The sense of urgency that the internet has brought to our lives has completely changed our daily needs and the way we look at them. Everything has become immediate and instantaneous, stripping people of a good deal of patience, accumulating tiredness, nervousness and irritability. 

This is a dangerous cocktail of emotions that we need to know how to recognize. If we know where it is, we’ll have the tools to get out of this spiral. Follow our train of thought in this article.

Shall we understand the world of stress better?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stress “can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation”. It’s an individual state, which each person feels differently, being triggered by different reasons and experiences: for one person, the trigger for getting into this mode will be one, but for the person next to them the same trigger may be totally indifferent. This difference in no way invalidates the suffering.

The WHO reinforces that stress “stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives“. When we are faced with a dangerous situation, real or not, our body’s defenses react quickly, in an automatic process known as the “fight or flight” reaction.

Since stress is a symptom and not a cause, our response to this altered state can be the point at which everything changes.

Let’s not be fooled: stress, in the right doses and with the right frequency, is positive because it motivates us and helps us to focus on the goal at hand. For example, before speaking in public, stress stimulates concentration; in urgent situations, stress helps protect us by preparing the body for a quick physical reaction. This “fight or flight” response has helped ensure man’s survival in the face of countless dangers since the dawn of time: when faced with an alert situation, the body increases the amount of hormones that raise the heart rate and blood pressure, while boosting energy.

Despite this state of alert, stress can also arise as a result of a pleasant event (getting married, having a child, moving house, etc.). Here we enter a problem already ingrained in human beings after so many years of reactions: although our lives are not actually in danger, as they once were, exposure to stress hormones can harm the body: too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems.

Continue with us on this journey and find out what you can do to relax.

Practical tips for relaxing

There are countless actions you can include in your routine, but be careful: you don’t want to do them all at once. Choose the ones that fit into your daily life without too much effort, so that they don’t become a new stress trigger. 

We’ll share some practical ideas with you:

Drink hot relaxing teas

The relaxing power of tea is well known. Why not include it in your routine, always at the same time, before going to bed, for example?

Whether it’s chamomile, lemon balm, lavender or Indian ginseng, there are many options available to you.

Meditate

Take advantage of tea to be present in the moment. Take 5 minutes out of your day to smell its delicate aroma and taste. Inhale the steam and warm your hands.

There are various types of meditation, but their aim is to promote greater physical and emotional well-being, restoring balance and inner peace to the body and mind. However, don’t forget that meditation is a process, not a one-shot solution.

Add conscious breathing

Did you know that if you breathe at a rate of six breaths per minute, you synchronize your heart and breathing rhythms? Our blood pressure tends to drop, which increases our resistance to stress.

Do diaphragmatic breathing: inhale deeply through your nose, hold your breath for 5 seconds, and exhale all the air through your mouth. Repeat a few times and feel your heart rate slow down. Enjoy relaxing.

Take care of yourself

One of the best forms of self-care is to have an established skincare routine. In this article, we’ll give you all the tips we’ve gathered.

Learn about and practice the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet means much more than just eating a certain way. Socializing and physical exercise are part of this philosophy of life and are included in the new pyramid. Don’t believe me? Click here to read all about it.

Avoid caffeine, sugar and alcohol, as they overload the adrenal glands and make it difficult for the body to regulate its reactions to stress. Prefer foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges or broccoli; foods with vitamin B5, such as eggs, chicken or mushrooms; or foods rich in vitamin B6, such as bananas.

Get enough quality sleep

Sleeping well and for the necessary hours is essential for a life lived to our full potential. The Portuguese Sleep Association explains that “if you have a good night’s sleep, your body and mind will have more effective mechanisms for dealing with stressful situations”. 

Make sure you have a pleasant environment to sleep in, avoid electronic devices near you and establish a sleep routine.

Write about the stress you feel

Take a few minutes out of your day to write down what is causing you stress. This will make it easier to find solutions to those triggers. You’ll also be telling your brain that there is a time of day dedicated to these thoughts.

Think positive

We end this article on a hopeful note. Positive thinking can change your perspective on events. Remember: what happens to us, we can’t control; we can control how we deal with situations. 

Read more about this topic here.

Sources:

World Health Organization; Grupo Praxis; Associação Portuguesa de Sono.