hit the brakes. Put your own well-being and health first. This means that sometimes you have to say no to someone else to say yes to yourself.

In addition, ensure sufficient rest and relaxation. Take plenty of breaks and do something every day that helps you relax, such as:

  • Walking or cycling in nature
  • Listen to music
  • Read a nice book
  • To play sports
  • Pursue a hobby

Have you calmed down a bit? Then think about why you keep falling into that stress trap. Why are you so busy? Why do you set the bar so high? What’s behind that? Maybe you have the urge to prove yourself, you are a perfectionist or you think you can only be successful with a full agenda.

Only when you address the underlying cause can you truly free yourself from stress and the annoying symptoms that come with it.

Are you unsure about the cause of your complaints? Then make an appointment with your doctor. A Checkup can rule out whether there is something else going on, such as a (chronic) illness, allergies or a vitamin deficiency.

Reduce stress step by step

Stress sucks the joy out of your day. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to quickly experience less stress. Look for yourself and discover what is the best thing to do.

So that happiness can flow back into your day. 

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Here are my 11 ways to reduce stress right now…

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You naturally want to avoid and prevent stress as much as possible. Doesn’t work? Then here are 11 ways to reduce stress right now. Read it !! Breathe In, Breathe Out…… Remember we are living in a world where you can not avoid getting stressed. Everyone is struggling even me, but don’t give up the stress fight.

The Unstress Course is Now Open for Enrollment (but Closes on Monday)

This is how you reduce stress

Stress makes no one happier. Among other things, stress causes you to become irritated quickly, sleep badly and enjoy yourself less. Due to increasing fatigue, the frustrations continue to rise and your stress level continues to rise .

The solution is of course obvious: tackling the cause or causes of the stress you are experiencing. Sometimes, however, that does not work one-two-three. For example, financial problems are not easily solved, it takes time to process a breakup and caring for a sick family member can cause a lot of worries.

However, there are also ways to directly reduce stress in those situations. This way you can relax better, you are less likely to become overstimulated and you make yourself more resilient.

1. Write down what you are grateful for

Especially when you experience a lot of negative stress, it is sometimes difficult to think positively. You soon end up in a negative spiral, which only causes you more stress.

Looking for positivity can help you get out of that negative spiral. After all, there is always something to be thankful for. Think about it and write it down – make a gratitude list.

To reduce stress, I write down three things in a book every night that I am grateful for that day. The sun that unexpectedly broke through, for example;  A nice offer in the supermarket that saved you some money can also do something.

It’s the little things that do it. And by writing them down, you become aware that there is quite a lot to be thankful for. That makes you happier and that in turn has a positive effect on your stress level.

2. Move more

When you are stressed, you tend to worry a lot. At least I do. Grind, grind and grind again. What helps? Clearing my head by moving.

Exercise has of course many benefits, including reducing stress. Movement inhibits the production of cortisol (the stress hormone) and promotes the production of endorphins (the happiness hormone). No wonder I feel reborn after a run.

3. Go outside

However, the latter is also due to the fresh air outside. Not only because fresh air gives you a boost, but also because nature has a relaxing effect. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind, the warmth of the sun on your face, and even the feeling of raindrops falling in your hair can help ease your stress.

4. Wash off the stress

Walking in the rain is probably nobody’s biggest hobby, but washing your worries away can be healing.

A nice shower or a relaxing bath can therefore also help to reduce stress. Especially when you close your eyes and visualize that all your worries disappear down the shower drain.

5. Reducing Stress By Meditating

There are many more visualizations and meditations that produce the same effect. My favorite is a body scan, in which I consciously tense and relax every part of my body with my eyes closed. On the Internet you will find a number of nice meditations that will immediately help you to reduce stress.

Just close your eyes for a few minutes and follow your breathing – this is often enough to feel more relaxed. Slow down and do nothing but be.

6. Do something creative

Is meditation not for you? Perhaps you can lose yourself in a creative activity. For example, crocheting, crafting or assembling something can be very relaxing.

An adult coloring book helps me personally: for a while all I have to worry about is coloring within the lines. It can be that simple.

7. Cleaning up your house

Cleaning up works a bit the same for me: it’s simple, it yields something and I hardly have to think about it.

An additional advantage is that a tidy house helps to reduce stress. After all, your head is already full and chaotic enough when you’re stressed, so a cluttered environment is counterproductive. When you tidy up, you create peace in your environment and therefore also in your head.

8. Do something you’ve been dreading for a long time

There are even more ways to immediately create more space in your head. Those tasks that you keep putting off because you don’t like them so much take up space in your head. Check one off and you have one less thing to worry about.

9. Write off you

You can write off all those other things. Get the worrying thoughts out of your head and put them on paper. This way you don’t have to store them all mentally and you create space in your head again.

Just writing off everything you want to lose can sometimes be a huge relief. However, it also ensures that you have a clear overview of what is going on. By writing down everything you worry about, you may get helpful insights that you can use to move on.

10. Reducing Stress By Sleeping Well

If not, at least you’ve vented your heart and cleared your head. This often helps, especially when you can’t sleep because you keep worrying. Still, a good night’s sleep is very important to reduce stress. Without sleep you cannot recover and the tensions only increase.

So also use something like writing down all your worrying thoughts or a meditation to calm yourself before going to sleep. And go to bed on time.

No matter how busy you are, always make time for enough sleep. Without a good night’s sleep, you are much more susceptible to stress and you soon end up in a vicious circle of stress, lack of sleep and even more stress.

11. Make physical contact

Whether you sleep alone or with a partner: physical contact also helps to reduce stress. For example, if you give your partner or a friend a hug, your body produces the hormone oxytocin. This so-called cuddle hormone gives you a sense of trust and connection and reduces your stress level. Are you both stressed out? A firm hug does wonders.

Reduce stress step by step

Stress sucks the happiness out of your day. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to quickly experience less stress.

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