Five Ways to De-Stress

As a three sport athlete who is determined to do well in school while working two jobs there is a lot of pressure to get things done in a timely manner. That overwhelming pressure typically develops into stress. Scientifically, stress is the body’s natural defense against predators and danger. Stress, in everyday terms, is a feeling that people have when they are overloaded and struggling to cope with demands.

Surprisingly, most of the stress affecting us in our lives and in our bodies is determined by ourselves. We can control how stress affects us everyday. What does stress do with our bodies? The most prominent studies show that stress makes it impossible to lose weight, makes us sick, and shrinks our brains – none of which we want. So the important question is: how do we de-stress ourselves? From researching studies and interviewing people, I have came up with five ways that can help people cope with stress in their lives.

1. Eat Well

Eating helps you de-stress your body. More importantly, eating well and treating your body with good nutrients helps reduce stress. This will provide you with the energy you need to tackle on what life brings you. When we’re overwhelmed, we often forget to eat well and resort to using sugary, fatty snack foods.

2. Sleep

Are you getting enough sleep? Year-round basketball player, Joey Batt says, “when I am stressed out with school, sports, work, and other activities I take naps during my downtime.” A good night’s sleep is essential to staying healthy and strong. When you are well-rested, you can approach a stressful situation more calmly. The quality of sleep is most important which is feeling restful and restorative in the morning.

3. Meditate

Meditating helps you focus your attention on things happening in the present. Ms. Gusso explains that she typically is not a high stressed person, “but when I am stressed I focus on deep breathing. I also meditate everyday.” Paying attention to your breathing is one way to focus. The way you breathe affects your entire body. Deep breathing is a good way to relax, reduce tension, and relieve stress.

4. Get Exercise

Moving your body is another way of reducing stress and preventing it from future occurrences. When your body is in good condition, you feel healthier and more energized, leaving you with drive to manage your stress. Developing a daily exercise routine and simply moving your body will give you motivation to withstand any stressful situation in your way.

5. Surround Yourself With Positive People

Hanging out with friends and family can help you relieve stress. Being with friends and family helps distract you from the stressful situations in life. Surrounding yourself with positive people is important because they show you the highs in life while there may be negatives that you have to deal with. Positivity can help you encourage a healthy outlook on life. Stress is heightened when you only think about the negative situations.