How to manage stress - By José David Morim

Did you know that European Union spends around 20 billion euros per year in Healthcare costs due to workplace stress?(TheBusyLifeStyle, 2018) The effects of stress are very severe. These include headaches, muscle pain, sleep derivation amongst other negative effects.(MayoClinic, 2018) Stress is caused by long work hours, working under stressful conditions, being hopeless and also by being unhappy in life.

So what are some techniques to reduce stress and improve relaxation? According to the American Psychological Association the main stress management techniques are: Listening to music, watching television, playing video games and exercising. Although these are the most popular, this does not mean they are the healthiest stress management techniques. In fact, playing video games and watching television for hours daily, may result in addiction. We also must remember that several studies show, that video games may cause stress and anxiety. Therefore some stress management techniques end up being counterproductive. Looking at things in the bright side there are stress management techniques that are proven to be healthy. One of these is meditation. Meditation allows us to fully relax; it lowers our blood pressure and our pulse. (WebMd, n.d.) It also allows us to clear our mind. According to the American Psychological Association, meditation is one of the least used techniques. This is because society as a whole is not aware of all the benefits that meditation may bring. Another simple technique is just socialization. “As we mentioned in our previous discussion on social support, humans are inherently social beings. Socialization, or enjoying other people's company and maintaining a sense of connectedness to others, is an important component of stress reduction.”(MentalHealth.com, n.d.)

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In conclusion, stress is a problem that affects the majority of today’s society. We find ways to cope with it on a regular basis, many times being through unhealthy or addictive means. With a little bit of practice and dedication stress can be alleviated through healthy means such as meditation and socialization

Refrences:

MayoClinic. (2018). Stress management. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987

MentalHealth.com. (n.d.). Socialization And Altruistic Acts As Stress Relief. Retrieved from As we mentioned in our previous discussion on social support, humans are inherently social beings. Socialization, or enjoying other people’s company and maintaining a sense of connectedness to others, is an important component of stress reduction.

TheBusyLifeStyle. (2018). 6 New Stress Statistics from around the World. Retrieved from https://thebusylifestyle.com/stress-statistics-worldwide/

WebMd. (n.d.). Meditation, Stress, and Your Health. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/meditation-natural-remedy-for-insomnia#1

By:

José David dos Santos Morim

IPAM- 8022