How to get rid of stress and nervous tension: tips for recovery

Stress is a constant companion of our life, and every year its level increases.This is an inevitable process, because “nervous” loads are also constantly growing.And the consequence is increased anxiety, depression and diseases of internal organs that seemingly have nothing to do with stress - for example, the intestines.Doctors like to say that most diseases - “from nerves”, and very often it is true.Read more about the impact of nervous tension on the body, its symptoms and ways to combat stress - read our article.

Stress is not a disease or mental disorder, but a protective reaction of the body. For example, when faced with danger, the body needs a lot of energy and a burst of strength to escape or defend itself, as well as concentration to choose the right course of action. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for this, and it is helped by special hormones - adrenaline and cortisol. But they do not appear in the body for no reason: it is stress that triggers the synthesis of the necessary substances, which develops in response to external or internal “threat”.

Stress can be acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term). Acute stress is less likely to harm the body - it occurs in response to a specific event and increases concentration/readiness for action. With chronic, however, the case is different. Usually such stress is a consequence of prolonged illness or life troubles, and it does not bring anything good to health.

How stress generally affects the body:

• Activates the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands, “forcing” them to produce certain hormones;
• increases heart rate, increases blood pressure;
• suppresses immune system activity, may slow recovery;
• alters hormonal balance;
• impairs mental health.

The main symptoms of stress and nervous overstrain

Nervous overstrain affects the health of all organs - which means that the symptoms of stress can be both physical and mental.

Physical manifestations:

• Headaches or other pains - such as in the heart area;
• muscle tension / spasm;
• feeling short of breath, shortness of breath, choking;
• palpitations;
• increased blood pressure;
• difficulty falling asleep, insomnia;
• excessive sweating;
• nausea;
• stool disorders - diarrhea;
• sexual problems - erectile dysfunction in men, difficulty reaching orgasm or anorgasmia in women, decreased libido (sex drive);
• feeling of constant weakness and fatigue.

Psycho-emotional manifestations of stress:

• nervousness;
• constant anxiety;
• increased anxiety;
• irritability, aggressiveness;
• depression;
• forgetfulness;
• inability to concentrate;
• depression;
• frequent mood swings;
• eating disorders (e.g., overeating or, conversely, lack of appetite - anorexia in the general medical sense);
• impulse control disorders.

The longer the stress lasts, the harder it is for the body. A person may develop stomach ulcers or irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis, eczema, baldness, migraine, hypertension, angina and even heart attack or stroke. But do not blame everything only chronic stress - acute nervous shock is also very dangerous for the body. Sometimes it leads to death.

Also in medicine there is a diagnosis of “acute stress disorder”. It develops after a very strong psycho-emotional or physical impact and can be manifested by a variety of symptoms:

• a sense of unreality of what is happening, loss of connection to reality, depersonalization;
• phobias or nightmares, intrusive memories;
• avoidance of anything that might remind you of the event;
• over-excitability, insomnia, irritability, constant wariness;
• feelings of guilt, shame, powerlessness, despair, which can eventually lead to social isolation.

If the symptoms of acute stress disorder last more than 4 weeks, doctors make a different diagnosis - post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Coping with it is much more difficult.

But, fortunately, in most cases, short-term stresses do not pose a particular threat to health, because they occur every day - and often even in response to pleasant events. For example, falling in love, a marriage proposal, a long-awaited gift - this is also a stress for the body with the release of adrenaline and cortisol, but few people will consciously refuse such a “nervous shock”. And chronic stress is a real “stumbling block” for a doctor of any specialty.

How to relieve internal tension and calm the nerves?

The Internet often advises to immediately turn to a psychotherapist - he will tell you exactly how to fight nervous tension. But not everyone has the time and finances for such “stress relief”. And some people still associate psychotherapists with psychiatrists, which all efforts to avoid. In this case, you can try easy and safe (“home”) methods of fighting stress - they calm, help restore the nervous system and return mental balance. Where to start this difficult struggle?

First of all, you need to accept the fact that stress is a natural reaction of the body. As long as a person is alive - he will react to any events that occur. But how it turns out for health - depends on many factors, as well as on the person himself.

It is worth trying to come to terms with the fact that it is almost impossible to “hide” from stress. Even Indian yogis and Tibetan monks face this reaction of the body. However, unlike most people, they know how to manage it and, most likely, that is why they live happily ever after.

“Anti-stress” foods

The nervous system needs all vitamins to function properly, but especially the B, D and E vitamins. Omega-3 fatty acids and useful minerals - magnesium and zinc - also help to resist stress. They are contained in such products:

• B-complex - meat and fish, seafood, dairy products, eggs, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, lentils, legumes, nuts and seeds, bananas, avocados, citrus fruits, spinach, asparagus, greens, broccoli, raspberries and blueberries, whole-grain bread, sauerkraut;
• vitamin D - mackerel, sardines, tuna, salmon, oysters, eggs, beef liver, fortified milk and juices, cereal, some mushrooms. Don't forget that we get a lot of vitamin D just by sunbathing;
• vitamin E - avocados, kiwi, mangoes, grain products, oils, seeds and nuts,
• omega-3 fatty acids - fatty fish, seafood, olive, linseed and other oils, flax and chia seeds, walnuts;
• magnesium - nuts (especially almonds and pistachios), green leafy vegetables, lentils, black beans, brown rice, mackerel;
• zinc - turkey and beef, oysters, crabs and mussels, cashews, walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, some cheeses (Cheddar), lentils, beans and chickpeas.

There is another delicious and useful product - a real “stress fighter”. Doctors recommend it for mental and physical overstrain, depression, depression, inability to concentrate normally, bad mood. It is, of course, chocolate - in reasonable quantities it is not harmful to health and does not affect body weight. Maximum “anti-stress properties” are expressed in black 70% chocolate - it stimulates the production of special pleasure hormones (endorphins).

If a balanced diet to combat nervous tension is not enough, the doctor may recommend “anti-stress vitamins” - for example, Magnevie Stress Resist. Their composition includes:

• vitamin B6 (pyridoxine);
• vitamin B9 (folic acid);
• Rhodiola rosea (adaptogen) in the form of an extract;
• marine magnesium.

Magnevie Stress Resist increases the body's stress resistance, helps the body recover faster from overexertion and more easily adapt to changing conditions, including the effects of stress.

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You can also take dietary mono supplements, containing vitamins B, D, E, minerals magnesium and zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and other useful substances.

How to relieve stress with herbs

Medicinal herbs are used in the form of infusions, decoctions or teas. Calming and relaxing effect have

• valerian
• chamomile;
• peppermint;
• melissa;
• lavender;
• passiflora;
• St. John's wort (it is considered a true “herbal antidepressant”).

The role of physical activity in overcoming stress

Among the various tips to relieve stress, you can find recommendations not only to have a good rest, but also to move more. And indeed, physical activity increases the “energy level” of the body, promotes the production of endorphins, distracts from bad thoughts and memories.

In addition, “active” is not necessarily alone. For example, hiking, river rafting, climbing mountains will help to make friends with other people and acquire new interests, hobbies.

Normal sleep and adequate rest

Chronic stress worsens sleep, and lack of sleep increases nervous tension. This is a vicious circle, from which it is very difficult to get out. To combat insomnia, doctors recommend physical activity, a change of scenery, new experiences, and if nothing helps - sedatives and sedatives (for example, decoction of valerian herb) or sleeping pills.

Lack of normal rest also perfectly “feeds” stress, which is why workaholics are much more likely to suffer from heart disease and die from heart attacks and strokes.

To reduce the harmful effects on the body, you need to remember about “anti-stress time management” - adequate time management, which allows you to create a balance between work, rest and personal life.

How to overcome stress with the help of relaxation techniques?

Deep breathing, meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization (mental images), aromatherapy, autotraining - these are techniques that allow the body to relax and distract itself from difficult experiences, recover from physical or mental fatigue. You can practice them at home.

Also to effective and accessible methods of relaxation include walks in the fresh air (especially by the sea), music therapy, hobbies, creativity.

When should I see a doctor?

It is necessary to consult a doctor when nervous tension affects the quality of life and health. If a person realizes that he has been in chronic stress for a long time and can not cope with it on his own, if stress affects performance and communication with loved ones, if diseases suddenly appear one after another “out of nowhere” - it means that specialist's help is required. And the sooner the better.

If a person is chronically stressed due to anxiety and constant worry - anti-anxiety medications (e.g., hydroxyzine) are suitable. Unlike antidepressants, it does not need to accumulate in the body: it acts after 30-40 minutes and is not addictive in long-term treatment.

If on the background of long-term stress developed real depression - can not do without antidepressants. They have certain disadvantages, but with the selection of the right drug life really begins to play with new colors, and all events are perceived quite differently. This helps to stop the destructive effect of nervous overstrain on the body.

However, with chronic stress, especially associated with some psychotraumatic events in the past, psychotherapy is more effective. This does not mean that medication should be abandoned - psychotherapy and medication may well be used simultaneously, if they are needed by the patient.

Psychotherapy for chronic stress

As mentioned above, psychotherapy is widely used to recover from stress (a strong psychotraumatic situation). Doctors often recommend it for post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as for the treatment of psychosomatic diseases.

The most commonly used psychotherapeutic techniques are:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective non-medication treatments for chronic stress. CBT helps to identify negative thoughts and beliefs, and teaches how to recognize them in time and replace them with positive ones;
• psychoanalysis - a deep exploration of past life experiences to identify hidden causes of stress, subconscious conflicts and unresolved problems. Awareness of inner experiences reduces anxiety better than any medication;
• Gestalt therapy - awareness and perception of real emotions and bodily sensations to better understand one's needs and effectively deal with emotional tension;
• mindfulmeditation, or mindfulness - the combination of psychotherapy and meditation allows you to focus on the present moment instead of dwelling on negative thoughts about the past or future.

But it is important to realize that chronic, long-term stress destroys the body “from all sides”, so you need to restore health in a complex way - with proper nutrition, vivid impressions, physical activity, sound sleep and adequate rest, yoga, meditation, psychotherapy - and medication, if it is really necessary.

Be healthy and don't let stress harm your body!