{"id":7172,"date":"2021-07-02T10:13:21","date_gmt":"2021-07-02T10:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/?p=7172"},"modified":"2021-07-02T10:13:21","modified_gmt":"2021-07-02T10:13:21","slug":"self-care-can-help-manage-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/self-care-can-help-manage-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Self-care Can Help You Manage Stress"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i><span>If your compassion does not include yourself, it is not complete<\/span><\/i><span>. \u2013 Jack Kornfield<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of people are full of compassion when it comes to others. They\u2019re quick to notice that someone looks like they didn\u2019t get a <a href=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/2020\/04\/bedtime-habits-for-a-better-nights-sleep.html\">good night\u2019s sleep<\/a> or that they seem like they\u2019re under a lot of stress. The problem is that this sometimes doesn\u2019t work introspectively.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being under a lot of stress or in a stressful environment is usually not something that happens overnight. More likely than not, it\u2019s a chain of events that lands you deeper and deeper into a stressful environment\/set of circumstances. Experiencing a stressful event is not as bad as chronically being under stress.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One way to make yourself more resilient to stress is to learn how to put yourself first. This is why proper self-care is one of the essential components in your stress management toolset. In other words, self-care is essential to <a href=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/2017\/04\/10-effective-tips-to-manage-stress.html\">stress management<\/a>, but it is also true that proper stress management is a form of self-care in its own right.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stress-related Health Problems<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we even start, it\u2019s important that you understand why coping with stress is so important. Here are several biggest health-related problems that you could develop if you ignore this for too long:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heart disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depression<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alzheimer\u2019s<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asthma<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have a genetic predisposition towards some of these illnesses, it\u2019s even more important that you limit your exposure to stress. It\u2019s far better to try and soften the blow of Alzheimer\u2019s or postpone it (in a scenario where you have the genetic predisposition) than to have to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/2021\/06\/safety-measures-patients-with-alzheimers-disease.html\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">learn how to cope with it<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the fact that you should avoid stress is supposed to be quite obvious, this is not necessarily the case for a lot of people. Instead, we\u2019re taught that stress is just a natural symptom of living in modern society and that you should embrace it or learn how to live with it. While there is some truth to this, it\u2019s also crucial that you understand what you\u2019re putting on the line. Now that you know better, you can understand just how important this is.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7175 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-relaxation-happy-man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-wellbeing-background-relaxation-114397748-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Why Self-care Can Help You Manage Stress\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-relaxation-happy-man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-wellbeing-background-relaxation-114397748-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-relaxation-happy-man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-wellbeing-background-relaxation-114397748-700x466.jpg 700w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-relaxation-happy-man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-wellbeing-background-relaxation-114397748-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-relaxation-happy-man-relaxing-deck-chair-home-wellbeing-background-relaxation-114397748.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Symptoms of Stress<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of people live under the assumption that stress is easy to define or even identify. However, this is a psychological condition whose symptoms vary from one case to another. Those used to using stress as an excuse for everything will make the mistake of attributing all sorts of unpleasant symptoms to it (even though this isn\u2019t necessarily true). Others will ignore apparent <a href=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/2019\/04\/ways-reduce-stress-anxiety-now.html\">symptoms of stress<\/a> to appear strong in the eyes of those they\u2019re trying to impress.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To avoid the majority of these assumptions, it\u2019s important that you learn some of the most common stress indicators. There are three types of symptoms you need to watch out for.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emotional symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being easily agitated<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling overwhelmed<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having problems relaxing<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insomnia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chest pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low energy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upset stomach<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loss of sexual desire<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nervousness and shaking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dry mouth<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cognitive symptoms:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Racing thoughts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Constant pessimism<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inability to focus<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forgetfulness and disorientation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just keep in mind that with a lot of people, these symptoms may vary. After all, stress is a subjective thing. Also, some of these symptoms and symptom combinations have other causes. In other words, it\u2019s probably best to talk to a professional.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical Exercise Makes a Difference<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deep down, we are still governed by a lot of primal instincts that drove our ancestors. This is why people feel so good in the aftermath of physical exercise. You see, during the dawn of humankind, the only reason for humans to run was to either run away from something chasing them or catch on to something that they were chasing (for food). Upon catching their prey or running away from the predator, people had all the reason to rejoice \u2013 they\u2019ll get to live another day. So, the happiness hormones started overwhelming them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, you can condition yourself in this way by doing sports. This, however, is a gift that keeps giving. There\u2019s no real danger (even in contact, combat sports), and you get to condition yourself to release these stress-reducing hormones. The best part is that there are also so many sports for you to choose from. You don\u2019t have to run or cycle if you find this to be too tedious. Instead, you can hit the nearest <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.irttour.com\/racquetball-court-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">racquetball court<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, find the necessary equipment and start learning about this incredible sport.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep in mind that there are some scenarios where your stress level is increased because you (subconsciously) feel intimidated. Getting in shape and becoming physically more dominant can take some of this edge. In turn, you will feel better about yourself, and it will become a lot harder for anyone to shake your confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthy Lifestyle<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7022\" src=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fitness-training-athletic-sporty-man-doing-plank-exercise-gym-yoga-class-exercising-workout-70718580-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Starting Workout After A Long Break\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fitness-training-athletic-sporty-man-doing-plank-exercise-gym-yoga-class-exercising-workout-70718580-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fitness-training-athletic-sporty-man-doing-plank-exercise-gym-yoga-class-exercising-workout-70718580-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fitness-training-athletic-sporty-man-doing-plank-exercise-gym-yoga-class-exercising-workout-70718580-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fitness-training-athletic-sporty-man-doing-plank-exercise-gym-yoga-class-exercising-workout-70718580.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leading a <a href=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/2021\/05\/best-daily-routine-healthy-life.html\">healthy lifestyle<\/a> is not enough to help you cope with stress on its own, but it can make your job of doing so a lot easier. For instance, when you\u2019re exhausted and sleep-deprived, you\u2019re easier to aggravate. So, it\u2019s easy to understand why this would make any bad news seem more catastrophic. If you\u2019re in a workplace and your stress comes from work-related tasks, being tired will limit your cognitive capacities, making you more likely to make a mistake.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Previously we\u2019ve talked about lack of focus and tiredness, and both tobacco and alcohol can enhance this effect on your mind and body. Being hungry will also make you more irritable, while overeating will cause you to feel bloated and even drowsy. In general, leading a healthy lifestyle and dropping some of your most harmful vices will help you change the way you handle stress for the better.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surrounding Yourself with Positive People<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-6889\" src=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/pexels-photo-3182812-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"Ergonomics in the Workplace\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/pexels-photo-3182812-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/pexels-photo-3182812.jpeg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to the external sources of stress, there are three types of people who are most likely to stress you out. These are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employer\/boss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Significant other<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neighbors<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biggest problem with these three groups is the fact that you won\u2019t have an easy time avoiding them. Sure, you could try and have a conversation with them, but some people are just negative, toxic, or abusive, which means that they either don\u2019t care or they even behave this way on purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key thing is for you to try and get out of these relationships as soon as possible and surround yourself with positive people. Quitting your job, breaking up with your significant other, and even moving sound quite drastic, but they can improve your lifestyle quality quite drastically.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you still think things are not that bad and that these measures are too extreme, it might be a good idea for you to revisit the list of diseases caused by chronic stress (first section of this post).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Changing Your Work Environment<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Previously, we\u2019ve talked about the importance of distancing yourself from a boss (possibly even a coworker) who\u2019s causing you stress. However, sometimes the whole company culture will be toxic and hostile. At other times, you will just be too afraid to admit to yourself that it\u2019s the nature of the work that doesn\u2019t suit you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It takes a lot of courage to admit that you\u2019re unhappy with the current state of affairs. It takes even more courage to realize that you don\u2019t have to be.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, if you\u2019re under constant stress, you may need to leave.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s one more thing that we need to address here \u2013 the concept of tough love. You see, tough love is a popular method in the business world, but its effectiveness is highly disputed. According to some specialists, this is an outdated concept that is used and abused by bullies in order to justify their behavior. In other words,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.missmalini.com\/2020\/08\/20\/7-reasons-why-the-concept-of-tough-love-does-more-harm-than-good\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it does more harm than good<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No, they\u2019re not trying to \u201ctoughen you up.\u201d What they\u2019re doing is harassment, and it needs to stop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-7174\" src=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/self-care-to-do-list-handwriting-spiral-notebook-cup-coffee-mental-emotional-physical-health-concept-221989835-300x182.jpg\" alt=\"Why Self-care Can Help You Manage Stress\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/self-care-to-do-list-handwriting-spiral-notebook-cup-coffee-mental-emotional-physical-health-concept-221989835-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/self-care-to-do-list-handwriting-spiral-notebook-cup-coffee-mental-emotional-physical-health-concept-221989835-700x425.jpg 700w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/self-care-to-do-list-handwriting-spiral-notebook-cup-coffee-mental-emotional-physical-health-concept-221989835-768x467.jpg 768w, https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/self-care-to-do-list-handwriting-spiral-notebook-cup-coffee-mental-emotional-physical-health-concept-221989835.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking Some \u2018ME\u2019 Time<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a good idea to try and remind yourself (from time to time) what all of this is about. Having some me-time will help you remind yourself of the purpose behind all these stress-inducing activities and why coping with stress is sometimes a necessary evil.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, taking some time to enjoy a hobby and spending some money on yourself is an important reminder of why you put up with all that stress in the workplace. For other people, spending time with their family helps remind them of who they\u2019re working for.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s easy to endure even the greatest stress and even not take it so seriously when you know that what you\u2019re doing is essential. Having a purpose in life is the best way to make yourself mentally resilient.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the very end, we must debunk one myth \u2013 self-care is not selfish. If anything, it\u2019s the furthest thing from it. When you\u2019re under stress, you\u2019re less pleasant to be around. Sure, some people may just start avoiding you, but what about people who don\u2019t have this option? What about your family members or your coworkers?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From this point of view, taking care of yourself first and foremost can be considered as acting towards the general good. You\u2019re of more use to everyone when you\u2019re not under stress. By learning how to cope with stress, you\u2019re doing both yourself and everyone else a huge favor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your compassion does not include yourself, it is not complete. \u2013 Jack Kornfield A lot of people are full of compassion when it comes to others. They\u2019re quick to notice that someone looks like they didn\u2019t get a good night\u2019s sleep or that they seem like they\u2019re under a lot of stress. The problem [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7175,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7172"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7172"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7176,"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7172\/revisions\/7176"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youmustgethealthy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}