Most of us have to cope with stress every single day. It might be the daily commute, or a rough day at work. Perhaps the kids are driving you mad? Or maybe life just isn’t working out the way you had planned. Stress comes in lots of different guises. But the way we cope with that stress is key to whether we manage it well, or we’re at risk of letting it take over our lives.
A modicum of stress can actually be quite good for us. At work, it acts as a motivator to get our jobs done to a good standard quickly. In sports or the arts, it helps us focus more and perform better. The body goes through some chemical changes, releasing hormones into our blood supply. Some of them, like adrenalin, can improve our reflex times and increase our ability to concentrate.
But stress over a long period of time can flood our bodies with cortisol. This can cause us to gain weight. Increased stress levels can affect our ability to sleep well, leading to fatigue. It can be a cause of anxiety, and it can leave us reaching for inappropriate coping methods. Alcohol can relax the body and shut off our inhibitions. We care less when we’re drunk. But alcohol also causes depression, forgetfulness, and addiction.
It is easy to understand how people get trapped in the cycle of using alcohol to cope with what’s going on in their lives. But it’s hard to get out of it without help. Although a lot of people use alcohol to help them shut-off and fall asleep, it actually impairs our ability to sleep properly. Alcohol can, therefore, exacerbate our problems. This is why it is essential to break the loop.
The staff at Beachway alcohol rehab centre know that stopping isn’t enough to beat it. You need to work to avoid relapse the next time life becomes too challenging. Stress is everywhere, and we can’t avoid it or hide from it. A rehab centre can help you find the right way to cope with the problems, as well as treat the addiction to alcohol. It’s not easy to do this on your own, so choosing to get some help increases your chances of success.
There are many ways to cope with stress and anxiety. You can try regular Yoga classes to help you retain a relaxed and focused composure. One or two classes a week is thought to be very helpful to those in high-stress jobs. Simple tasks like Sudoku or coloring can help distract the mind from thoughts of worry. It is thought focusing on little tasks combined with the fine motor control of using a pencil helps calm the mind. Musicians can experience this too when they play their instruments.
Sometimes a good workout might be all you need to use up the adrenaline that pumps through a stressed body. Long term stress that affects your sleep really shouldn’t be ignored, though. If you can’t seem to manage it in a positive way, then ask your doctor for some advice.
