Stress is a normal response that we can experience every day and is the body’s way of preparing us to face a challenge. A certain level of stress is necessary to not only function, but to motivate us to reach our full potential. Too much stress, however, can be a health hazard. The first important step in stress management involves noticing when our stress levels have become unhealthy.

What causes stress
Usually stress comes from a combination of two sources: the environment around you and how you deal with that environment. People who feel high stress can tend to believe that the world is full of negatives, and that they don’t have much control over the negatives in their lives. Stress is an increasing part of our lives and ignoring it will not make it go away. Here are some things to reduce your stress.

What you eat
When we experience stress, our bodies use up a lot of nutrients. This depletion can leave us tired, run down, irritable and less able to deal with our responsibilities. Eating healthy and avoiding too many carbs can help you deal with stress.

Exercise is important
Physical activity helps to release tension things like walking, swimming, jogging or gardening. Not pushing yourself but making sure you do it regularly.

Learn to relax
Relaxation is a useful tool to destress. One relaxation exercise is progressive muscle relaxation. This involves consciously focusing on one area of the body at a time, clenching the muscles, and then relaxing them. When relaxing your muscles, imagine all the tension flowing from your body. Relaxation can also be listening to music, having a nap or reading a book.

Rational thinking
Beliefs and thoughts can determine the intensity of our feelings when in a stressful situation. When we are experiencing stress, it can be we are having extreme thoughts. Feelings of hopelessness and frustration can be a result of thinking, ‘I’m not good enough’ or similar. If dwell on these negative thoughts, we become more stressed.

Time management
Stress can be reduced by using our time and energy more effectively. A list of things to do for the day with ample time to get them done. Remember you can only do so much in a given period. Setting priorities and learning to slow down will help to reduce stress.

Solve real problems 
If you can identify a clear trigger for your stress then structured problem solving can help. Write the problem down and then brainstorm a list of possible solutions. Next, go through each solution and write down the pros and cons of each one. This will help you to identify the best solution to your problem. Put the solution into action and then evaluate it. If it doesn’t work, go to the next-best solution on your list.