{"id":1896,"date":"2022-07-29T18:11:16","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T22:11:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chistell.com\/africanamericanfiction\/?p=1896"},"modified":"2022-10-20T20:37:16","modified_gmt":"2022-10-21T00:37:16","slug":"quick-stress-reducers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chistell.com\/africanamericanfiction\/quick-stress-reducers\/","title":{"rendered":"Peace Doesn’t Have to Be Hard: Quick Stress Reducers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Books Author Denise Turney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Peace, even in a busy, confusing world, does not have to be hard. Understanding why<\/em> you’re stressed is key to living in peace. So too is using quick stress reducers, easy techniques that work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first, why are you stressed? Reasons why you could feel stress are wide. In addition, the reason you could be feeling stress might be temporary or long-term. Topping some of the long-term stressors are unchallenging jobs, lengthy commutes, abusive relationships, money problems and chronic health issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stress Causes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Two of these four reasons are way too familiar. Years ago, I worked a corporate job that saw me driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic for 35 miles a day. Total daily drive to and from work was 70 miles. It was a grueling commute, often finding me wondering why I kept making the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would be an understatement to say that the drive was stressful. Can still see myself hurrying my son through breakfast, then racing down the front sidewalk to the car. After I dropped my son off at preschool, I jumped back in my car and sped the rest of the way to work. To top it off, nearly half an hour passed after I got settled into work before I calmed. Did I ever need quick stress reducers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another stressor that I was familiar with has to do with money. Fortunately, that stressor is gone. But, there were years when I didn\u2019t have $5 to spare. Despite an aim to think positively and consider blessings, living on a tight budget was a stress generator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Stress Effects the Brain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For you, there may be different stress generators. An argument with your spouse or partner could send you spiraling into stress for hours. On top of that, you might stay in an angry mood for days. Let arguing and fighting become a \u201cnormal\u201d part of your relationship, and your relationship itself could become a major cause of stress for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your chances to live a happy, peaceful and balanced life depend on how much stress you experience. This is a fact, in part, because of the effects that stress has on the brain. Very Well Mind shares that, \u201cStress can have negative effects on the body and the brain. Research has found that stress can produce a wide range of negative effects on the brain ranging from contributing to mental illness to actually shrinking the volume of the brain.\u201d1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These effects may not occur until you\u2019ve been experiencing chronic stress. And, again, that chronic stress could be caused due to a range of triggers. Job responsibilities, home repairs, social responsibilities and family obligations are other factors that could lead to stress. Let there be several or many different stressors and you could find yourself in a cycle of chronic stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harmful Stress Effects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Back to the effects of stress on the brain, research has shown that chronic stress \u201ccreates more myelin-producing cells, but few neurons than normal.\u201d1<\/sup> Myelin-producing cells are related to communication. More specifically, stress can impact the brain\u2019s white matter. It\u2019s white matter than plays a role in how different parts of the brain communicate with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stress has also been shown to destroy brain cells and might actually cause the brain to shrink. Additionally, stress can cause you to be more forgetful. Depression is another condition that has been linked to stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, what you might not consider is how everyday stress can set you up to be weak or overly vulnerable should a traumatic event occur. As an example, if you\u2019re juggling a marriage, raising children, a full-time job and are active at your worship center, you might enter a state of overwhelm should someone close to you transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slight Daily Routine Shifts<\/strong> as Quick Stress Reducers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a major reason why it\u2019s good to add quick stress reducers to your daily routine. Start small and build your way to incorporating more quick stress reducers into your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To begin, set aside one minute in the morning and another minute at night before you go to bed to just sit still. That\u2019s it. Simply sit still for a minute after you wake in the morning. Then, sit still again one whole minute before you go to bed at night. Let this simple technique work. Just do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick Stress Reducers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Start to train your mind<\/a> to relax. Another way to look at it is that you\u2019re training your brain to rest. Doing so could see you looking for more ways to let go of stress. Following are more quick stress reducers that you could make part of your days:<\/p>\n\n\n\n