[Closed] Recommendations for dealing with stress please?

Get up into the hills on ya bike, clears the head, gives you time to wind down!

Get out on the water, the sea preferably, in a boat, board, kayak, SUP doesn't matter which, as far from shore as you dare.

Diagnose the cause of your stress and eliminate it from your life.

Strangle w**k

Stroke a dog.

Remove the stresses, exercise in the fresh air, look at horizons

Strangle w**k

Bet you're glad you asked, Thered..?

😕

Take all that tension and suppress it, push it down to the pit of your stomach and live the rest of your life in a constantly bubbling cauldron of barely concealed rage.
After about 15 years of this you will finally snap, grab a shatterproof ruler and carve your way out through the accounts department and into criminal forensic history.

Lists and rewards
Works for me, but I am not normal. Lots to do at work, home , sports , family stuff , deadlines etc.
Identify whats achievable , set a goal, then a reward.
EG .- I am going to finish that spreadsheet for work before midday . Then I am going out on the bike for 3 hrs.
Then your 'reward' is more rewarding , as at least you haven't got that spreadsheet to worry about when you are out, or finish when you get back.

Physical exercise. Preferably outdoors. Walking in the evening with some chilled music on the pod. Take a day regularly to go aimless cycle-adventuring. Do local shops on a bike.

Any good self help books?

'The Power of Now'

If you find your mind is often like a spin-cycle of worrying and unredeemed thoughts of past and future, then I recommend it, and heartily.

My approach is generally 'don't try too hard' - don't take a job with loads of stress just for more money... take a job with just enough money and find solace in other areas of your life. Time with your family, time with friends & . . . . . Cycling, of course, always cycling. 🙂

Firstly identify what you are analysing, ruminating, worrying over and fretting about in your head.

1) Is it life or death? If so I'd have a word with your GP to see what help and assistance they can provide.

2) Is it work related? Can you change anything that's causing you the stress, speak to your boss? If not health comes first and maybe a sabbatical/leave your job may do you good. Remember that stress comes from your reaction to something and with practice you can change this reaction.

3) Is it something in your private life? Can you change or resolve the situation? If not then acceptance and stop worrying/analysing is your solution. This way you arepractising changing your reaction to the perceived problem/threat. Worrying over something you cannot change but means something to you, whilst normal and understandable, wont do you any good in the long term. Maybe a councillor may offer life tips on how to get through this.

4) Are you worried about how you feel? Maybe a stressor brought on these stress symptoms, and now you are arfaid of how you are feeling. It could be any physical symptom of stress, a combination of symptoms or mental symptoms as well. Firstly I'd get a once over from your GP to confirm that it is stress. If so, then you have to stop analysing/worrying about how you feel as this only feeds the symptoms you are getting. Say you are chronically feeling nervous,fatigued, spaced out, fast heartrate, panic etc. You cannot expect to recover from these stress symptoms if you keep stressing about them.It's like trying to put fire out with coal.It takes practice and time but eventually the symptoms die down and go away when you stop being scared of them.

Can you solve the issue?
Yes - then solve it
No - let it go and don't worry (or at least accept it)

Also take time to disconnect from the stress. Even if this is just an afternoon. As others have said the hills or the sea can help. For me if I swim I have to concentrate on just that or I drown which helps to shift focus' I don't fall off the bike (so much) when I cycle and think..

+1 swimming. I forgot swimming. Used to dislike it/wasn't good at it. Rediscovered it. It's now like a stress 'reset' button. Haven't been able to swim or cycle for a good many months owing to ligament injury, and it's showing. I feel physically and mentally shit tbh, like circling a drain. Am off to buy some walking shoes/boots and cut me a hazel stick 🙂

Whacking nettles is a great stress reliever!

Have a look at fiftyplusfit on instagram, believe me you'll be to knackered for stress. Yes that's me folks, ugly old git, but pretty fit.

Thanks but it's not for me, and t's for somebody I know who doesn't particularly like physical exercise and certainly doesn't like outdoor exercise.

I used to think i was depressed, i was constantly stressed out, was on anti depressants, this went on for years.
Eventually, my first wife left me, and instantly all the problems I thought i had disappeared.
So, im with tj, eliminate the source of the stress and you will feel better.
Btw, im not being disrespectful to my ex, we were toxic for each other.

Don't fly BA.

thered - Member
Thanks but it's not for me, and t's for somebody I know who doesn't particularly like physical exercise and certainly doesn't like outdoor exercise.

I found several answers. In general I have never done anything than relieve the symptoms unless you face the cause and do something about it. With somethings that is possible, with others it is not. With the later I found the following helped:-

-talking to people. Sometimes about the problem but sometimes just about other stuff. Being social can lift your mood provided you are with friends.

-exercise, I know you said it didn't help but I got some good turbo sessions done over winter on the back of some pretty stressful situations.

-Do something that takes total concentration. MTB or Pilates does this for me. There may be other options that are less physical - music, studying, films, crafts etc. - basically being so absorbed in something that you don't think about anything else. Gives you a chance to relax.

Thanks but it's not for me, and t's for somebody I know who doesn't particularly like physical exercise and certainly doesn't like outdoor exercise.

No wonder they are stressed! Not even regular gentle walks? Doesn't need to be a marathon...