Feeling stressed about being stressed?

We all know that stress is bad for us.

Stress takes a toll on both our mental health and physical health. Notably, stress puts us at risk for a whole range of diseases including cardiovascular diseases and even obesity.

We all know that stress is bad for us – increasingly, we are bombarded with more and more knowledge of the detrimental effects of stress. Yet at the same time, we are simply unable to avoid stress. Stress is prevalent in everyday life. From worries about performing in school, to pressures about meeting stipulated KPIs at work, stress is a common topic amongst most people from various walks of lives. The result? We end up being stressed about being stressed. It’s ironic to say the least.

How then can we stop feeling so stressed about stress if stress is so inevitable in today’s fast-paced world?

It’s tempting to advice people to “just stop thinking about being stressed.” Sadly, this piece of advice hardly ever works. Why? Let’s try an activity to explain this. Do not to think about a blue elephant. What did you see in your mind? I’m betting that you saw a blue elephant. Indeed, more often than not, telling people to stop thinking about something inadvertently causes them to instinctively think about that very thing.

However, it’s still important that you stop ruminating about being stressed as that will just become yet another stressor in your life. You don’t want that, especially when you’ve got enough stress to deal with already.

What can you do then?

Well, the answer is surprisingly not as complicated as you would think it is. There are some simple activities you could do to help relieve your stress, and to take your mind off the stress. For example, exercise is a great way to release stress. Exercising releases endorphins, hormones that give you that amazing feeling of well-being. Additionally, you can also pick up new hobbies. As you spend more time on activities that you enjoy, you will naturally have less time to spend worrying about your various stressors. Lastly, hang out more with your loved ones. Time and time again, various studies have shown that social connection is a great anecdote to stress. Laughter is, after all, the best medicine.