The four relevant behaviors listed below are effective strategies to reduce stress and anxiety. In several cases, their effectiveness has been demonstrated in scientific research. In other cases, these are strategies that have gained consensus among health professionals. So, here are the best behavioral methods for coping with stress whenever necessary.
Take a Breath
If you want to know how to reduce stress naturally and in the easiest way, the answer is breathing correctly. Staying in the present moment by consciously breathing will slowly train your brain to focus on the task at hand and take the source of your stress off your head. When you are stressed, take a few minutes to focus on your respiration. Try intermittent breathing for better results. Close the door, put aside your distractions, just sit on a chair and take a breath.
Get Enough Sleep
It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of sleep in order to increase your emotional intelligence and reduce stress. When you sleep, your brain literally recharges itself. It goes through the memory of your day. Then, it saves or deletes certain memories so that you can wake up alert with a clear mind. Your self-control, attention, and memory are reduced when you are not getting enough sleep or when you have poor sleep quality. Sleep deprivation increases the secretion of the stress hormone even in the absence of a stressor.
Consume Less Caffeine
Drinking too much caffeinated drinks such coffee, cola, and energy drink causes adrenaline production. And adrenaline is the source of the “fight-or-flight” response, a survival mechanism that forces us to stand and fight or retreat when faced with a great danger. The “fight-or-flight” response, which is also called the acute stress response, goes beyond rational thinking in favor of faster action. It manifests itself when you are attached by a bear, for instance. When caffeine puts your brain and body on high alert and under stress, your emotions take control on your behavior. The stress caused by caffeine is not intermittent and remains for a long time before it leaves your body.
Stay Positive!
Positive thoughts help reduce stress by redirecting the brain to an idea, a situation, something that is completely stress-free. It is important to help you consciously focus on something wonderful and pleasant. When the day is going normally, your mood is stable, everything is fine, it is relatively easy to stay positive. However, when things go wrong, you have to be able to get out of the whirlwind of negative thoughts by identifying at least a positive element of the day.
