Posts Tagged ‘Four strategies to release the pressure brought on by stress’
Stressed out?
Do you crave food, even though you’re not hungry? Is your heart racing? Are you snapping at the people you care about most? These are just some of the signs that you are already stressed out!
Here are four strategies to release the pressure you are feeling:
1. Phone a friend. Strange as it may sound, stress can increase production of the hormone oxytocin, which helps you connect with others. One theory is that a blast of oxytocin provides a kind of coping mechanism, helping to convert stressful experiences into opportunities for social bonding, which research shows can lower cortisol levels.
2. Take a whiff of lavender. In 2008 Japanese researchers reported that the aroma reduces stress levels in people forced to do tough math problems. Keep a small bottle of lavender oil or lotion in your purse for when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
3. Sip black tea. University College London scientists found that black-tea drinkers had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after a stressful event than those who consumed other hot beverages.
4. Get some distance. When you’re slammed with something really stressful—a huge work deadline, an unexpected visit from the in-laws—don’t panic. Instead, pretend you’ve been asked to advise a friend or family member in need, and think through the problem systematically. When women distance themselves slightly from stressors, they make excellent problem solvers, in part because of their unique mixture of creative, intuitive, and analytical thinking skills.
There you go. So when you feel stressed out, you already know what to do.
