Tips to Stay Stress-Free This Fall

Back to school, politics, work and personal commitments; there seem to be more and more things to stress about every day. According to the Mayo Clinic, these stresses can not only affect how you think, feel and act, but they can also impact your body with physical symptoms. 
Some of the common side effects of stress include headaches, muscle pain, chest pain, fatigue, stomach sickness, trouble sleeping and more. The Mayo Clinic also notes that, “Stress that’s left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.”
Learning ways to combat stress and manage your feelings when you are overwhelmed is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Give one or more of these a try the next time you are feeling stressed.
Exercise
The American Psychological Association recommends exercising in stressful times to help feel better. They say that even a short, 20-minute walk, run or exercise routine can have a positive impact on your mood and stress level. Of course regular exercise also has long-term benefits for your physical health, too.
Take a Break
In the midst of a stressful situation, give yourself a break. Take a lap around the office, walk to a nearby shop or simply step outside and take some deep breaths. Avoiding stressful situations like paying bills or responding to a pressing email can’t be avoided forever, but a quick break can help you clear your mind and reset you to handle the situation in a calmer, less-stressed manner.
Talk with Your Doctor
If stress gets to be too much, talk with your doctor about his or her recommendations or ask for a referral to a counselor or licensed clinical social worker. You may find relief from talking with someone regularly about the stressors in your life. By holding regular conversations with a trained professional, you can work to come up with solutions for managing stressful situations more calmly or avoid becoming stressed in the first place.
Teach Yourself to Relax
Meditation and relaxation don’t take much time or space and can have a big impact on how you feel each day. Research different types of meditation or breathing techniques and find one that works for you. You can start small by simply focusing on a word or phrase for a few minutes at a time while attempting to remove all other thoughts from your mind.
Make Smart Changes
If you find yourself stressed-out on a regular basis, try to make some small changes to help yourself feel better.
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine. Stimulants can leave you feeling more on edge. Try drinking water and herbal tea instead.
• Watch your sugar intake. If you crash after eating too much sugar, you might feel tired, irritable and more likely to become stressed.
• Get more sleep and give yourself time for relaxation.
• Keep a stress diary so you can start identifying the times and situations when you feel the worst.
• Learn to say no. Sometimes stress comes from overscheduling or doing things you simply can’t or don’t want to do. Skipping a birthday party in favor of a relaxing weekend at home or saying no to participating in the upcoming bake sale won’t be the end of the world, and you might end up feeling so much better for missing them.
Taking time to manage stress before it leads to health issues or dangerous behaviors like drug and alcohol abuse, angry outbursts or social withdraw is extremely important. If you are feeling overwhelmed, sad, depressed or anxious due to stress in your life, be sure to contact your provider for assistance or consider meeting with a counselor.
If you aren’t sure where to go for help, CompleteCare Health Network offers primary care providers as well as counseling services with licensed clinical social workers at locations in Cape May Court House and Wildwood. Call (609) 465-0258 or visit CompleteCareNJ.org to schedule an appointment.