Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension that builds as a result of adverse circumstances which cause frustration, anger, or nervousness. These unfavorable circumstances can develop from home, work, or even relationships. The human body is wired to experience stress and react to it. Therefore, when challenges arise, the body produces physical and mental responses – stress.
Stress is generally viewed as an adverse reaction, but in some cases, it could be positive as it could keep a person motivated, alert, and ready to avoid danger. For example, in periods where an important interview will be held for a job or scholarship the next day, individuals might stay up longer to research and get ready.
However, no matter how positive stress can sometimes be. The long terms effects can be detrimental to the body. So it is crucial always to make sure stress levels are kept in check. But first, you need to have an idea of how to know you’re stressed out.
What are stress indicators?
Just like an illness, certain things signal stress. For example, physically, a person can experience a heart rate faster than usual. There could also be a weak immune system, body aches, pain, high blood pressure, sleeping trouble, sex problems, and muscle tensions.
Those are physical indicators, but specific emotional and mental symptoms like sorrow, anxiety, depression, and sometimes panic attacks. Sometimes, stress is accompanied by restlessness and uneasiness.
The most common symptom is stress/cluster headache which is usually felt on your forehead and sometimes at the back of your head. This type of headache usually feels like a band has been tied on your forehead and squeezed.
What happens to the body in stress?
The body’s nervous system controls the heart rate, vision changes, breathing, and others. Besides these, the nervous system also has an in-built stress response, identified as the “fight-or-flight response,” which supports the body in facing stressful situations.
An individual with chronic stress experiences a continuous activation of the ‘fight-or-flight response,’ which leads to wear and tear of the body. As a result, the individual could develop emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms. For instance, someone who is stressed out could react angrily to things that will normally infuriate the person.
The continuous buildup of stress or poor management can lead to dire health effects and death, but that is easily avoidable. Unfortunately, some with chronic stress drink too much alcohol, gamble, overeat, use drugs, and engage in other unhealthy behaviors.
Now that we have established how bad stress can be for your body. It is essential to address prevention techniques. However, you don’t need to wait to get stressed out before looking for solutions. You can even stop it from happening in four easy and simple steps. Therefore, here are some of the best outdoor activities to relieve stress and reduce its levels.
Taking a walk each day
Walking is probably the most carried-out activity of man so common it can be overlooked as one of the most beneficial activities to the human body.
Long hours at the office or anxiety from home or school can be cured by taking a walk, and the best thing probably is that walking can be done almost anywhere.
Research has proven that walking is an excellent activity against stress since it facilitates the release of endorphins – brain chemicals, which improve mood and stimulate relaxation. But, perhaps best of all is, you can take a walk with a friend and take a pet along!
Swimming during your spare time
Swimming, unlike walking, might be more specialized and could bear some financial cost; however, it is an activity that improves health and mental wellbeing.
If you want to lose weight or tone your body muscles, then swimming is another option. Just like walking, swimming releases endorphins, but it also causes a reduction in cortisol, the stress hormone.
When you swim, it also reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, so find your bikini, or find some swim shorts and get swimming!
Spend time in nature
Nature is mainly associated with the colors green and green. The colour of spring and rebirth is a symbol of growth and renewal.
Being stressed out results typically in low energy, headaches, loss of sexual desire or ability, frequent colds and infections, aches, amongst others.
However, as proven by research, nature can heal or cure. Research also proves that spending a few minutes of your day in nature could reduce mortality and stress hormones. Besides, the color green is naturally thought to relieve stress.
It’s advisable for you to occasionally step away from the computers and phones, leave the room and enter the greens! So make sure to chop off some of your screen time and hand it over to nature time, so you feel refreshed.
Ride a bike
Cycling has a range of benefits, unlike all other exercises has a range of benefits. For example, some view it as an activity for positive mental health.
Also, cycling is good for the head and heart, but it positively affects depression, anxiety, and stress.
High levels of stress negatively influence moods, and guess what? Cycling improves mood. The activity is important for pumping blood around the body at a greater rate, which causes the rapid spread of endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
Suggestions by scientists say daily 30-60 minutes of cycling at a good pace while maintaining the heart rate at 75% is effective.
If you can’t ride a standard bicycle because you never had the chance to learn in your childhood, then you can buy a stationary bike. It still gives you the same effect, and with that, you’re assured you won’t fall when you ride.