The author of the theory of stress Hans Selye He said that since the time of the Paleolithic, a person had two reactions to stress: either run away from the enemy or beat him. But what to do with us, educated and correct, which cannot be not only to dissolve our hands, but also with the movement of the eyebrows to give out their own fear, anger or despair? Nevertheless, to learn how to cope with stress without losing face and without applying the injuries to others is a completely feasible task. How to do this, Aif.ru told practicing psychologist Marina Rodnova.
“When there are too many tasks and problems that require solution in life, the body tries to protect us from external stimuli. In fact, stress is a state of increased stress and a natural reaction to hunger, cold, physical or psychological discomfort, ”the expert explains.
What a sympathetic!
Our nervous system consists of two parts: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The first just activates the reaction “Beat or Run.” When we are faced with a threat or stressful situation, the cortisol hormone begins to be produced in the body, which gives us a charge of energy, accelerates the heartbeat, that is, prepares for the fact that now it will be necessary to act sharply.
The second nervous system is responsible for the restoration and relaxation of the body. It “turns on” when the body needs to restore strength after physical activity or stress.
That is, the sympathetic nervous system provides a quick reaction to danger, while parasympathetic restores balance and calm, when something terrible is already behind, and you can calmly exhale and catch your breath.
Being for a long time in a state of stress is very harmful to health. If the level of cortisol is constantly offset, this can lead to chronic fatigue, a decrease in immunity and other physical and mental problems. Therefore, it is very important to be able to “turn off” the sympathetic department in time and “turn on” the parasympathetic. And more simply, it is necessary to be able to manage your condition, and reduce the level of stress.
10 most effective ways
Physical activity. The movement is the main enemy of the cortisol. Many intuitively understand this, dropping stress in the gym, dancing, starting cleaning, or going to the run. It is enough to even shout in the moment to get rid of excess tension. Moreover, the more intensively the physical activity, the faster the stress level decreases.
Orlining. Great practice for calming. To help – household chores. For example, you can put things in order in the cabinets or sort clothes, put shoes on the boxes.
Muscle tension. This method may seem paradoxical, but it is based on physiology. The bottom line is to simultaneously strain all the muscles and hold them in a “clamped” state as long as possible. When you finally relax them, you will feel not only pleasant fatigue, but also psychological relief.
Fixation of attention. Select 10 items in the field of view and describe in detail each of them and your feelings about it. For example, like this: “Sneakers on my legs. They are beige with blue inserts. They sit comfortably on the leg, spring when walking, they are comfortable in them, they are fashionable and beautiful. ” This process helps to concentrate on reality and less worry.
Stretching. Even a small warm -up or soft yoga can significantly improve well -being. It can be practiced even in the workplace: smoothly and leisurely stretching the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders, focusing on their sensations. This technique, according to our expert, allows you to remove the clamps in the body. So: take a breath and by exhalation raise straight arms from the bottom up from the body, the palms are deployed to the sky, pull the crown up up, round the back. We hold the knees slightly bent, and the tailbone, as it were, pull it to the stomach. This stretch of the spine allows you to dump the voltage in the moment and reduce stress.
Music and art therapy. Creative and musical classes have a good effect on the emotional state. Listening to music or considering the paintings, drawing something, try to focus on the images that arise inside you. Even if thoughts are not the most pleasant, try not to drive them away, but just watch from the side.
Warm shower or bath. Water has a unique ability to calm the nervous system, helps to relax, “wash away” bad thoughts and emotions. Essential oils – lavender or chamomile, known for their sedative properties, will help to strengthen the effect and relax as possible.
Maintaining a diary. This is a powerful and underestimated tool for self -expression and understanding your emotions. The transfer of thoughts to paper helps, firstly, to streamline them, and secondly, to throw out the accumulated negative. It is important to fix not only the bad, but also to note the joyful that you noticed.
Communication with nature, animals. A walk in the forest or in the park, by the lake or pond helps to distract from everyday worries. Pay attention to the sounds of nature, listen to the rustle of leaves, singing birds or the murmur of water. It soothes. And if nearby – a pet, even better.
Embrace. This is a universal language of love and support. They have the strongest therapeutic effect, including stimulate the production of oxytocin. If there is no one nearby who could hug you, hug yourself! Cut on the shoulders or even punch. Do not be afraid to seem funny, you are the closest person for yourself. And you can give yourself support and warmth.
Not all techniques will work equally for everyone without exception. Someone is closer to physical activity, someone will prefer creativity. Efficiency depends on your preferences, so it is important to experiment and combine various options to understand: what is right for you.
Source: aif.ru