How to Counter the Effects of Stress

Stress is the number one reason why people get sick in the United States. It is not as though stress is actually making you fall over ill or that it has any clear physical symptoms. However, stress makes its presence know in other areas of your body by causing high blood pressure, a nasty disposition and chronic tiredness.

Stress can be a good thing or a bad thing. When we were in ancient society stress would force us to act. We would see, feel or sense the danger and our awareness would rise. When faced with danger this stress will cause us to either fight or run for our lives. In the end stress was there to save our day. Once the problem was over the stress was gone. Easy come, easy go!

In today's world we aren't out there fighting lions or opposing tribes. Instead we have chronic build up of stress which begins to manifest itself throughout our bodies. Stress is caused when we meet opposition in our lives and this causes a response within our bodies. This response could be an increased heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and metabolism.

There are methods that we can use in today's fast paced lives that will help us lower our risk to stress. Most of these methods work for most people, while some of these methods might appear a little strange to the conventional types. However, each of these methods is based and chosen upon its own merit.

Methods of Reducing Stress:

1.) Exercise: Exercise and working out will not only increase your health but also reduce stress. Exercise gives an outlet for that stress just the same way as fighting or fleeing does. Your heart gets strong, your muscles have a chance to grow, and you get out that aggression.

2.) Yoga: Yoga helps reduce stress by giving your body a chance to stretch out and giving your mind a chance to relax. When you control your breathing, think about a positive image and get the blood moving throughout your body you will feel much better.

3.) Eat Healthy: Eating healthy doesn't necessarily reduce stress but it will reduce the overall effects of stress. Stress raises your blood pressure while eating healthy and losing weight reduces the damaging affects.

4.) Watch a funny movie: Laughing helps us reduce stress because we have a chance to take the lighter approach to life. When we watch something funny we can put many of our other problems into their proper perspective. We also get an added benefit from laughing.