Your body is naturally equipped to deal with a certain amount of stress. But
if stress increases and your reserves are low, stress can have a bigger impact.
Building up your defenses is a "long-term" plan for reducing stress.
It will also improve your overall health and give you more energy. To help prepare
your body to deal with stress:
- Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Most people need 7 to 8 hours per night.
If possible, get extra sleep before and during periods of increased stress.
- Eat a balanced, nutritious diet. Good nutrition can improve your ability
to handle stress by keeping your immune system strong.
- Avoid using caffeine, cigarettes, or alcohol as a way of dealing with stress.
It's easy to relax when you're not feeling stressed. It takes a special effort
to learn how to relax in a stressful situation. There is no "right way"
to relax that works for everyone. Most people use a combination of methods,
and find that different situations call for different ways of relaxing. You
may need to try several techniques before finding the one that works best for
you. Here are a few things that can help reduce stress:
- relaxation exercises like deep breathing, meditation, stretching, tai chi, or yoga
- regular physical activity: try to exercise for at least 30 minutes most
days of the week
- taking part in a favorite hobby, such as gardening, dancing, reading, or
listening to music