Mind Gym

1 year ago

Give me some of that Good Stress

Stress has got a bad rep in recent times. Health magazines call it a killer, experts claim that stress is the cause of all diseases in some form, and psychologists often recommend stress at work needs to be combatted with some form of meditation. Perhaps this is all true, however, the concept of stress is a lot more complex. Usually, the stress we talk about is “chronic” stress, the kind of stress that causes anxiety and discomfort leading to a bad mood that causes a sense of constant tension. However few have heard about the term Eustress. Eustress (pronounced USTRESS) is the kind of stress that we require to get tasks done. A small amount of stress is needed to push us to work on our goals and get through our daily routine. How do we manage Chronic stress and get more Eustress? try these simple tips. Create lists – Getting organized will help focus your tension in the right places. This way you have more control of what kind of stress you wish to generate. Deep breaths- Few things help chronic stress the way deep breathing does. The surge of Oxygen helps with relieving tension and controls cortisol, the hormone that secretes when you are anxious. Visualize – As unusual as it may seem to close your eyes and go “to your happy place” closing your eyes and focusing on something that you want to achieve rather than what you are afraid of will greatly help to generate the focus you need to get things done. Exercise – An obvious one but an essential one none the less, Fitness helps relieve chronic tension and replaces it with the kind of tension that increases focus and sharpness. Exercise is the holy grail to decrease chronic stress and help eustress work at its peak.