Stress levels over the top, how do you beat it?

melissa5604

I started working out July 1st and really loved how it helped me with stress..but since school started back, I have a super high stress level and feel like I am gonna have a stroke most evenings. My GKs and both their parents live with me , both the parents work nights , so I have to parent them basically , which is no fun compared to being granny. The past month has been bad, for the past week my neck and shoulds have been in knots, to the point where I cannot get to sleep.

I have been getting a massage about every 7-8 days, have done tons of stretching , yoga poses , nothing is helping.

How do you handle stress when it gets to be too much...?

I seldom have time to read, or me time. I do not drink ...I do smoke tobacco, and am trying to stop.

Dhemeyer

Gosh... you sure do have a lot on your plate. It makes sense you are totally stressed. While you're already trying some great techniques to address the anxiety and they way your body carries the stress, you may not be able to completel eliminate the distress you're feeling until the stressors you are experiencing resolve. However, there are two things that I recommend my clients do that, if done regularly and frequently, can produce results temporarily and in the the long term more permanent relief.

I would first recommend Calm Breathing (you can find scripts for this through Google and might even find recorded scripts there too). What's nice about this skill is that with just 10 minutes you can begin to feel better, you can do this practically anywhere, and it's easy to learn. To get the max benefit you need to practice this at least 3x's/day.
My other recommendation would be Progressive or Passive Muscle Relaxation. Again, you can find scripts for this through Google and might even find recorded scripts there too. To get the max benefit you need to practice this at least 3x's/day.

It's important to do these frequently, rather than in one long shot, because when we are under stress our bodies interpret this as a physical stress and react accordingly... shallow breathing, increased muscle tension, increased heart rate, decreased digestion, etc. While these are the things we want it to do when we are actually threatened, this reaction sure is uncomfortable and unwanted when we aren't actually threatened, but rather just stressed. In short, it amplifies our stress! If you do these skills they combat the physical reactions and help ease the burden... but you must do them often

Check in with yourself reguarly... take a quick sweep of your body and notice where you are tensing and clenching and relase that tension ASAP. Keep doing what you're doing... but see if adding these suggestions into your life make a difference for you. Perhaps in just a few short weeks you'll be feeling very differently about things.

I hope this helps... and best wishes!

kimothy38

I would first recommend Calm Breathing (you can find scripts for this through Google and might even find recorded scripts there too). What's nice about this skill is that with just 10 minutes you can begin to feel better, you can do this practically anywhere, and it's easy to learn. To get the max benefit you need to practice this at least 3x's/day.
My other recommendation would be Progressive or Passive Muscle Relaxation. Again, you can find scripts for this through Google and might even find recorded scripts there too. To get the max benefit you need to practice this at least 3x's/day.

I agree with this.
Also, focus on the positive. Congratulation yourself on things you've done well that day (ate only when hungry, kept calm during challenging situation, practiced deep breathing etc) and things you can could better (ie take a deep breath rather than getting angry, snacked too much etc). I find this keeps things in perspective for me. Do it through journalling or prayer (I'm not religious but do prayer morning and night).

melissa5604

Thanks , I had heard of the calm breathing and was going to learn how to do it. I will google both in the morning.

Thanks:)