How do you manage stress?

We all get stressed up – at work, home, and on the road. Sometimes, we feel stressed due to a bad relationship, handling difficult or complicated situations or simply getting stuck in traffic.

Stress reduction is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, just like diet and exercise.

But what is stress? According to Wikipedia, stress is a feeling of strain and pressure. Stress is a type of psychological pain. Small amounts of stress may be desired, beneficial, and even healthy.

Sometimes we may experience stress if we believe that we don’t have the time, resources, or knowledge to handle a situation.

This also means that different people handle stress differently, in different situations. You’ll handle stress better if you’re confident in your abilities, if you can change the situation to take control, and if you feel that you have the help and support needed to do a good job.

With this in mind, LifeXtra sought to know what respondents did when they were stressed.

Mercy Ekpe, an entrepreneur, usually takes a long nap as this would help to calm her nerves and get rid of the causes of the stress. “Anytime I am stressed, I usually have this biting headache that is similar to migraine. So when it starts, I take a warm bath, and then lay down for about an hour or two. When I get up, I feel better.”

Jos-based Benedict Benn manages stress in a number of ways. Listing them, he said, “I manage stress in the following ways: Listening to good music especially classical music, watch movies, relax in bed, have baths in-between, and take a walk.”

He added “I also exercise no matter how little or walk briskly, eat good food, read a book or research online and have interesting conversations with good friends.”

Edor Sunday, who’s self-employed, has a different way of managing stress. “For me, relaxing in a quiet and dark room, like the bedroom, helps me. But before that, I go for long walks so that by the time I get back home, I feel tired and I take my bath to calm my nerves.”

Reading also has a calm effect on Sunday’s nerves. “But it depends on the level of stress,” he stated.

“If I am not too stressed, I read inspirational books or novels. That sets the pace for nap time. When I get tired of reading, I just get in my bed and sleep off.”

According to webmd.com, the article ‘10 Tips to Manage Stress’ stated that “Eating a regular, well-balanced diet will help you feel better in general. It may also help control your moods. Your meals should be full of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and lean protein for energy. And don’t skip any. It’s not good for you and can put you in a bad mood, which can actually increase your stress.”

It added, “Working out regularly is one of the best ways to relax your body and mind. Plus, exercise will improve your mood. But you have to do it often for it to pay off. Work up to two hours and 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise like brisk walks or 75 minutes of a more vigorous exercise like swimming laps, jogging or other sports.”