Stress is the way our bodies react to any change in the status quo, whether good, bad, real, or imagined. Stress creates physical symptoms, such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, tense muscles, and increased blood pressure.

Emotional reactions include irritability, anger, losing one’s temper, yelling, lack of concentration, and jumpiness. When left unchecked, stress can lead to health problems such as insomnia, ulcers, back pain, colitis, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Being able to manage stress is an important factor in living a healthy, happy, and productive life. Below are some techniques and strategies to help you deal with stress:

• 1. Maintain a regular program of healthy eating and adequate sleep.

• 2. Exercise regularly; this promotes physical fitness as well as emotional well-being

• 3. Have a good balance of work time, family time, and down time.

• 4.  Take a shower or bath with warm water.

• 5. Had a good cry: tears of sadness, jo, or grief can help cleanse the body of substances that accumulate under stress and also release a natural pain=relieving substance from the brain.

• 6. Laugh a lot; when events seem too overwhelming, be sure to still have a good sense of humor.

• 7. Reward yourself: starting today, reward yourself with little things that make you feel good.

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