By Stress is our body’s reaction to any change or threat that we face from outside forces or from within. We feel stressed or overwhelmed when we face a threat (job loss, bad grades, exam failure, unhealthy relationships, feeling unproductive, etc.) and we begin to worry about it because at that time- when we face the threat, we have no idea how to fight or deal with it.
Stress is inevitable in human life. If we can’t avoid it, we must learn how to deal with it. Without knowing, many of us may use unhealthy ways to deal with stress like over-sleeping, and increasing screen time; basically, manipulating ourselves to think that there’s nothing to worry about. But, at the end of the day, the stressors come back to haunt us down.
Therefore, it is important to learn healthy ways to cope with stress and feeling overwhelmed. Below are six easy ways how to calm yourself down when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
6 Ways To Overcome Feeling Stressed And Overwhelmed:
- Take 5 deep breaths
When you’re stressed, sometimes all you just have to do is to take five deep breaths, unclench your jaw, relax your body and exhale all your worries. You may not realize it but you’re a lot stronger than you could ever imagine yourself to be. Anytime you think you are stuck and can’t continue on, take a few deep breaths. Just remind yourself, to take it one step at a time!
- Visualize how you’ll feel relieved after dealing with the stressor
To motivate yourself to get through this phase, visualized how you’ll feel after you are done dealing with all your worries. When you visualize it, you’ll see how relaxed and happy you’ll be and it will make you feel good and motivate you to overcome all your stressors and worries.
- Write it down
When you feel overwhelmed or stressed, write it all down, but don’t dwell on them. Save ‘worrying’ for worry time. Schedule 10-15 minutes, find a quiet place, set an alarm, and write down all your worries and problems. Stop dwelling on your worries when the alarm goes off. This activity will help you to see your problems from another point of view and this might help you to sort them out easily.
- Stay hydrated
Even when you’re mildly dehydrated, cortisol (stress hormone) levels in the body increase. Drinking lots of water will help you to keep your stress level down. In simple terms, when you don’t give your body enough fluid/ water, you’re putting stress on your body. So, don’t forget to stay hydrated!
- Don’t overload your to-do list
Task overload is a nightmare but something many of us can relate to in today’s society. When you see lots of tasks on your to-do list, you might feel overwhelmed even before you start working on them. According to research, the longer your to-do list is, the less likely you are going to get things done. So, make sure to break down the big tasks into smaller chunks and make your to-do lists doable and encouraging.
- Take breaks
When you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take all the time you need to recharge your mind and body. Take breaks from schoolwork, and office work, take social media breaks, basically from anything and anyone that makes you feel overwhelmed.
when you’re under stress and feeling overwhelmed, it is so hard to enjoy and keep up with the life. That’s why it is truly important to fill your mind with hope, love, kindness, and positivity during tough days.
P.S. Sending love to anyone struggling with their mental health right now. I am so proud of you for doing your best to be okay. Hang in there, love! Things will get better, maybe not today but someday.
Related Article – 10 Important Reminders You Should See If You’re Having A Bad Day
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Disclaimer: As the admin of the HappyHumaans community, I’m making my best effort in putting forth supportive material based on my knowledge, experience, and passions as a psychology student in hopes that you can find simple ways to make your life better and brighter. We DO NOT REPLACE PROFESSIONAL THERAPY or other professional services.