Our Best Stress Management Techniques

Stress doesn't just put strain on your mental health. Chronic stress can negatively impact your whole body. To maintain your wellness and resilience, it's important to learn how to effectively manage stress. You might not be able to change the situations causing stress, but you can change how you react to them.

At RehabOne Medical Group in Los Gatos, San Jose, Gilroy, and Salinas, California, we can help you figure out the right tools and techniques to productively and healthfully manage your stress levels. A consultation with our expert care team can give you concrete ideas for how to move forward with your self-care needs. Here are some of the best techniques we recommend for patients of all ages.

Take a minute to refocus

Constant stress can wear out your patience, responsiveness, and physical health. If you're overstressed, you might suffer from emotional irritability, a lack of mental sharpness, and headaches.  Chronic stress can also cause you to gain weight.

Sometimes, the best way to handle a stressful situation is to take a break and refocus. If you need to, reprioritize your tasks to free up some time for stress relief and restoration. You might benefit from:

• Practicing mindfulness or meditation
• Self-care activities, such as listening to music or taking some quiet time
• Journaling, writing notes to a friend, or talking to a counselor or therapist

When your mind and emotions are rested and balanced, you can handle stressful situations more effectively. Additionally, managing your stress over the long term can decrease your risks of developing serious conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression.

Try to stay healthy

Your stress could stem from personal, social, or professional concerns. While you might not be able to immediately change your stressful situations or reduce the amount of stress you experience on a daily basis, you can focus on staying physically healthy. Make sure to do the following:

• Get at least eight hours of sleep a night
• Eat moderately-sized, healthy and nutritious meals on a regular schedule
• Stay hydrated
• Get exercise, such as from walking around the block or practicing yoga

Stress can cause you to neglect your physical health and wellness, which can place you in a downward spiral as your physical needs aren't met and your condition declines. When you get enough sleep and exercise and are powered by healthy foods eaten regularly, you’ll be better able to manage stress-inducing situations that come your way.

If you want to learn more ways to better handle stress, we can guide you. To learn more, book an appointment over the phone with RehabOne Medical Group today.