How to Manage Stress Better

Stress is a common condition for a lot of people and it's a normal reaction to the demands of everyday life.

Believe it or not, some stress can actually be good for us, while other kinds of stress is harmful.

Good stress is known as “eustress.” This is the stress that motivates us to perform well and strive to be better in our daily lives.

Everyone needs a little bit of eustress in their lives in order to succeed.

Bad stress is known as “distress.” This is the stress that overwhelms us and makes it hard to accomplish the things we need to do every day.

It can often wear us down over time and may eventually lead to issues like depression or anxiety.

The good news is there are a lot of ways to manage stress in our lives.

Here are a few things you can do to help lower the stress in your life:

1. Identify your stress triggers: These will be different for everyone. Once the trigger is identified, it’s important to learn what you can and cannot control. Sometimes we can control the trigger causing our stress, but other times all we can do is control our reaction to the stress.
2. Set an agenda for your time and energy: Decide what's most important to you and prioritize those things in your life. It’s okay to say no to commitments that you don't feel up to doing.
3. Focus on stress reduction techniques: These can include deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, or spending time in nature. Take some time for yourself to prioritize your emotional health.
4. Engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors: Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and good sleeping habits can help minimize stress and make you feel better overall.
5. Avoid risky behaviors: Using alcohol, drugs, or other unhealthy behaviors are common ways to manage stress, but they will do more harm than good.

For more information about stress management, book an appointment with a certified Lifestyle Medicine provider.