Healthy and Positive Ways To Handle Stress

Stress is something that's absolutely terrible for your health, and it can be caused from a ton of different things. It could be that one deadline that is eekeing over your head. It could be the crying baby in the restaurant. It could be what your former friend says to you.

People who don't handle stress well are more likely to get a stroke, die of a heart attack, be depressed, or develop an addiction. Stress, legit, can kill you if you can't cope. Oh, and it also can cause you to become someone who's irritable, mean, and generally unlikeable.

Whatever causes it, the fact is that how you deal with the stress you get will determine how healthy you stay. To cope well with stress, get positive about it. Here are some of the best ways to handle stress.

Go for a walk around the block.

Walking, or really any form of light exercise can help you process emotions. It's low impact, helps you get your mind off of things, and also has the added perk of releasing stress-relieving, feel-good hormones called endorphins.

Walking also can reduce adrenaline and cortisol in your body.

Talk it out with someone you trust.

Did you know that sitting down and chatting about your problems actually releases hormones that help you feel more relaxed and in control of the situation? It's true, and a great way to handle stress. It's actually part of the reason why therapy tends to work so well with people who typically just bottle things up until they explode.

Even if you don't tend to bottle things up, it may be a good idea to sit and vent to someone who cares. In some cases, this can actually help you get solutions to problems you have.

Work towards solving whatever problems are stressing you out.

This is possibly one of the most positive and constructive things you can do for yourself. If you can solve your problem, then by all means do it. It will make stress go away, and it will help you feel more empowered to do things that you want to do.

Incidentally, not doing this is what makes procrastination so stressful.

Check to see if you're in the right state of body, then if you're not, work towards getting it.

If you're feeling really stressed out and upset, and you can't pinpoint the reason, it may be a biological issue. Ask yourself if you have had 8 hours of sleep, if you've eaten a meal recently, and if you have been having a regular glass of water. Checking in and listening to your body can be a great way to handle stress. If you haven't, fix those issues. Chances are you will feel better.

Your body and mind chemistry can make a huge difference in how you feel. If you have chemical imbalances, did you take your pills? If you didn't, take them. If you're not sure, ask a doctor.

Consider picking up a mantra that you feel calms you down.

A common relaxation technique that many people have found useful is to recite a mantra that helps you focus yourself and center yourself. Saying something like "I deserve love in my life," or "Grant me the serenity that I need to do right," can make a very big difference in how you feel and help you handle stress.

Cut stress-inducing people out of your life.

We all have one or two people in our lives who tend to make us feel crazy, angry, and agitated. Stress is contagious, and these people are going to worsen the stress that we feel. The best way to ensure that you can avoid feeling way more stressed than you already do is to slowly cut them out of your life.

More often than not, doing this will make you wonder why you didn't do it earlier.

Laugh it off.

Laughter doesn't just burn calories - it actually releases endorphins, too. Sometimes, when the situation is really dire, all we can really do is laugh at how absurdly crazy it all is. Relaxation centers even have courses that allow you to try out laughter therapy, and it's definitely an option to consider when finding ways to handle stress.

Or, you know, you could go online and find something funny.

Be assertive.

One of the most common reasons people get worried about their stress levels is because they often feel like they can't say no to requests. It's crucial to learn to say "no" as a way to handle stress. No one would ever fault you for standing up for yourself, after all.

Once you realize that it's totally fine to say no to things you don't want to do, you'll feel a lot more liberated and a lot happier with your life.

Try meditative yoga.

Yoga has a huge variety of different perks - one of the most commonly cited ones being a more relaxed, stress free state of mind. If you do yoga once in a while, you'll find yourself feeling more relaxed, centered, and alive.

Though every form of yoga feels great, meditative yoga is particularly beneficial for handling stress. After all, that form of yoga is all about boosting serenity through calming your mind and body.