Stress is not just all in your head. Stress also affects your whole body, and if you do not find ways to reduce stress and manage it, it can lead to chronic health problems, affect your sleep, lower your testosterone, and contribute to erectile dysfunction. Stress negatively affects your prostate health as well, with stress and tension being one of the common causes of chronic prostatitis and pelvic pain. Stress can negatively impact prostate cancer and worsen symptoms of enlarged prostate due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Stress also affects your blood pressure, blood sugar, and inflammation in your body. That is why it is important to employ these 10 ways to reduce stress now.
Breathe
You may hear people advise you to take a breath if you are stressed and overwhelmed. Focusing on breathing helps you deal with your body’s reaction to fear and distracts your mind from negative thoughts. Find a quiet place to sit down and breathe in and out slowly through your nose for about 10 minutes. Let your chest and lower abdominal area rise and expand. Exhale slowly. It also helps to repeat a calming word that helps you to relax.
Write it down
Writing can be very therapeutic. Writing out your problems can help you to come up with a plan for solving them. Whether you prefer a notebook, computer, or tablet, let your feelings flow and don’t hold back.
Smile more
If you are feeling tense, try smiling like you mean it. A big, genuine smile reduces stress responses in the body and help to lower your heart rate after your situation situation ends.
Chew gum
If you feel like you are about to lose it, pop in a piece of gum. Studies show that gum chewing reduces anxiety and stress levels. Perhaps the rhythm of chewing helps with blood flow to the brain or maybe the taste or smell help you to relax. Either way, its an easy and affordable way to relieve that tension.
Exercise
Working out is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Exercising helps clear your head, improves your mood, and removes you from the stressful situation. Whether you go for a walk, do yoga, or hit the gym, you are bound to feel better afterward, and all that oxygen flowing to the brain may help you come up with a solution to your problems. Moderate to vigorous exercises are the best exercises for prostate health, so doing certain activities will benefit both your brain and your prostate.
Go outside
A better well-being is linked to spending time outdoors. Doing something active outdoors—even for only a few minutes— or taking in a nice view will make a big difference in how you feel.
Take a whiff of lavender
Lavender is one of the scents that eases stress and soothes. Many people enjoy sniffing lavender before going to sleep at night because it helps them relax. Talk to your doctor if you take pain medication or anti-anxiety drugs because lavender may intensify their effect.
Be positive
Avoid negative self-talk. Be positive and easy on yourself. Treat yourself like a friend, telling yourself that everything is going to be alright and that you can handle this.
Talk to a friend
Don’t go it alone, find a friend or loved one that you can talk to about what you are going through. Knowing that you are not alone or that someone understands can help you get through.
Listen to music
If you have a stressful event or meeting or test, try tuning into some music before the event to help you calm down. A study shows that music can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
It is easy to start following these free ways to reduce stress now. Reducing your stress level will help improve your health and life in many ways from your relationships to your sexual health to the way you face your problems. Other effective stress-reducing methods include meditation and doing activities such as tai chi. Some men with severe stress or anxiety may even benefit from professional help with a therapist. However you go about it, learning to remain calm and addressing the mind-body connection is an important aspect in healing your prostate and whole-body health.
