A Better Life: Real Stress Busters for True Inner Peace

There are definitely better ways to tackle moments of stress in your life, without pouring yourself a stiff drink or lighting up a cigarette.

Taking alcohol to combat certainly isn’t a recommended strategy, as you may end up using the services of drink driving lawyers, amongst other consequences, so how can you fight stress in a better way?

Improve your physical and mental health

Stress affects us in different ways and some people seem to be more adept at coping with stressful situations than others, although you cannot always tell the extent of their inner turmoil, that is being hidden by their external calmness.

Whether you consider yourself to be one of those people that doesn’t get easily stressed or you seem to constantly live on your nerves, it is always going to be advantageous if you can develop some simple strategies, that will help you manage and reduce your stress levels.

Avoid stimulants

There are plenty of plausible health reasons why you should aim to avoid caffeine, alcohol and nicotine, which are all stimulants.

You should aim to reduce if not eliminate, your intake of all of these things, as they will actually have the effect of increasing your level of stress rather than reduce it. Many of us enjoy a cup of coffee or a drink after work for example, but if you make a conscious effort to swap your caffeinated and alcoholic drinks for water, herbal teas or maybe some natural fruit juices, the effect will be that you will be better hydrated and your body will be better equipped to cope with stress.

Physical activity helps

Although exercise won’t necessarily make your stress disappear, one of the many positive benefits of exercise is that it will often have the effect of reducing the level of emotional intensity that you are experiencing.

The advantage this gives you in tackling any stress through exercise, is that you will often feel like your mind is less cluttered after a bout of physical activity, which should give you the opportunity to address any problems you have, more calmly and rationally.

Sleep deprivation needs to be avoided

A common issue when you are stressed is to suffer an interrupted sleep pattern, and you can also find it difficult to switch your mind off enough, in order to get to sleep in the first place.

There is no question that a lack of sleep is a major factor in causing you to experience greater levels of stress. Your aim should be to try and find a calming routine that gets you ready for a good night’s sleep. Avoid caffeine and excessive alcohol during the evening and consider running a bath or reading a relatively unchallenging book in order to wind down before bed.

It may take you a few weeks of following the same routine every night before you experience the benefit, but once you have trained your mind and body to a positive bedtime routine, this should help you sleep better and keep your stress levels more under control.

Stress can have a big impact on your quality of life, so make sure you take back control of your mind and body with a number of physical and mental strategies that work for you.

This article was provided by Sophie Dickinson. Sophie Dickinson works as a life coach, working with individuals to banish stress and live a positive, healthy life. She shares her tips on lifestyle blogs around the web.