It is almost impossible to protect yourself from nervous situations. The other day in my house was blown up by a storm and I suddenly realized that I never even thought to feel stressed about it. All these thoughts led me to the fact that I started to be afraid of the things I didn’t even know before. In the end, the idea to write this material came up, and in addition I may recommend you Vilex… However, learning to manage your emotions and relieve tension is quite real. Meditation, yoga and proper nutrition are good at this. But what to do when you need to quickly get a grip on yourself? The main task in this state is to reduce the adrenalin level in the blood. We are talking about the most effective methods to help calm the nervous system and return to its normal state in a short time.
Turn off the system
Under severe stress, my brain knocks me out. In the literal sense: I fall asleep. Frankly speaking, I’ve never heard of anyone having such a thing. Once I fell asleep right before the performance: I was so nervous before going on stage that in about half an hour I just passed out, warming up in the corner. The more stress you have to be involved, the more your resource is wasted. I know that now my sick cat needs maximum attention: I have to be focused and strong, give injections and bandages, persuade him to eat, watch his condition. That’s why I save resources, and if my brain hints that I need to go to bed right now, I do it. There is no sense of guilt, no remorse. If my body needs to sleep in order to work at full capacity, I will give it this opportunity.
Plan everything
Clear goals and objectives help to reduce anxiety levels. When making decisions, we connect the prefrontal cortex and make it work. As much as we would like to shut down all systems under stress and say that we will not solve anything, sometimes it is necessary to gather all will. I like papers, notes, gliders, schemes – all this helps me to regain control of the situation, even if it is more illusory than real. In our family we have a saying: “Do what you can and what will be”. It means that you have to do what you can, and then you can rely on the will of chance.
Take control of the maximum number of things and say to yourself: “I’m doing my best”. We schedule the treatment of the cat by the hour. I try to feed him every hour, iron and caress him so that he does not feel abandoned. But for now this is all that depends on me. It is very important to clearly formulate plans and break them down into small steps. There are no nebulae and inaccuracies. If you have to leave your tyrant husband, plan everything as if you were looking for a new job: “to find a place to live”, “to gather a support group”, “to rent a place to live”, “to pack your things”, “to warn you at work”… At the same time it reduces the emotional heat, and you have less time to doubt.
Take a hot bath
Probably, it is not eco-friendly at all, but I sit in the bath for hours. The worse and heavier I am, the longer. As in the case of TV series, locking myself in a tiny bathroom, I cut myself off from the world and give myself a break. By the way, in Germany in 2017 at the University of Freiburg conducted a small study involving only 45 people suffering from depression. They were divided into two groups. In the first group they were offered to lie in warm 40-degree water for 20 minutes, and the second group performed aerobic exercises twice a week for 40-45 minutes. After eight weeks, the researchers assessed the mood of the participants. Those who took a bath had better results than those “gymnasts”. Scientists assume that high temperatures somehow affect circadian rhythms, which are often disturbed in depressed patients. Of course, a tiny pilot study involving 45 people is not enough for serious conclusions. But the very idea that a warm bath can slightly relieve stress has already appeared in the information field.
Ask for support
One day my friend was outraged that her friend, having parted with her boyfriend, continues to shoot a story for Instagram, openly crying and writing posts in social networks, allowing people to feel sorry for themselves. I do not share her outrage. I think that some people are like cats – go to suffer in the darkest corner, and others are like dogs – they need to feel the warmth of their own kind. I have had both. Sometimes I also openly complain to my friends from social networks, and sometimes I do not want to be talked to at all. If you feel that you will feel better from communicating with your best friend or from a dozen comments with the word “Hang on,” go ahead. So, this is exactly what you need right now. In general, during the excruciating acute stress, the most important thing is to take a break. In the bathroom, with a book, or in the dog’s face down position, the main thing here is recharging.