Stress: Give Vent – Or Just Let Go

Stress, one of the risk factors in heart disease, can be turned into “new energy”. 

The way you handle stress dictates whether you are going to be fired up with energy or constantly suffering fatigue. 

The number one way to energize your body is to tackle stress effectively so that it no longer drains you emotionally and physically. 

As you solve one stress inducing situation your life, your body is fired up with new energy to beat the next stressful situation, and so on. It has a snowball effect. 

First, recognize the fact that you are being affected by stress. Many people do not realize that various physical symptoms are related to some type of stress they are under. 

The most common symptoms suffered by people overloaded with stress are fatigue, muscular aches and pains, headaches, indigestion, bowel cramps, irregular heartbeat and rapid heartbeat. Most feel drained of energy. 

If you are going through a period where you feel you cannot cope with life, and you notice these symptoms starting to occur, you are likely suffering form acute stress. 

Next, identify the cause of your stress. 

Take a close look at current situations in your life. Chances are you will be able to pinpoint a problem that is triggering your stress. 

Take action to dispose of your stress. Talk about your problem with a close friend. Face the stress-causing situation head on – do not run away from it. 

You can displace your anger, too, by cussing a golf ball or yelling at the cat. You do not have to punch somebody out to blow off steam. 

If situations where you cannot show your anger, get away from the stress-causing situation for a while. Take a break, walk around the corner. 

If you can physically remove yourself from the stressful situation, you can minimize its effects on you. This is one of the best therapies for relieving stress. 

When you are faced with a serious problem, do not try to solve it all at once. Take one step at a time. You will ultimately be able to resolve the problem. 

To make it easier to tackle the problems causing your stress, you should take good care of your body. Eat properly, get enough rest, avoid pushing yourself to physical and emotional limits, and exercise. 

Place stressful factors in perspective. Do not agonize over stress-causing situations you cannot control. For instance, if you lose a loved one or friend, do not let it gnaw away at you for months and months. Realize you cannot bring the person back – and get on with your life. 

Also, do not waste time worrying about problems that really are not serious. Stand back and ask yourself whether another person would allow that particular situation to cause them anxiety. Often you will realize that you are overacting. 

Do not resort to alcohol or drugs when you are under stress. These only compound the stress. When the drugs or alcohol wears off, the stressful situation is still there. 

Avoid doing anything to hurt yourself as a response to stress. Vent your stress in a non-harmful way. 

Following these steps is the number one way to turn stress into energy. Not only will it give you the strength and resolve to handle stressful situations – it also will dramatically reduce those occasions when you suffer the symptoms of stress. 

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