“What are the basic strategies for managing stress?”

Try to change your mind about importance and not. Think about nice things and even act upon them. I love christmas time and if the summer, I might grab a cup of pumpkin spice coffee or hot cocoa to make me feel like I’m there

Dear Madam,

Not knowing where your stress comes from I will list a few antidotes:

Progressive muscle relaxation, Meditation, Exercise/Dance, Nutritious Meals, Qi Gong/Tai Chi, Tapping, Reflexology, Releasing erroneous beliefs, Positive Attitude, and Self Talk. Be more organized/Manage Time, Keep a journal, Be compassionate and forgiving to self and others, Be balanced with self and in relationships, Release anger and anxieties, Massage Therapy, Aroma, Art, Music, Yoga, Acupressure, Acupuncture, Ayurvidic Medicine, Allopathic, Homeopathic.

In case you like to read, here are a few books on stress management:

Stress: What it is, what it can do to your health, How to fight back by Walter McQuade and Ann Alkman; Mastery of Stress: Techniques for Relaxation in the workplace by Paul Skye; Stress Power: How to turn tension into energy by Robert A. Anderson; The Stress Response: Diet and Lifestyle Program by Bill Cortright; The Tapping Solution: A revolutionary system for Stress Free - Living by Nick Ortner; The Everything Stress Management book: Practical ways to relax, be healthy & maintain your Sanity by Eve Adamson.

You can also consult a licensed psychologist and go for therapy to help learn coping skills that will be tailored for you. 

Take care and be safe,

Dr. Lata Sonpal

Basic strategies to manage stress involve regulating your autonomic nervous system. When you do this, you are giving both your brain and your body a chance to "catch up" and respond to stressors most effectively. One basic way to do this is by using your breathe. Another way to achieve this balance is through your 5 senses. Breathe work can be simple, but must always be centered around the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breathing will help you achieve the most bang for your buck in terms of slowing down your heart rate and soothing an anxious mind. Additionally, by using your five senses and experiencing the present moment with your senses, you allow yourself the space in time to not only calm down, but also sift through the practical issues overwhelming your mind. In this way, you can more clearly identify and prioritize your problems.

Hello and thanks for your question. To be clear not all stress is necessarily bad and in some cases it is needed to help us perform better. Eustress is the kind of stress that is helpful and allows us to perform better at school, home or in our communities. Distress, often called toxic stress is the kind that can raise blood pressure, cause excess anxiety and disturb sleep and eating patterns. The following may be helpful in helping managing toxic stress in your life. At the top of my list is forgiving others who have wronged us. Don't allow negative thoughts to overwhelm you particularly during the COVID 19 pandemic when many of of us have so much time to think, Change negative thoughts into positive ones by thinking good things about yourself. Concentrate on your strengths and say learn to say NO to people who are toxic stress bearers.

Each individual will have different strategies that will work for them. This being said, some ways to manage stress are: managing your time efficiently, talking to a mental health professional, exercising, learning to say "no" to additional or unnecessary responsibilities, partaking in relaxation techniques (e.g. meditation), and avoiding stimulants (e.g. caffeine and nicotine) and depressants (e.g. alcohol).

The key components to managing stress are first and foremost knowing what causes your stress and how stress presents itself in your life (or in your body, and/or your mind). Typically we can’t just make stress “go away,” so shifting how we relate to our stress and changing our behaviors in response to stress are the best types of management techniques. Time management, structure, and interpersonal boundaries are typically also productive routes for stress management.

A good therapist should be able to teach you breathing and muscle relaxation strategies that you can apply as your situation calls for. With practice, you will be able to manage your stress reaction successfully.

The best strategies for managing stress include self-care, such as good sleep, good nutrition, exercise, and a support system of people whether it’s friends or family. Managing stress is important, because chronic long-term stress is hard on the body, and can develop into an anxiety disorder.

See this link:

https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-management