Managing Stress for Health and Happiness
Stress is a normal part of life, and everyone feels stressed out sometimes. In fact, stress can be the way that your body and brain respond to changes in order to prepare you to take on new challenges or to be alert in emergencies. While some stress is okay, long-term, consistent stress can have a negative impact on your health and well-being. This can impact your child as well. Luckily, people can learn to manage stress in healthy ways.
How to Recognize Stress A first step in stress management is recognizing when you are stressed. You can do this by paying attention to how you feel, your body’s changes, and your actions. Some common signs of stress include:
- Feeling worried and nervous all the time
- Focusing on the negative or expecting bad things to happen
- Becoming angry easily
- Having difficulty concentrating or bad memory
- Breathing quickly and sweating a lot
- Having issues like diarrhea or constipation
- Feeling aches and pains or muscle tension
- Eating more or less than you are used to
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Developing acne
Importance of Managing Stress
For your own health Our bodies can handle stress in small amounts. However, consistent stress can lead to serious mental and physical health issues such as depression, anxiety, and heart disease that can prevent you from living a long, healthy, and happy life.
For your children Stress can also affect your children during and after pregnancy. During pregnancy, too much stress can be bad for the mother’s health. This can increase the risk of early birth, meaning that babies can be born prematurely and low-weight which can lead to long-term health problems. As your child grows, reducing your stress can also allow you to be more present and spend time bonding with them. Children pay close attention to their parents’ emotional state, so being in a constant state of stress can stress them out, too. Modeling healthy stress management can set your child up for a lifetime of well-being.
For your relationships Being stressed all the time can also cause problems for your relationships. It can lead you or your friends or family members to say hurtful things to one another. Managing stress can help you communicate better in these situations and help you maintain healthy relationships.
For your children Stress can also affect your children during and after pregnancy. During pregnancy, too much stress can be bad for the mother’s health. This can increase the risk of early birth, meaning that babies can be born prematurely and low-weight which can lead to long-term health problems. As your child grows, reducing your stress can also allow you to be more present and spend time bonding with them. Children pay close attention to their parents’ emotional state, so being in a constant state of stress can stress them out, too. Modeling healthy stress management can set your child up for a lifetime of well-being.
For your relationships Being stressed all the time can also cause problems for your relationships. It can lead you or your friends or family members to say hurtful things to one another. Managing stress can help you communicate better in these situations and help you maintain healthy relationships.
How to Manage Stress There are many approaches you can use to manage stress in healthy ways. For instance:
- Ask for help when you need it. This includes sharing parenting responsibilities with others to make sure you get a break.
- Learning time management techniques. These can include getting organized, combining errands, and planning ahead for overwhelming situations.
- Practicing self-care. Taking time to care for yourself helps keep stress in check.
It can be easy to forget, or it can feel selfish to take time for yourself. However, it is important for your health. Watching you may also help your child adopt good self-care skills that they can carry into adulthood. Self-care can be anything that makes you feel happy and relaxed. Try some of the following:
- Exercise (such as yoga, walking, jogging, or sports)
- Practice mindfulness (see resources section to learn more)
- Take a nap
- Get a good night's sleep (at least 7 hours)
- Eat nutritious meals that contain a lot of vegetables and fruits
- Take a bath while listening to your favorite music
- Read a book or magazine
- Watch a movie or catch up on your favorite show
- Hang out with friends and family
If you feel that you are having a difficult time managing stress on your own, you can reach out to a mental health professional for support. You can find these professionals at local health centers.
Helpful Resources
SAMHSA This website has a locator to find mental health services and therapists in your area.
Mindfulness If you want to learn how to practice mindfulness, there are many free mobile apps available to help you get started. There are even guided mindfulness meditations for kids that they can do by themselves or with you.
Support Groups These groups can also be helpful for managing stress because you can learn how others have managed their stress or similar experiences. Mental Health America has a list of support groups by topic that can help you find a support group near you.
Helpful Resources
SAMHSA This website has a locator to find mental health services and therapists in your area.
Mindfulness If you want to learn how to practice mindfulness, there are many free mobile apps available to help you get started. There are even guided mindfulness meditations for kids that they can do by themselves or with you.
Support Groups These groups can also be helpful for managing stress because you can learn how others have managed their stress or similar experiences. Mental Health America has a list of support groups by topic that can help you find a support group near you.
