To navigate challenging situations, we need our bodies to produce stress, fight, or flight reactions. Our body responds to an imminent threat by generating stress hormones, stiffening our tendons and muscles, raising the pressure in our blood, and causing our lungs and heart to perform more intense, as well as generating an increase in sugar and lipids to provide us with energy (Publishing, 2019). Our body resumes regular functions whenever a threat is no longer there. Nevertheless, if we experience stress regularly, our immunity may get chronically activated, significantly increasing the likelihood of numerous diseases like heart disease, dementia, and stroke. Inflammation overgrowth is another effect of this. In today’s world, stress is a prevalent issue. I decided to research some fresh stress-reduction strategies to lessen the stress in my life. I selected meditation, relaxation, and nature as my stress-relieving pastimes. Over two weeks, I dedicated at least 20 to 30 minutes a day to each activity. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss my experiences with each strategy and analyze which will be most beneficial to me.
After tossing here and there on how to reduce my stress, my friend proposed a relaxation method for me, which she claimed to be using. Since she seems good at managing her stress well, it became my first target method to try it. Plenty of us associate relaxation with vegging out and watching a small quantity of the channel on a sofa after a demanding day. However, it does not do much to lessen the negative impacts of stress. Instead, I realized that I needed to trigger my body’s natural relaxation reaction, a deep sleep-like condition that reduces stress, lowers my heart and breathing rates, reduces my blood pressure, and restores harmony to my physical being and mental state (Robinson, 2019). While I may have opted to pay for an experienced massage or acupuncturist, I realized I could perform most relaxation exercises independently with the right approach. Nevertheless, it is crucial to remember that only some respond well to a particular relaxation technique. Thus, I tried breathing and visualization techniques that spoke to me.
After five minutes of rhythmic breathing to relax, I closed my eyes and visualized my turbid being as the turbulent stream of water. I can well picture myself sitting by the stream and absorbing everything I can. I see how including every sensory information as possible improves visualization (Godman, 2022). I employ focused concentration over the course of the following 20 minutes to quiet the stream’s churning water. After succeeding, I maintain my composure during the stretch for five minutes before completing my relaxation exercise.
The most frequently performed relaxation is the progressive muscle relaxation that I can perform at any time, place, and situation. Combining the tensing and releasing of muscles progressively from head to toe with the breathing techniques of relaxation. The two have been a great help when dealing with my stress since I can do muscle relaxation even if I am busy.
Nature is considered a way of transferring our minds from busy thinking and indulging in the beautiful scenery surrounding us. Although life in the savanna differed greatly from how we live today, our mental processes remain essentially unchanged. Despite technological developments, we continue to maintain a strong tie with nature. Scientific evidence suggests that if we do not nurture that connection, we could suffer in numerous ways—our psychological health being just one of them. So I made it a routine to create about 30 minutes to interact with nature whenever I feel stressed. Here, I try to encourage myself to spend at least 20 minutes three times a week in a natural setting for eight weeks. The locations varied, including yards, neighborhood parks, and green spaces close to my employment (Godman, 2022). Throughout their excursions in nature, I also strolled or sat. I venture outdoors to green, natural areas when I am feeling down. I have found that going on a walk in the forests helps me fight depression, and just seeing the natural world from my office has been uplifting when I am sad. Nature offers scenes that softly draw my attention rather than abruptly seizing it and calm my nerves rather than frazzle them.
I occasionally experience feelings of loss and question the purpose of existence. I may be reminded of the world’s amazingness with 30 minutes of nature amazement. Forests that were decades old before my birth, mountains above the horizon, and a sky filled with endless stars are all-natural gifts. Whenever it reaches its mind-blowing awesomeness, nature never ceases to amaze me, sends chills down my spine, and reminds me that I am a small part of a vast cosmos.
Meditation was one of the new methods that I gave it a try to try and get rid of my stress and calm my unstable mind. I sometimes consider meditating if stress is making me feel tense, apprehensive, or worried. In approximately 20 minutes, even a brief period of meditation might assist me in regaining my composure and inner serenity. I also understood that anybody can meditate. It is easy and reasonably priced.
Additionally, no special tools are needed. Additionally, I may meditate wherever I am, whether when walking, commuting, waiting in queue for a medical professional, or perhaps amid a challenging company conference. I also realized that meditation is a broader practice for those peace-loving individuals who want to shut themselves from disturbing thoughts, such as myself (Sutton, 2020). Meditation is considered a form of supplementary medicine for the mind and body. Complete relaxation and mental calmness are two effects of meditation. I concentrate throughout the meditation and eliminate the constant stream of disorganized ideas that could be stressing me out. I always hoped this procedure would improve my mental and emotional health.
One of the main meditation activities I explored in my stress reduction technique is the body scan meditation I performed for 30 minutes. This kind of meditation directs my concentration to different areas of my body. I commence at my toes and gradually work upward from there up, similar to progressive muscle relaxation. I merely concentrate on how each area of my body experiences, without classifying the feelings as good or bad, rather than contracting and loosening my muscles.
I typically lay on my back with my legs straight, my arms at my sides, and my eyes shut. I need to concentrate on my inhalation and exhalation for around five minutes before I feel relaxed. I then direct my attention to my right foot’s toes (Sutton, 2020). I was observing any feelings I experienced while keeping my attention on my breathing. I picture the flow of every deep breath reaching my toes. I focus on this region for four to six seconds, if not longer. Then I turn my attention to the bottom of my right foot. I am paying attention to any physical feelings I experience while imagining each breath coming from the bottom of my foot. After a few minutes, I repeated, shifting my attention to my right ankle. I go on to my calf, thigh, knee, and hip before repeating the process on my left leg. I then work my way up the body, traversing the shoulders, chest, upper back, and lower back. I constantly pay special attention to each part of my body that gives me discomfort or hurts. I finish the body scan in 20 minutes and then relax for 5 minutes in peace and stillness while observing how my body is feeling. I will stretch if I need to and gradually open my eyes after that.
I am not choosy; all the stress management activities I recently tried seem to work well for me. This is true since all three activities depend on each other. One can only relax by connecting to nature or performing meditation directly or indirectly. It is like relaxation depends on meditation, while meditation, on the other hand, depends on nature harnessing the power and benefit nature might provide (Sutton, 2020). However, the best stress reduction activity for me is nature connection. The highest cortisol reduction was found to occur after investing a minimum of twenty to thirty minutes in a natural environment. After that, the benefits of stress reduction increased more gradually. The moment of the day and specific environments had little impact on stress concentrations. Therefore whenever I needed to unwind or concentrate on my mental health, I looked for a natural place to relax and get a moment in. Varying the environment can help inspire creativity, and the outdoors provides stimulation that I cannot find while glued to a TV. For instance, four days outdoors increased my problem-solving ability by fifty percent.
Stress can be devastating to one’s health, especially the negative stress that drains a person’s mind and physical state. Such stress needs to be managed efficiently. It is better to acknowledge that stress cannot be uprooted entirely since they are part of people and is either the driving force toward success or failure. The only option available is to regulate its control over us using various stress reduction activities suitable for one’s personality. Everyone is different; such diversity requires various measures while selecting stress reduction activities. Meditation, relaxation, and nature activities have proven effective for my stress reduction process. We do not have to let stress control us. We should not let stress stop us from accomplishing whatever we desire. Instead, stress ought to motivate us to accomplish our goals and face obstacles that will help us advance. There must be no justification for avoiding stress or letting it consume you. We might view stress as a natural element that may energy and drive us to face both anticipated and unforeseen obstacles by adopting methods for dealing with and gaining control.
Godman, H. (2022, March 1). Top ways to reduce daily stress. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/top-ways-to-reduce-daily-stress
Publishing, H. H. (2019, July 1). A 20-minute nature break relieves stress. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/a-20-minute-nature-break-relieves-stress
Robinson, L. (2019, May 2). HelpGuide.org. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief.htm
Sutton, J. (2020, June 5). 18 Stress Management Activities and Worksheets to Help Clients Beat Stress. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/stress-management-activities-worksheets/