Cope with and manage stress in your life

• How do you typically cope with and manage stress in your life? I listen to music, go for a walk/take my dog for a walk, take a break, talk to my mom or a friend about what is stressing me.
• Do you feel that you can effectively manage your stress? Why or why not? I do feel I manage my stress well. I think talking about it right away is important. I don’t like how I feel when I am stressed so I try and diffuse it quickly.
• Describe 2 stress management strategies you learned about that you would like to try, in order to better manage your stress. +500 words, include references.

Sample Solution

One stress management strategy I would like to try is progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). PMR involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups in the body, starting from the feet and working up to the head. The idea behind PMR is that it activates both the physical and mental relaxation response by teaching your body how to relax quickly when feeling stressed or anxious. It can be a useful tool for managing acute stress as well as chronic anxiety.
To practice PMR, start with one muscle group at a time such as your toes or ankles, focus on tightening them for five seconds before releasing the tension and breathing deeply into that area until you feel relaxed. Continue this process of tensing and releasing each muscle group while focusing on your breath until you reach your head. At this point you should be feeling more relaxed throughout your entire body (Harvard Health Publishing, 2018).

Another stress management technique I would like to try is mindful meditation. Mindful meditation utilizes mindfulness techniques such as being aware of sensory experiences in order to promote awareness of thoughts without judgment or emotional attachment (Kabat-Zinn, 1990). Mindfulness practices allow us to become aware of our thoughts and emotions without judgement or attachment so we can better understand why we are feeling stressed or anxious in certain situations. To practice mindful meditation find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed; sit comfortably with an upright posture; close your eyes; take some deep breaths into your belly area; then bring awareness back to any sensations present within the body such as tingling, throbbing etc.; allowing yourself to acknowledge these sensations without judgement (Beddoe & Murphy, 2016). This type of meditation allows us to pause before reacting which can help reduce stress levels over time.

References

Beddoe A., & Murphy S.,(2016) How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-new-resilience/201605/how-does-mindfulness-meditation-work

Harvard Health Publishing.(2018) Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Technique For Reducing Stress Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/progressive_muscle_relaxation_a_how_to_guide

Kabat-Zinn J.,(1990) Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind To Face Stress Pain And Illness . New York: Delacorte Press

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