HEALTHY HABITS FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT

Stress is the emotional, psychological and physical reaction to the many demands we face in todays world. While a small amount of stress is actually  healthy and may even motivate you to improve your performance, many challenges like traffic jam, work deadlines and at times many bills to settle can push us beyond our capacity to cope.

Human beings react to stress in ways that were originally meant for protection against predators and many other dangerous situations. However, although most of us no longer have to protect ourselves against dangerous animals, we still face stressful situations that affect our bodies and our mental health. Its therefore important for us to understand stress and also learn healthy technics to manage our stress.

To manage stress, we must begin by understanding it. When we face a stressful situation our brains signal our bodies to release hormones that increase our heart rate and blood pressure. Stress also changes our bodies immune response system affecting our digestive and reproductive systems and even our growth processes. This is a complex reaction that changes how our brains control our moods, fears and motivations.

We individually react to stress differently, with some friends looking relaxed about almost anything while others get worked up easily. This is very natural as stress is mostly controlled by our unique genetic makeup and our life experiences.

Importance of healthy stress management

Our body’s answer to ending a stressful situation is by stopping to send more hormones so that the levels maty return to normal. Therefore if your stress level remains high, then your hormone levels as well remain elevated affecting your health negatively in the following ways:

1. Inability to sleep or oversleeping


2. Headaches


3. Depression


4. Anxiety


5. Problems in digestion


6. Muscular pains


7. High blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks


8. Gaining weight


9. Lack of concentration and memory loss

Healthy ways to manage stress

Stress should never be managed through temporary measures like taking alcohol, drugs or even food. Its therefore important to learn some healthy stress management technics that work for you. Experts suggest the following:

• Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and getting adequate sleep


• Practicing relaxation techniques that include deep breathing, yoga, meditation and massage


• Writing journals on your thoughts and what you have been grateful for in your life.


• Spend your time on hobbies such as watching movies, listening to music or reading.


• Having talks with friends and family


• Have humour and laughter in your life watching comedies or jokes.


• Plan and prioritize what you want to accomplish and do away with unnecessary tasks.


• Talk to a professional counsellor who can assist in establishing appropriate ways to manage your stress.

It takes time for us to learn our stressors and which are the best ways to deal with them, but with time we can learn and make good progress. Once we start enjoying less anxiety, good health and fulfilling relationships, we shall have managed to control stress in ways that work for us.

At “Giving Hope Counselling Services”, we understand that life can bring unexpected challenges. While our specialty lies in nurturing healthy marriages and relationships, we also excel in helping individuals navigate stress and depression. Our compassionate team is dedicated to providing a safe space for healing and growth, equipping you with tools to manage life's difficulties. Whether you're seeking to strengthen your relationships or find relief from emotional burdens, we're here to support you on your journey to wellness.

Reach out today and take the first step towards a brighter future!

Call/WhatsApp us at +254721240462 or +254733932470 to make a booking. Also check our blog at www.givinghope.co.ke for more informative articles on emotional, psychological or other mental health issues.