Nowadays, people have to live with stress every day due to all that chaos happening around and the inability to cope with a number of social things and concerns observed every day. Being involved in numerous activities and the necessity to meet expectations and perform duties, people cherish a dream to have at least one day without stress. Stress seems to follow us everywhere and every minute, so that it is not always possible for people to find the time and think of the ways to beat stress and live quietly with no more negative vibes.
According to the American Psychological Association, about 63% of people experience stress because of the necessity to think of the “future of our nation,” 62% of people are bothered with money, and 61% of Americans are challenged by work issues (1). Scholle claims that “the over-activation of our stress hormones has been linked to high blood pressure, heart attacks, lower immunity, depression, anxiety, and more.” So obviously, stress is not the issue to be ignored nowadays.
People must understand that stress is dangerous for them, and it is not enough to avoid it. It is necessary to be ready to fight stress and all possible stressors. In this essay, I will talk about why people and students, in particular, experience stress, how to beat stress and improve the quality of life, and what the benefits of having a relaxing life with no stress are.
Millions of stressors are around us, including home, family relationships, society, finance, or unstable economic and political situations. When it comes to students, it is necessary to add such causes as exams, obligations to meet deadlines, and thoughts about their future. Numerous unexpected changes usually wait for people as soon as they graduate, and not all students are actually ready for new living standards.
In fact, stress may be caused by millions of things that are hard to predict and identify. Sometimes, students have to deal with unexpected deaths, divorces, or the necessity to make serious financial decisions. Uncertainty and the lack of confidence challenge people a lot due to the inability to predict the results and improve the outcomes. People can face all different types of situations that make them fall into a zone of nothing but stress. Therefore, instead of searching for some new methods to predict or avoid stress, it is better to think of the ways how to reduce the level of stress or to beat it for good.
Change is a good solution in many situations. Just thinking about ways to deal with stress on our daily basis is simply going to be helpful to kill out stress unknowingly. The idea of making time to beat stress, feel better about the things around, and let this out of our thoughts are the first steps to promote a difference. As soon as this stage is over, a person is able to notice how effective such therapy can be and how proud and relieved people may be.
Though some people admit that change is one of the causes of stress, it is necessary to remember that changing something is a solution to many stressful situations. People should not wait when everything can be cleared up. They have to do something or, at least, consider all their options for doing something. Change is something people should not be afraid of, but make use of any time they can.
In fact, there are many well-known ways and studies in terms of which stress reduction and management are possible. For example, healthy eating is proved to be a helpful step. In her research, Scholle addresses Dr. Mark Hyman, who said that “eating whole, real foods restores balance and reduces the effects of stress on your body.” Many people might not pay attention to the fact that healthy eating can help to deal with stress in different ways. However, as soon as several changes in eating habits occur, stress reduction can be noted as a pleasant outcome.
Another method with the help of which it is possible to reduce stress is dancing. People do it for fun and enjoy their time at parties or at home. Still, recent studies demonstrate that dancing can kill stress and make us feel fresh and better, and it is enough to dance about five minutes to forget about stress (Scholle). Even if a person does not feel like dancing, it is possible to try this method and turn on music. The solution can come in a short period of time, and certain improvements can be observed.
Also, sleeping enough and very well can reduce stress. The investigations of Alyssa Sparacino about the benefits of sleep underline the importance of rest for the appropriate mood and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. She uses the investigations of a director of sleep medicine, Dr. Raymodne, who explains that “many things that we take for granted are affected by sleep… if you sleep better, you can certainly live better” (Sparacino). Therefore, as one of the important lessons in human intentions to deal with sleep is the attention to the work of our sleeping system. It is necessary to make sure that we get enough sleep every night and put in mind that sleeping in the daylight instead of the night does not count as a healthy sleeping.
Students, as well as other people who are exposed to stress, should remember the importance of relaxation as one of the main fighters against stress in a magnificent way. Looking up for millions of ideas on how to relax your body and soul every day, people should consider their personal preferences and interests. Few exercises can be enough to make relaxation possible, and one thing you can do is to get yourself time outside the world.
This time is the period when a person may contact nobody, just closing the eyes and the mind, thinking of nothing, and taking a deep breath in and out for five minutes only. Yoga is one of the possible methods of relaxation that is available to all people. Some yoga classes can be found online. People may also address experts and professional trainers to take yoga classes in specialized places. Relaxation is possible when people try to walk regularly. Healthy and calm walking every day only for 3o minutes can help people forget about stress and improve their quality of life.
One of the most unexpected ways for many people to deal with stress is crying. People might think that it is something ridiculous and has no relation to the reduction of stress. Otherwise, it has a big effect on stress reduction. Delena Chew uses the investigations of Dr. Sinatra, who said that “crying is one of the most cleansing experiences you can go through.” Regarding the scientific aspect, crying is a possibility to release neurochemicals with the help of which people can reach a calm state (Chew).
Simply speaking, crying will help to clean out your soul and your mind. Deep crying will open the chest and the diaphragm to produce more energy. So be free to let your tears out every time you felt like it. There is nothing wrong with crying and sobbing. It is a good and healthy practice for many people.
If people are interested in calm and regular activities, reading can be used as an option. Reading good books about something you want to achieve is a great job. There are many classic literature sources, as well as modern journals and magazines, to pay attention to. Sometimes, it is enough to grab a book about beating stress and learn something from it. Today, many movies based on books are available to people. This option can also be put on the list of methods to deal with stress.
There are plenty of ways to beat stress if a person makes a strong decision about the necessity to find a solution to this problem. “The wear and tear on the body from lots of stress changes the nervous system,” said Bruce McEwen, a neuroscientist at Rockefeller University in New York (“Studies Show Stress”). Obviously, even in early life, stress, like in the womb, can affect people badly. Therefore, pregnant women are always advised to relax and happy during their pregnancy and avoid stress by any possible means.
Many studies prove how a neonate can be shaped and influenced by the emotions experienced by a mother during pregnancy. Emotional problems, difficulties in learning and remembering, and hyperactivity disorders are the possible outcomes of stress in such situations (Glover 27). Stress can have different, unexpected roots. Many young people believe that they have enough power and opportunities to deal with stress and make correct decisions. Still, though self-confidence is a good quality in dealing with stress, credible guidelines and the suggestions of medical workers and other experts can contribute to the best solution.
Stress reduction is the goal millions of people establish every day despite their age, gender, race, geographical location, occupation, or social status. Stress is a global problem that does not have one simple solution. The idea of beating stress is a great achievement. However, not all people are ready to complete this task. Stressors may vary, and people should understand that help can be found anywhere. The only task is to recognize such a source of help and use it properly.
The benefits of life without stress are numerous. People can make free and properly weighted decisions. Productivity and creativity can be increased. Communication and cooperation between different groups of people may be improved. Finally, the percentage offered by the American Psychological Association about the reasons for stress and their outcomes can be reduced.
In general, stress management is a significant activity for people to be involved in. Stress may negatively influence human health, change the work of mental processes, promote wrong behaviors, and support harmful emotions. Stress occurs as soon as a person is not able to meet needs or find appropriate resources. It is a normal thing in human life. Therefore, instead of trying to live properly and avoid stress, people can learn how to deal with stressful situations and assist each other in meeting similar goals. Life without stress is hard to imagine. However, it is easy to manage stress and take the steps with the help of which human potential can be discovered and used in many different ways.
Works Cited
American Psychological Association. Stress in America: The State of Our Nation. 2017. Web.
Chew, Delena. “7 Tips for Fighting Stress.” Wealth Mastery. 2013. Web.
Glover, Vivette. “Maternal Depression, Anxiety, and Stress during Pregnancy and Child Outcome: What Needs to Be Done.” Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology, vol. 28, no. 1, 2014, pp. 25-35.
Scholle, Anne. “5 Ways to Relieve Stress.” The Center for Mind-Body Medicine. 2015. Web.
Sparacino, Alyssa. “11 Surprising Health Benefits of Sleep.” Health. 2013. Web.
“Studies Show Stress Can Reshape the Brain.” The Guardian. 2008. Web.