How to DETRESS Quick and Easy

  • Jul 26, 2021
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How to de-stress

According to Sonia Lupien, the brain is an expert threat finder. When it finds them, it fires a response whose objective is to help us survive in the face of danger. When we talk about this mechanism to face threats from the environment, we talk about stress. But what is stress? Is it as bad as you think? When is it bad? And above all, can we do something about it? The answer is yes. In this Psychology-Online article we tell you how to de-stress based on the physiology of stress.

You may also like: How to be positive in times of crisis

Index

  1. What is stress and how does it work
  2. How to de-stress fast in 5 minutes
  3. How to de-stress: 10 basic steps

What is stress and how does it work?

In psychology, we call stress at the level of activation of the organism. This activation is intended to help us adapt to the environment. Therefore, it is a normal response to dangerous or pressure stimuli.

These situations stimulate the release of corticotropin releasing factor (CFR) and this stimulates the pituitary to release adrenocorticotropin (ACTH). This hormone activates the adrenal glands and they secrete

cortisol. On the other hand, the hypothalamus secretes dopamine which, together with cortisol, generate the adrenalin. These hormones produce the following physiological effects:

  • Increase in heart rate so that the heart pumps blood quickly.
  • Increase in blood pressure for the blood to move.
  • Increase in Breathing frequency to provide the body with oxygen.
  • Pupil dilation: to better capture any visual stimulus.
  • Increase the liver metabolism, producing glucose to provide energy.
  • Muscle tension: the blood supply activates the muscles so that they are prepared to fight or flee.
  • Stomach and kidneys they stop working because if you are in danger they are not essential functions.
  • Increase the temperature bodily.
  • Increase the sweating.
  • Decreases the sensation of pain.

So far we would have the type of stress called eustress, the stress that improves our abilities to survive a difficulty.

Is this physiological reaction necessary? It can be beneficial to some degree, but in most stressful situations today this physiological reaction no longer works. However, it continues because the body has not had time to adapt to the organization of modern society.

If the stressful stimulus persists over time, dopamine is depleted, which leads to depressed mood and sleep problems. Meanwhile, cortisol accumulates and that prevents cell regeneration. Therefore, immunodeficiencies appear consisting of greater vulnerability to infections. It also increases irritability, headaches and digestive problems appear. In this case we would be talking about distress.

Every time the brain detects something that may be a threat to us, it generates a response to provide us with the necessary energy. The body is prepared to act in the face of unforeseen events, what happens is currently there are so many situations that can cause stress that there is no time for the body to recover after the physiological response and the effects of is they become chronic. To prevent distress, learn how to de-stress with the following guidelines.

How to de-stress fast in 5 minutes.

In consultation, the professionals explain the following steps so that people know how to de-stress quickly when they are at home, at work or anywhere. It is worth mentioning that it is useful at specific moments to reduce activation, however, to learn to manage stress, a little more in-depth work is necessary. This will be detailed in the next section.

In order to de-stress in 5 minutes you can follow these 5 steps:

1. Brakes

Stress can be your ally, as long as it does not exceed the limit that separates eustress from distress. So in order not to keep activating yourself, stop. Realize that you are getting carried away by your thoughts. Come back to the present, here and now.

2. Breathe

So that the activation does not continue to increase, focus on your breathing. Take deep breaths: breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, and breathe out through your mouth for 7 seconds.

When you have started to focus on your breathing and after taking a few deep breaths, you can try the abdominal breathing. To do this, sit in a comfortable position, place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. Next, make sure that the belly swells when you breathe in and move the first hand. The diaphragmatic breathing It has multiple benefits, but the one that concerns us here is that this type of breathing informs your body that there is no danger. Well, if there were, you couldn't be breathing deeply, the body's alarm system would have accelerated your breathing.

Here you will find others breathing exercises.

3. Become aware of your body

Analyze each part of your body, detect the parts that are tense and relax them. The most typical parts are the wrinkled forehead and tense shoulders.

4. Stretch out

Move the body and relax it, make gentle movements with the head to loosen the cervical muscles, move the arms and shoulders.

5. Smile

Both body posture and facial expression are proven to provide mood feedback. That means that if your posture is tense and you are frowning, you fuel stress, while adopting a relaxed body posture and a friendly facial expression, you fuel calm.

How to de-stress: 10 basic steps.

What to do to de-stress? You can apply the above guidelines at times when you feel stress and want to decrease activation. However, if you constantly feel that you need to de-stress, you may need to make major changes. It is possible to learn to manage stress from the root with the following basic steps:

1. Understand stress

What to do to de-stress? First of all, it is imperative to understand this reaction. Stress is a natural survival mechanism that is activated in situations that require an effort to adapt to them. For example, a new job or learning to drive. There are 4 characteristics of situations that are considered risk factors for the stress response:

  • Novelty: that the situation is new.
  • Unpredictability: that you cannot predict what will happen.
  • Feeling out of control
  • Threat: that the situation represents a threat to us.

2. Be a friend of stress

Stress tries to help you, yes, as you read it. Stress activates your body to face that danger or obstacle you encounter. When you have to deliver a job in a short time, for example, your body helps you by offering you the energy you need and sharpens all your senses so that you are more effective and can finish the task.

3. Understand the origin of stress

Stress arises in a situation in which you feel that the difficulty is greater than the resources you have to deal with. This gives you two lines of action:

  • The situation.
  • The resources.

4. Analyze the situation

According to Lupien, when faced with stress, you should ask yourself what you can do and establish a plan. What exactly are you afraid of? Is this exam really that complicated? Examine the situation as objectively as possible. Perhaps you are anticipating or assuming some unlikely danger. The situation may not be demanding as much. What are you demanding of yourself?

5. Analyze the resources

The resources can be from your knowledge and skills, to the time you have and even the people who can help you. Reflect on the resources you have and try to be objective. The resources may already be there and you don't see them. For example, you may be underestimating your abilities.

On the other hand, if you really don't have enough resources, you can expand them. For example, work on your self-esteem, learn English to better cope with the search for a new job, delegate domestic tasks and ask for help from family, friends or even professionals. When you observe the situation and perceive that you have sufficient resources to deal with it, you stop seeing a threat and you start to see a challenge.

6. Keep it real

Once you have analyzed the resources you have to face a demand, adjust your objectives and your expectations so that they correspond with them. Learn to differentiate what depends on you, such as the effort you dedicate to study, and what does not depend on you, how to access the opposition or not. Set realistic goals and be aware of what is possible and what is not.

7. Stay present

Practicing the mindfulness attitude, that is, living in the here and now helps to focus on the present, on the temporal plane in which you have the possibility to act. It also helps to put all five senses in what you are doing. Here you will find everything you need to know about him mindfulness: what it is and how it is practiced.

8. take care of yourself

How to de-stress? To manage stress, it is essential to maintain basic self-care guidelines:

  • Healthy food and balanced. Avoiding stimulants like caffeine and theine.
  • Rest needed: both sleep between 7 and 8 hours and rest.
  • Exercise: practice any sport or physical activity.
  • Leisure: spend time on your hobbies.
  • Emotional self-care: listen to your emotions.

9. Use humor and laughter

According to Freud, laughter releases accumulated tension. The laughter therapy It is a technique that is based on the benefits of laughing, among which is the reduction of cortisol, the stress hormone. Laughing also relaxes muscles and stimulates endorphin release, dopamine and serotonin, which have positive effects on mood and relaxation respectively.

10. Connect with others

Social support is a great protector against stress. Social relationships and interactions with others can increase levels of oxytocin and decrease cortisol levels, which provides confidence while reducing stress. Don't miss the opportunity to have a conversation with another person, help others, or facilitate physical contact.

Other strategies to de-stress

There are different stimuli that can promote the body's relaxation response. You can try different activities to de-stress and practice the ones that work best for you. Some ways to de-stress are as follows:

  1. Music to de-stress: you can create a list of songs that relax you to use when you need it.
  2. Games to de-stress: Another strategy to use on time is de-stress games, which are usually anti-stress toys to exert pressure.
  3. Exercises to de-stress: To decrease tension, energy-relieving exercises, such as throwing a ball, are helpful. Relaxation, yoga, and meditation exercises are also helpful. Here you will find the effects of meditation on the body and mind.
  4. Activities to de-stress: Other activities that can work for you to manage stress are taking a walk, a bath, reading, writing, and so on.
  5. Self-care: do activities that are pleasant for you, such as a massage or sunbathing

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to de-stress, we recommend that you enter our category of Personal growth and self-help.

Bibliography

  • Barlow, J. (2000). Stress management, how to overcome obstacles and improve your attitude and quality of life. Management.
  • Christian, R., Ramos, J., Susanibar, C., & Balarezo, G. (2004). Laughter Therapy: A New Field for Health Professionals. Rev. Soc. Per Med. Inter, 17(2), 57.
  • Lazarus, R. S. (2000). Stress and excitement. Management and implications on our health.
  • Peiró, J. M., & Salvador, A. (1993). Triggers of work stress (Vol. 2). Madrid: Eudema.
  • Lupien, S. (2012). Well stressed: Manage stress before it turns toxic. John Wiley & Sons.
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