One of the major hindrances to happiness is stress. We all deal with stress at some point in our life. Most of us don’t know how to manage with it and cope up with our daily routine. While others don’t realize that they’re in stress.
Being stressed has impacts on your daily routine and life as well. I mean, when you’re stressed your brain just gets struck on a particular thought and overthinks it and making it less possible to concentrate on other things.

Stress is your body’s reaction to a certain situation or event, which happens when you lack the ability to manage the situation or event. It creates a certain pressure or response in order to deal with or react to the situation.It can be a physical, mental, or emotional reaction.
Stress can be classified intomany types but can be bought under two common headings namely long-term and short-term stress.

In certain cases, Short- term or acute stress is helpful in achieving the desired goals. For example, when you need to hand in a project, or you have to talk in front of a group of people. Maybe you feel “butterflies” in your stomach and the palms of your hands get sweaty. Or when you have your exams around the corner and you tend to stress in order to score good grades.These types of positive stressors are short-lived, and your body’s way of helping you get through what could be a tough situation.
Long-term or chronic stress, on the other hand, is caused due to repeated exposure to the situation that stresses you so much.For example, if you get stuck in a job that you don’t ever wanted or stuck in a bad relationship etc, might stress you in the long-term.The body isn’t so good at handling chronic stress, however. Over time, chronic stress gradually increases your resting heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and levels of muscle tension so the body now has to work even harder when it’s at rest to keep you functioning normally.

Effects of stress :

Being stressed has impacts on our physical and mental or emotional health.

To manage and overcome the stressful situations. Here are some 5 powerful techniques that might help you to switch your body from stress mood to a relaxed mood.

1. Guided Imagery

Guided imagery is nothing but a short vacation through your imagination. Imagine yourself in the place you love the most. To do this choose a calm place, sit there and relax yourself from head to toe. Think of each body part and relax them. Then imagine a place, it can be a city or a beach or an aquarium or whatever place you love.
   when I say imagine it is not just picturing the place in your mind but image as though you’re living the moment there. For example, let’s assume you’re in a beach imagine what are the things that happen on a beach, that is trying to listen to the sound of waves and the birds, try to feel the breeze, imagine like you’re standing in the water and feel like the sand slipping through your feet and something like that.

2. Mindfulness walking

One of the best ways to reduce stress is walking. Most of us Whenever we go for a walk we just won’t concentrate and focus on walking and the things around us. We just think about so many stuffs and will not be attentive to current circumstances.
Going for a walk like this has no impact to reduce your stress. The right way to do it, is to try to engage your five senses, that is observe things and people around you, feel the wind, listen to the sounds, smell things around you. “It’s just so simple feel and live the present moment.”

3. Adult Coloring :

Remember coloring books and crayons? Do you remember when did the last time you colored? Obviously at your childhood, right? And of course, coloring is an activity that kept so many of us entertained during our childhood.Coloring is not only for kids it has also made a huge comeback in the adult’s world.
   Coloring has shown great benefits for adults. It generates wellness, quietness, and mindfulnessand a great therapy to reduce stress. There are so my mobile apps for coloring and adult coloring books are available in the market. You could choose any one of your comfort and do coloring for at least 10 minutes a day.

4. Hug Loved Ones :

Yes! Hugging your loved ones may reduce your stress to a great extent. This physical touch leads to the release of oxytocin hormone from your brain. Oxytocin is nothing but a happy hormone that gets released from your brain whenever you feel pleasure, joy or feel loved, etc. The release of oxytocin hormone helps to reduce the stress hormone indeed making you feel great and happy.

5. Physical Activity :

Physical activity like going for a jog, exercising, cycling or doing yoga etc, is not only good for your physical health but also a great impacton your mental health. Whenever you do a physical activity your brain releases a hormone called endorphin. A study says “Endorphin release is linked to continuous exercise”. The release of endorphin leads to happiness and calmness.
   Practicing all the above-mentioned activities reduces both the short- and long-term stress to a great extent. Doing these activities at least 10-20 minutes per day is enough for your stress free life.