The Benefits Of Stress Management

Stress can be a helpful emotion and help you react to something that could be dangerous or threatening. However, too much stress is not suitable for your health, and neither are the physical reactions of stress, such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, or increased cortisol levels.

When faced with a stressful situation, your body releases the stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is an essential hormone as it helps to control many of our body systems, including digestion and the immune system. Still, its primary function is to prepare the body for a ‘fight or flight.’

The effects of prolonged stress may be more damaging than those of acute stress. Research suggests chronic stress can lead to elevated blood pressure, depression, heart disease, and other severe health conditions. These are all long-term effects and are generally not seen until several weeks or months after the stressful event. On a positive note, research shows that exercise has been shown to help to reduce high levels of cortisol in patients suffering from depression.

So how can you use stress to your advantage and lead to a more positive life?

Regular Exercise: Exercise has many benefits for mental health, one of these being that it releases the stress hormone cortisol (for more information, see the article on the link below). The benefits of regular exercise are well documented, and it is well known that physical activity reduces stress. However long-term effects of regular exercise on reduced stress levels need to be clarified. Exercising reduces the amount of cortisol your body releases, which in turn can help protect you against long-term adverse effects from chronic stress. Regular exercise has also been shown to reduce blood pressure and prevent heart disease due to its cardiovascular benefits.

Laughing: Laughing also has many health benefits. It has been shown that laughing can burn up to 10 calories per minute and increase the cardiovascular system. The smiles associated with laughter can also release endorphins, which help reduce stress and improve your mood and general health.

Positive Thinking: Positive thinking is an essential part of mental health. Research shows that optimistic people tend to remain more positive during stressful situations. This is due to several factors, including their genetic makeup and outlook. Optimists tend to see the positive side in cases where others would see the negative. Patients who suffer from chronic pain often have high-stress levels, which can be reduced by thinking positively and trying to remain calm.

Having a good support network: Family and friends are essential when dealing with stressful situations. Having someone you can talk to or confide in is one of the best ways to stress management therapy levels. A supportive family is critical in helping you deal with stressful situations. However, more support is only sometimes helpful. If your family and friends are too overbearing, it can lead to an increase in stress. Therefore a balanced support network is beneficial to health and well-being.