We all know that intense experiences have serious emotional and even physical consequences. So why are they so difficult to manage?
Researchers from Yale University (USA) know the answer. They discovered Bill Hathaway. Even In The Healthy, Stress Causes Brain To Shrink, Yale Study Shows that stress reduces the volume of gray matter in the areas of the brain responsible for self-control.
Thus, each emotional shock, suppressing the ability to control stress, aggravates subsequent shocks. It turns out to be a kind of vicious circle.
But there is no need to be discouraged. You can reverse this effect and manage stress if you make it a priority. The sooner you begin to effectively manage your emotions, the easier it will be to avoid the harm of nervous tension in the future.
The best weapon against stress is the ability to choose one thought over another.
William James
American psychologist
Fortunately, the brain's plasticity allows it to rewire and repair damaged areas as we change behavior. That is, by properly relieving tension, we train the brain to resist stress more effectively.
These seven strategies will help you restore your brain and cope with stress.
Disconnect
Thanks to technology, we can always stay connected. It seems as if it should be so. But enjoying peace of mind in your free time is extremely difficult if at any moment an email can change your train of thought.
Regular shutdowns help you control your stress levels and rest. Being in the access zone around the clock, you are only exposed to an inexhaustible stream of stress factors. But if you force yourself to go offline or even turn off your phone, you will allow your head and body to relax.
Studies have shown that simply not checking email on the weekend can help reduce stress.
If you can't ignore work contacts on weekday evenings, then what about the weekends? Choose the right time and protect yourself from business. By incorporating these mental recharges into your weekly schedule, you will be surprised at how refreshing and stress-relieving these breaks are.
If you are worried about negative consequences, try to start by switching off only when the likelihood of someone contacting you is minimal. For example, on Sunday morning. As you begin to get used to such measures, gradually increase the time spent away from technology.
Advice from psychologists
Let's see what experts recommend doing:
- Do not forget that man is a highly social creature and needs communication. If there is a problem, try to talk it out. Share your feelings with a loved one, friend or psychologist. It will certainly become easier.
- Think about what could distract you. You yourself know how and what is better and more pleasant for you. Maybe an interesting book or going to the cinema with friends? A trip to nature or board games in a fun company? Feel free to make plans for the weekend and go headlong into relaxation.
- If you feel like you’re boiling, shout, break a plate, beat a pillow, throw things around. Japanese offices have special felt-lined rooms where employees can blow off steam through various destructive activities. Local psychologists are confident that this technique helps improve productivity and reduces the number of sick days due to neuroses.
- Try singing as a treatment. Even if the bear has walked through your ears several times, turn on your favorite music and sing from your heart.
- Do not mask your condition with temporary stimulants such as alcohol, nicotine, medications, etc. This does not help cope with stress. The effect will quickly pass, and the general condition will only worsen.
- Stop watching television programs of a criminal or other negative nature for a while. Stop following the lives of the rich and famous on social networks, which give you complexes and spoil your mood.
- Look for reasons to be grateful, because everyone has them.
- Practice mindfulness. When you live your life on autopilot, you don't focus on the present moment and miss out on things that could bring you pleasure. For example, when you drink coffee and at the same time scroll through your Instagram feed, you do not feel the aroma and taste of the drink. Try just 5 minutes without being distracted by anything. I promise you will definitely see the difference.
And in order to react less to irritating factors, you can take courses or training on stress resistance.
Neutralize unfriendly people
Unpleasant personalities are frustrating, tiring, and stressful. You can manage your interactions with them by controlling your feelings. When you have to deal with such a person, approach the situation wisely. Take care of your emotions and don't let anger or frustration wreak havoc.
At the same time, consider the disagreeable person's point of view and motives to find a path to consensus. Even when everything goes downhill, you can tolerate such a person without letting him drive you crazy.
Try to be kind to your parents
— Parents are too close a target (just like brothers, sisters, wives or husbands). The distance is such that you cannot miss,” Joseph Brodsky told graduates of the University of Michigan.
How to raise a stress-resistant child?
More recently, at the beginning of 2021, UN experts released guidelines in which they outlined the main rules as part of the campaign to combat child drug addiction and crime. They drew the attention of readers: in order for children to grow up without cravings for bad things, it is important to praise them.
When we praise a child, it gives him a feeling of security, self-confidence, increases motivation and develops determination. Science says that where children receive parental support and warmth, their self-esteem increases. The main thing is that the praise be sincere and specific. You need to reward for what the child has done, what he has put in the effort, and not for his abilities or appearance.
Don't hold grudges
They also cause stress. By simply remembering something to be offended about, you put your body into fight-or-flight mode—a survival mechanism that prepares the body to fight or run away from a threat. When danger is in front of you, this reaction saves lives. But if the threat has long passed, then stress maintained by memories only causes damage to the body and can have a destructive effect.
Researchers from Emory University (USA) have proven that prolonged emotional stress increases blood pressure and contributes to the development of heart disease. By holding onto resentment, you accumulate stress. People with high emotional intelligence avoid this state at all costs. By letting go of the grudge, you will not only feel better, but also improve your health.
Sports, sports, sports
Svetlana Mustaeva , Candidate of Medical Sciences, Head of the Center for Sports Medicine, Exercise Therapy and Physiotherapy:
— As a practicing physician, I regularly work with patients who neglected reasonable physical activity, that is, did not engage in prevention. My advice to anyone who wants to relieve stress at work: exercise at least three times a week.
How does sport help? It promotes the production of endorphins - hormones that mobilize blood supply. Improving blood supply, in turn, increases performance, eliminates congestion, and increases microcirculation in the vessels. Especially in the brain, which programmers use so actively. IT specialists have sedentary work, and this can cause congestion in the pelvic area. The result is decreased libido, prostatitis in men, and reproductive health problems in women. Sports and fitness will help you avoid these troubles, which in themselves cause stress.
Practice meditation
Self-mindfulness is a simple, research-backed form of meditation that can help you control recalcitrant thoughts and actions. People who practice it concentrate better even when they are not meditating. This technique is great for dealing with stress because it suppresses the feeling of being out of control.
Self-awareness prevents you from spontaneously switching between thoughts, which helps you refrain from negative reasoning. This is a good way to cope with work life while remaining calm and productive.
The concept of stress resistance
Stress tolerance is a whole complex of personal qualities that allow you to calmly tolerate and control the impact of stressors without excessive emotionality. Prevents the development of mental disorders and other harmful consequences.
Often, success in life is achieved not by those who are gifted and have a certain set of talents, but by those who have a high level of stress resistance.
Considering that stress has a destructive effect on the nervous system, psyche and personality of a person, as well as physical health, it is necessary to learn how to resist it.
In 2021, the article “Interhemispheric asymmetry and the structure of stress resistance resources of the integral individuality” was published (authors: V. G. Gryazeva-Dobshinskaya, Yu. A. Dmitrieva and S. Yu. Korobova). It describes a study that examined the psychophysiology, psychodynamics, and personality factors in the development of stress tolerance. It was found that its level largely depends on the characteristics of interhemispheric asymmetry, which is individual for each person.
Keep things in perspective
The reason for our worries often lies in a distorted perception of events. Before you waste a lot of time analyzing your boss's instructions from the last meeting, take a minute to see the whole picture. You can resort to this method when the level of anxiety does not correspond to the real reasons for it.
If you find yourself thinking superficially, then try to rethink the situation. The best way to get rid of this line of thinking is to list the things that actually went wrong. Most likely, you will count one or two points and not bury the whole idea.
To stay calm, it is important to understand that feelings often distort the situation, and the scale of the problem may not be as significant as it seems.
Discipline yourself
Stress arises, among other things, due to the fact that we are trying to do everything we can, and at the same time achieve some significant goals. As a result, we get caught up in routine, and cherished goals continue to loom somewhere in the distance, draining energy from us.
Self-discipline helps to cope with this problem. If you learn time management, make plans and follow them, your stress will decrease. You will systematically move towards your goal and at the same time have time to solve both work and everyday issues. Perhaps not everything, but this is the price: if you want to achieve something, you need to sacrifice something.
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Use your support system
Trying to do everything yourself is tempting, but ineffective. To stay calm and productive, you need to admit your weaknesses and ask for help when you need it. In other words, if the situation becomes too difficult, you need to engage your support system.
Everyone has people in their life who are ready to cover and support them in difficult times. Find such people in your environment and turn to them for advice or help when needed.
Even just talking about your worries can reduce anxiety and change your perspective on the situation. In most cases, other people see a solution that you do not see, because their perception of the problem is free of unnecessary emotions. Asking for help will reduce your anxiety and strengthen your relationships with those you rely on.
The strategies listed may seem simple. But when stress clouds your mind, they will be difficult to apply. Get over yourself when your head starts spinning and you will reap the benefits of disciplined stress management.
Wrong Strategies for Dealing with Stress
Very often, in moments of stress, people begin to smoke, drink alcohol, take psychoactive substances, overeat or not eat at all, and avoid communicating with friends and family. Sometimes a person may begin to spend hours in front of the TV or “hang out” in front of the computer.
Another strategy is to create employment throughout the day, lack of free time as an avoidance of the problem and one’s responsibility in this particular situation. An increase in the duration of sleep, situations of splashing out one’s stressful emotions on others in the form of attacks of anger, lack of self-control, and physical violence are also not uncommon. But all these strategies help only temporarily cope with stress and may even be harmful in the long run.
There are healthier and natural ways to manage stress.
Express test:
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