Stress is virtually omnipresent in our society, such that some refer to it as a widespread illness and others as a stressful society. But it’s not that bad: the true gentleman knows that stress is largely self-inflicted and that there are exercises and methods to relax, become more mindful and find peace. Health coach Dominik Barkow from MyBodyMind clarified in Gentleman-Blog and gives tips for reducing stress.

When stressed, the body reacts to particular situations

What exactly does it mean when we talk about stress? Stress is always our body’s reaction to a difficult situation. This may seem positive or negative. Positive stress motivates and activates, while negative stress is stressful and leads to negative feelings such as anger, fear or even helplessness. It therefore always depends on the point of view: depending on the person, the same situation can be perceived positively or negatively.

High blood pressure, burn-out or depression as possible consequences

Stress becomes a problem when it occurs very frequently or lasts for long periods of time. This often leads to states of exhaustion and tension. Constant stress can lead to serious illness: negative consequences on physical and mental health can include high blood pressure, burnout or depression. Chronic pain can also be the result of excess stress.

„One of the most important tools to combat stress, tension and depression is healthy time management.», underlines health coach Dominik Barkow. You need to learn to differentiate your tasks and tasks based on what is important and what is not – and know the exercises that can be used to reduce negative stress as quickly as possible in everyday life.

Stress reduction through head relaxation techniques

»These mainly involve relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, yoga, autogenic training, meditation or progressive muscle relaxation. These approaches focus on the body’s feelings so that tensions can be released, sensations perceived and breathing calmed.“, says Dominik Barkow.

It is crucial that you step away from thinking, because in thinking situations tend to become overdramatized and continue endlessly in pointless thought spirals. Relaxation techniques also have a slowing effect and thus relieve the pressure of unpleasant or overwhelming situations.

Reduce stress through exercise and sport

»Stress reduction also involves more exercise: walking, cycling or going to the gym can significantly contribute to reducing tension and taking a break from everyday life.“, explains the health coach and author of the guide ‘Immobility is a thing of the past – mobility exercises from head to toe’ (22 euros, Amazon).

Exercise reduces stress and balances things out because it counteracts negative (mental) stress with positive (physical) stress. Plus, every gentleman knows that the best ideas are found in the shower: if you exercise regularly and then relax in the shower, you often come up with different thoughts and new ideas of your own. even, which may lead to problems in your work or in your relationship, let it be resolved.

Reduce stress with a good diet

You can also relax while eating. But caution is advised here: when you are stressed, you may like to eat sweets or fast food, which is not healthy. Coffee also acts more as an accelerant and is not suitable for managing stress. What foods does the health coach recommend to combat stress? »Healthy foods include oatmeal, nuts and bananas. All three contain B vitamins, which are beneficial for the nervous system. Oatmeal also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which the body uses to produce the happy hormone serotonin.“, explains Dominik Barkow.

Moreover, stress can also be caused by a lack of magnesium and B vitamins: these nutrients are essential for the functioning of the nervous system and protect the body against stress – provided they are present in sufficient quantities.

Recognize too much stress in time

Ultimately, the question remains how to tell whether or not you are suffering from increased stress levels. Because stress does not always manifest itself in the form of nervousness, inner agitation or sweating. »Symptoms also include sleep disturbances, listlessness, gastrointestinal upset, irritability or negative emotions, poor concentration, loss of appetite, and increased susceptibility to infections.“, so Dominik Barkow. »Stress hormones can also increase the risk of diabetes and lead to obesity.“

A stress diary can be helpful for better classification. This makes it easier to identify stressors and stressful situations, observe symptoms over a longer period of time and discover recurring patterns (stressors). The better you know yourself, the better you can manage stress.

No life without stress!

In the end, we realize that there can be no life without stress. As annoying as negative stress is to us humans, the first step is to accept it and be sure that something can be done about it. As a gentleman, you know what is good for body and soul and can therefore calmly face the so-called widespread illness.

You can find information about Dominik Barkow’s holistic health coaching on his homepage www.mybodymind.de.