Take the time to breathe, it’s good for your health!

Published on 20/02/2019

Take the time to breathe

Our pace of life is frantic. We are always doing more, whether it is work, domestic activities, taking care of children or grandchildren, or other social activities, etc. However, the time we have available to accomplish these different activities is not scalable. The endless amount of small commitments we accept throughout the day can lead to a stressful situation every day.
Our current pace of life makes it easy for stress to build up: the uncomfortable feeling of not having enough time to accomplish all the tasks we have to do. In small doses, stress has benefits: it helps us to be more active. However, when this level of stress increases in duration and intensity, it can have negative consequences on health. In this article, we will talk about daily stress, and give you tips on how to manage it.
There is no consensus on the definition of stress. However, we can define it as the feeling of overload by which we perceive that the demand for activity to which we must respond, exceeds our capacity (in other words: we must assume more than we can actually do).
Stress is present at every moment of our lives, because it is a natural response of our body. Stress can be induced by happy or sad events, but it is important to avoid exaggerations to preserve our health.

What happens when daily stresses last too long or are very intense?

In small doses, daily stress has positive effects. In fact, it helps make us more alert, increases our level of concentration, and allows us to accomplish more tasks than we would without stress. But when stress becomes too intense or persists over time, it creates discomfort and, according to some studies, affects the immune system. As a result, we are more vulnerable to certain infectious diseases. What’s more, stress can build up and have a long-term negative effect on mental health.
As mentioned above, daily stress can build up and have a long-term negative effect on mental health, according to a study conducted by the University of California at Irvine (USA) and published in the online magazine Psychological Science. This study shows that daily stress can have a long-term negative impact on people’s cognitive health. More specifically, it is the negative emotional responses to daily discomforts that cause a cumulative effect.
So far, studies showing the link between daily stress and health indicate that stress can affect the level of certain symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and other psychological problems, but can also lead to general somatic and psychological disorders, disorders of the cardiovascular, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, musculoskeletal disorders, and other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, and infectious diseases, to name a few.
On the other hand, minor events also affect all aspects of health, which could lead to a progressive deterioration in quality of life.

How can we reduce stress?

Given all of this, is there anything we can do to prevent the daily stress from overwhelming us? Of course!
Adapt the activities to the reality. Don’t take on more work than you can handle. Sometimes this means being assertive, being assertive, and learning to say
“No” to the proposals received.
Also, take short breaks throughout the day. These will help us maintain our level of concentration.
Before you rely on mobile apps for productivity, make sure they are a solution, rather than a nuisance. And be sure to use only one.
Write your tasks on a sheet of paper in order of priority: first the urgent tasks, then the important ones, and finally, the ones that can wait. Complete one activity before moving on to the next.
Practice relaxation and deep, slow breathing exercises. In this regard, five minutes of exercise is enough.
Also, try to spend time with friends and family. In addition, laughter is also a great stress buster.
Exercise is a healthy way to combat daily stress. It’s not just about increasing the number of pulses, but also about doing it in a way that is compatible with our level of movement. At this moment, no stress is generated because the activation produced has a natural outlet, namely the work of our muscles.
Eat healthy: junk food is one of the worst ways to deal with daily stress. If you are hungry, eat fruits and vegetables. It’s no secret that a natural, balanced diet with five well-balanced meals a day is a source of well-being.
Get a good night’s sleep: remember that good rest takes time. If we sleep well, our minds are clearer and more alert to face daily challenges.
Meditation: like other similar techniques, this relaxation technique is very useful for reducing stress levels. It is based on deep and conscious breathing, ideal for releasing tension.
Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if these tips don’t help reduce your stress level.


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