Stress is a common feeling that everyone experiences. However, the stress in your life can be amplified when you have a mental illness. This stress can make it difficult for you to cope and stay positive. The good news is that you will know how to cope with mental illness and reduce its impact on your life. Keep reading to learn more about how to lower stress in your life and deal with mental illness.
Take Time Out To De-Stress
The first thing to do when you’re feeling stressed is to take a break. During this time, reflect on what is stressing you out and why. It’s important to recognize why you’re stressed and figure out ways to reduce the amount of stress you have in your life. You can journal, exercise, get a massage, or read a book during your time away.
Doing something that takes your mind off the stress you’re under can reduce the number of stress hormones in your body. If you regularly take breaks from stress, you’ll be better prepared to handle it when it does arise. Certain foods can help you de-stress. If you’re feeling particularly stressed about work or school, try eating foods high in tryptophan. This amino acid is a natural antidepressant that helps you relieve stress. Foods high in tryptophan include turkey, fish, almonds, avocados, and bananas.
Exercise Can Help You De-Stress
Studies have found that regular exercise is an effective way to reduce stress. This is because exercise has been shown to reduce your stress hormone levels, making you feel more relaxed. If you’re feeling stressed about work, try going for a run or taking a yoga class. Doing something physical will help you de-stress.
If you’re stressed about schoolwork, try reading an informational book or taking a course online. These activities will allow you to engage with your surroundings and stay focused on your work. There are many different types of exercises you can do to reduce stress. Some activities such as yoga and hiking can help you relax and get your mind off of your troubles. Activities like boxing, swimming, or dancing can help you build confidence and connect with others.
Try Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises can help you reduce stress by centering your thoughts and clearing your mind. When you’re feeling stressed, your thoughts tend to race.
When you practice breathing exercises, you’re taking your mind off the things stressing you out. You can try these exercises while doing other activities such as gardening, walking your dog, or while in class. First, breathe slowly and deeply. Then, try to count your breath out loud. This will allow you to focus on something else while you’re stressing out. When you feel stress starting to build up, try breathing exercises. Breathing exercises can help you center your mind and refocus on the things that are stressing you out.
Eat A Balanced Diet
Foods high in sugar and acid can increase your levels of stress hormones. When you’re stressed, you can begin to crave sugary or acidic foods because your body is craving a reaction that it’s used to. This can cause you to eat more unhealthy foods than you normally would.
Eating a balanced diet that includes healthy proteins, complex carbohydrates, and vitamins can help you resist the urge to eat the most unhealthy foods when stressed. Eating a balanced diet will make you less likely to notice the difference between unhealthy and healthy foods. Healthy foods that can help you de-stress include vegetables such as broccoli, oranges, and carrots, whole-grain bread and cereals, low-fat dairy products, fish, fruits, and beans.
Cultivate Your Hobby Or Learn A New One
When you’re stressed, it’s easy to want to lash out at other people. This doesn’t accomplish anything and only makes everyone else in your life feel stressed out as well. Try to cultivate a hobby that you enjoy and helps you relax.
This can be anything from painting to reading to going for a walk in your neighborhood. Many hobbies, such as photography and sewing, don’t require a lot of time out of your day. If you don’t have a hobby yet, try to find one you can spend your free time on. This can help you de-stress while you’re on a tight schedule and looking for something to fill your free time.
Talk To Someone You Trust About Your Feelings
When you’re feeling stressed, it’s easy to become isolated and overwhelmed. People with mental illness are often more likely to feel isolated than others. You can try to reach out to a friend or family member and talk about how you’re feeling. Open up to someone and tell them how you’re feeling and why.
Reaching out to someone can help you to feel a sense of empowerment. It can also help you see the value in your struggles and feel less stressed about them. If you don’t have anyone you trust to talk to about your feelings, try finding a support group for people with mental illness. Support groups can help you relate to other people who have similar struggles and can help you feel less alone.
Conclusion
There are many ways to cope with stress. Healthy habits such as exercising and eating a balanced diet can help you lower stress. There are also ways to de-stress, such as breathing exercises and talking to a friend. When you’re feeling stressed, it’s important to take a break, reduce your intake of sugary foods, and cultivate a hobby you enjoy. These can help you stay on top of stress while on a tight schedule.
