Seven effective strategies to cope with stress

"Mindfulness, meditation, and Tai Chi have been shown to decrease heart rate, improve focus and reduce stress," said Dr Shriram Nene

Tackle stress with these tips from Dr Shriram Nene. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Hectic lifestyle is one of the major contributors to stress. While many think it to be a part and parcel of life, it is important to manage stress to keep chronic ailments away.

Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Shriram Nene recently shared an informative video on how to manage stress in today’s testing times.

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“Stress can lead to inflammatory changes and chronic diseases,” he said in a YouTube video.

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Get enough sleep

7-9 hours of sleep for adults, while for children it must be 10 hours or more

Exercise regularly

Even 30 minutes of brisk walking or exercising can improve your mood as it releases endorphins and dopamine.

Build a social network

Build a social support network and talk to people regularly. You can also help them in retrospect.

Set priorities

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Say no to tasks which overstretch you. “Rome wasn’t built in a day. Do not worry about low-priority pending tasks. You will get to them eventually,” he said.

ALSO READ | ‘Time to practise what we preach’: Therapists on taking care of their mental health amid pandemic

Think positive

Focus on the positive elements of what you have achieved in a day. Do not dwell on what you were not able to. This helps you to get past much more quickly, he said.

Just breathe

Taking a good deep breath for five seconds, holding it, and breathing out for five more seconds will help. “Mindfulness, meditation, and Tai Chi have been shown to decrease heart rate, improve focus and reduce stress,” he remarked.

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ALSO READ | Suffering from post-Covid sleeplessness, insomnia? Here’s what to know

Talk to a mental health professional

If you are unable to cope, talk to a mental health professional. If you see others who are facing similar issues, make sure that they are seeking help.

“Practice these tips regularly to get over stress,” added Dr Nene.

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