With stress, the mind and the body are intrinsically linked. You can view stress as something that is wreaking havoc on your body (and it can) or as something that is giving you the strength and energy to overcome adversity.
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Regular exposure to stress in small quantities can prepare us to handle a big stressful event in our lives. Prepare yourself for stress by self-education about the stressful event, by doing some physically stressful activities like completing a marathon, or something you dread, like giving a speech.
Repeated exposure to mildly stressful conditions can alter your body’s biological response to stress, making you manage stress in a better way.
Socially stressful programs and activities like:
have skill-building, uncomfortable situations by design, that help kids and adults incorporate social and intellectual abilities.
Resilience is our ability to 'bounce back' from difficult experiences. There are several ways to practice it:
Consistent exercise helps in handling stress by:
Our mind may be the key tool in handling stress. And it needs rest to recover and handle the stressful situation in a better way.
Sudden and acute stress can shutdown our appetite temporarily as a stress-response mechanism, but chronic stress (anxiety, worry) can increase our appetite.
Mindful eating, which involves eating slowly and relishing every bite, while being aware of the food that is going in us, is extremely important. Be present in the moment and savor the food you're eating.
While some stress is essential for human function, chronic stress creates a cascade of physical changes throughout your body:
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Progressive muscle relaxation involves relaxing all the muscles in your body, group by group. to practice you can start with a few deep breaths.
Then, practice tightening and relaxing each muscle group, starting with your forehead and moving down to your toes.
With practice, you'll learn to recognize tension and tightness in your muscles and you'll be able to relax more easily. Each time you practice, however, you should experience a feeling of relaxation sweeping through your body.