Help Yourself

We all get stressed. Family, relationships, work, money – life can be stressful! Don’t let it get on top of you. Recognise how you cope and take control by doing the things that you know will help. We’ve all got our own ways of dealing with stress. Different things help different people.

Here are some ideas:

Take time to do things you enjoy – exercise, music, walking, whatever it is that your into make sure you find the time to do it. Just getting away from it all for a while can help to make the problem seem more manageable and give you a different view.

Another opinion. Find out what someone you trust thinks. This could be a close friend or family member. For some it helps to talk to someone that they don’t know, someone who is trained, can offer professional advice and comes from outside of your difficulties.

Magazines, books and the web. Take a look at magazines, books or the Internet. They contain lots of information that can give you ideas on how to sort things out. Your doctor can get you access to some useful books (link to books on prescription here).

Sleep Well. If you stay up late stressing about things it makes the problem seem worse. Things look better after a good night’s sleep.

Sleep Tips:
1. Try to get a regular sleeping pattern – go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Lying in bed all day can just leave you feeling worse.
2. Regular exercise improves your sleep, but don’t exercise just before you go to bed as your body needs time to wind down.
3. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and large meals before you sleep.

Try and get things down on paper. Sometimes writing about your problems or worries can help you make sense of them.

Food and Mood. A balanced diet will help improve your fitness and mood. Too much caffeine (cola, tea, coffee, energy drinks) can make you agitated and anxious.

Meditating. This is about clearing your head of all the stuff that builds up over the day. Anyone can do it but it takes a bit of practice. Start by doing the steps below for a minute or two and gradually build up so that you are meditating for 10-15 mins each time.
1. Find somewhere quiet.
2. Lie or sit in a comfortable position.
3. Close your eyes and picture yourself in a place where you feel relaxed – other thoughts, images and noises may distract you. Just try and let them drift past.

Deep breathing – a really good way to relax when things start getting on top of you.
1. Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach expands.
2. Hold the breath in for a couple of seconds.
3. Breathe out slowly through your mouth.
4. Repeat this several times.

Man not superman. Be your own man. Don’t be afraid to live your life your way. Take responsibility for your actions. Make decisions for yourself, not because you think it’s what’s expected of you.

From http://www.sortoutstress.co.uk/