Everybody deals with little or intense stress on a daily basis. Sometimes we get annoyed by things that are not going right as we want them to be, such as traffic jams, changes in plans and cancellations. Sometimes it can be grave emotional stress such as a traumatic incident or traumatic news about loved ones.

We, humans, have an in-built response system towards stress or stressful situations. During this stress response, the body exhibits a series of changes in terms of a hormonal flood, speedy breathing, dilation of blood vessels, and muscles becoming tenser.

Negative Response Towards Stress

Many people are unable to manage stress and even respond to it in a negative way. This can make it even worse. The negative means towards stress not only destroys health but the person may wear off with time. Negative responses are just timely distractions and do not help out.

1. Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol or substance abuse is a very common response to chronic stress. When a person is unable to find a way out of a stressful situation, he might take assistance from alcohol or substance abuse. This can prove fatal and deteriorate mental and physical health. It is important to see help if you are really into addiction.

You can find the most luxurious treatment centers for drug abuse if you have money to invest. Greenhouse rehab center in Texas is an example of such luxurious centers that not only provide medical facilities but also provide a number of recreational facilities. Such centers make your recovery path much easier.

2. Binge Eating

This is again another negative stress response that individuals generally make. People may begin to eat much more than they need in order to cope with stress. It can lead to weight gain and may even cause obesity in severe cases. If not handled properly, it may increase the risk of obesity-related health issues.

3. Aggression And Violence

Aggression and violence is a very common and usual stress response. You get nothing out of it; rather, it may ruin and break your connections with family and friends. Many times the aggression is so intense that it leads to violence.

4. Self-Criticism

Self-criticism is another example of a negative stress response. Many times people begin to criticize themselves. This can result in personality issues such as a lack of self-confidence. Excessive self-criticism may, over time, take the form of serious mental issues such as anxiety and depression.

Healthier Response To Stress

It is at times very difficult to manage stress, and it not only affects the body’s ability to function properly but it may even lead to many physical and mental health issues. One important way to deal with stress is through managing your response to it.

Learning healthier ways to respond to stressful situations can help us to avoid negative harm to our health. Relaxation techniques are healthy ways to cope with stress. Here are some effective relaxation techniques to better deal with stress.

1. Breath Focus

Natural stress response influences the breathing process and makes a person breathe at a higher pace. The breath focus works opposite to this natural response and tends to stabilize not only breathing patterns but the body as a whole. In breathe focus, a person deliberately takes slower and deep breathes; this works well to disengage and distract troubling thoughts and sensations.

2. Muscle Relaxation

When focused breathing is combined with thoughtful muscle relaxation, then it can prove even more beneficial to deal with stress. As we have discussed, in response to stress, the body muscles become tense.

It relaxes those tense muscles. This technique can prove very useful in order to build a strong body and mind connection. In case if you have recently gone through surgery, then this stress- releasing technique can even boost your recovery.

3. Guided Imagery

One effective way to respond to stress is guided imagery. It helps to calm down both mind and body and tends to make a person more relaxed. In guided imagery, you consciously think of the happiest moment of life, sweetest memories and calming natural views that divert your focus from stress. By thinking about things that had personal significance, a person can feel very relaxed. Nowadays, you can use apps that help to provide relaxing visuals.

4. Mindful Meditation

Over the years, this technique has gained much popularity and is considered one of the best ways to deal with stress. You may do it all by yourself or may even take assistance from a professional trainer to practice it.

It is about sitting down and relaxing, followed by deep breathing. During this process, you consciously give off all the thoughts about the past or even the future and simply focus on the present. Your focus on your now and yourself helps to banish stress.

5. Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong

These are very ancient techniques used for relaxation purposes. It involves the practice of rhythmic breathing along with body poses and body stretches. These techniques not only help with stress but are very useful to attain strength and balance. These techniques also enhance your mental focus and take it away from disturbing and troubling thoughts. You might initially need professional assistance in order to make these techniques effectively work for you.

6. Repetitive Prayers

This might work only if you have a belief in spirituality. It tends to relax your inner self. In this technique, a person repeats a religious phrase or a prayer with controlled breathing. You can use this technique for at least 15-20 minutes each day.

Take Away

Relaxing techniques are one of the healthiest ways to respond to stress. It allows you to relax your mind, body and divert the shift from stressful thoughts. Utilizing more than one technique can prove more beneficial as compared to sticking to just one technique. Relaxing techniques allow you to relax your mind while consciously controlling your body and bodily actions.