Top Five Stress Management Techniques

Stress is a natural part of life. There will always be situations that cause us to feel anxious or unsettled. In small doses, stress can actually be good for you. 

However, many of us are well acquainted with chronic stress. The older you get, the more you're responsible for and the more worries you have. When stress starts to take physical and mental tolls, that's when you know it's crossed the line between beneficial and detrimental. 

When you're drowning in stress, it's easy to lose your sense of self and feel like you're not in control of your life. When you aren't confident in who you are, it's harder to feel empowered in your daily life. As a brand that's all about empowering others, it felt important to discuss what stress can do to you and how you can begin to manage it. 

What is Stress? 

Stress is a natural reaction everyone has to difficult situations or situations where we don't feel like we're in control. It's essentially our own "fight or flight" response that protects us from harm. 

When you experience stress, you body releases a bunch of hormones to help you manage unsettling situations. Hormones are what trigger the "fight or flight" response. For some people, this only happens once in a while and ends up acting as a motivator. For others, there is a constant release of hormones that keeps their body indefinitely on the defense. 

Why is it Important to Manage Stress Effectively? 

Constant stress can have detrimental effects on your mental and physical health. That is why it's important to have techniques at hand to mange your stress. 

On your physical health, continued release of hormones from stress can cause: 

• Headaches
• Muscle tension
• Heart palpitations
• Upset stomach/lack of appetite

On your mental health, constant stress can cause: 

• Difficulties with concentration
• Forgetfulness
• Constant feelings of being overwhelmed
• Irritability 
• Mood swings
• Changes in sleeping habits 

If you don't manage your stress effectively, it can lead to long-term health complications. Chronic stress can increase your chance of developing life-threatening diseases, depression, and anxiety. 

What are Five Stress Management Techniques? 

Don't let stress take over your life. It's never too late to start working on stress management and making changes to your daily life to protect your mental and physical health. 

We put together five stress management techniques that you can implement into your daily routine today:

1. Unwind and rest your mind. Take time at the end of your day to fully unwind and rest your mind. Take breaks from social media, practice meditation, keep a gratitude journal, commit to spending time outside, and/or end your day with relaxing activities that you enjoy. 
2. Prioritize sleep. Sleep deprivation is no joke. It truly is vital that you're allowing your mind and body to fully recharge at the end of each day. The preferred amount of time for sleep each night is 8-hours or more. If you struggle to fall asleep, it could be a good idea to limit screen time before bed and work through anything that's worrying you before your head hits the pillow. 
3. Move your body. Being physically active is a great way to manage stress. This doesn't mean you have to spend 2 hours at the gym everyday. Moving your body can be going on a 30-minute walk around your neighborhood or starting your morning with yoga. 
4. Develop healthy coping mechanisms. Stress is inevitable. You aren't going to be in control of every situation you find yourself in. Be able to recognize what causes you stress and have an action plan ready to go if you can't avoid those situations. It can also be helpful to go to therapy to talk through your triggers and develop coping mechanisms you can implement when you feel stress creeping in. 
5. Have a strong support system. Having a strong support system is an underrated method of managing stress. This could be family, friends, a partner, or even a coworker. It's important to have people that understand your situation and can share some of the burden of your stress. At the very least, it's nice to have someone who will actively listen to what you're going through. 

These are only five stress management practices you can start working on today. There are plenty of other methods available that you can try depending on what works for you. 

Fidget Jewelry for Stress Management 

We can't write a post about stress management and not talk about the benefits of fidgeting for anxiety and stress. 

When you experience stress, energy builds up in your body. For many people, that energy releases through fidgeting. A lot of people will tap their feet, drum their fingers, or pick at their skin. 

Our fidget jewelry is a fashionable way that you can discreetly release excess energy from stress. It can also help distract your mind from what's causing you stress. Here are a few pieces of fidget jewelry that can serve as a reminder to use your stress management techniques, and help you release excess energy: 

Breathe	IT WILL BE OK	Amethyst Crystal	Smoky Quartz Crystal

To learn more about how fidget jewelry can help with anxiety and stress, check out this blog post. 

Start Learning to Manage Stress

At the end of the day, it's up to you and your personal preferences for what will truly help you manage stress. It's easy to give in and feel like you're drowning when chronic stress hits. 

Take back your life with stress management techniques. You can get through tough times and any stress you've been dealing with.