Men who must split their time between two jobs or money problems don’t even think they need to relax. Stress is now an important part of men.” – Douglas Jackson, Founder of the Stress Management Centre in Edinburgh. In our fast-paced day and age, most people have to live with stress daily. This is more frequently the case for men than women, especially when they have many responsibilities to tend to, such as long working hours, or looking after their family and earning a living. If stress continues for a long time without reducing and controlling, it can cause many health problems. So, what techniques can we use to reduce and alleviate stress in men?
Understanding Stress in Men
Stressors can be numerous: work, money, relationships, and health. Men can encounter stress due to unresolved or unaddressed masculine identity demands. Institutional and societal expectations can suppress men’s expressed emotional states, and as a result, men internalize and embody stress, manifesting it as grumpiness, fatigue, or somatic symptoms such as headaches or chronic muscle tension.
Heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are just a few of the deadly implications of chronic stress. However, the first step toward changing how you handle stress is awareness. 2.
Physical Techniques for Stress Relief
Exercise and Its Stress-Busting Benefits
One of the best ways to combat stress is to be physically active on a regular basis. Exercise produces endorphins – the body’s natural feel-good hormones that can help lift your mood – and also decreases cortisol levels, the stress hormone. Going for a brisk walk, taking a trip to the gym, or playing a game of basketball – any form of exercise – can help to lessen stress.
The Power of Deep Breathing Exercises
Likewise, deep breathing exercises can help to quiet the mind and slow down the activation of physiological stress responses, by relaxing both mind and body in real time. For example, typically, diaphragmatic breathing (ie, breathing deeply into the low part of your abdomen) stimulates your body’s relaxation response, which results in a decrease in your heart rate and blood pressure.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Techniques
Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and then slowly relaxing different muscle groups in the body. This technique can help reduce physical tension and promote a sense of calm. It’s particularly useful for men who experience stress-related muscle tightness
Mental and Emotional Strategies
Mindfulness Meditation for Stress Reduction
Mindfulness meditation is a practice in which one focuses on the present moment without judgment, and there’s evidence to suggest that it can help men become more aware of themselves at the moment (and less reactive to stress). In a randomized trial published in the journal Depression and Anxiety, researchers recruited men in psychological distress to receive ‘mindfulness-based cognitive therapy’ or a stress-management course. After eight weeks, the participants who engaged in mindfulness meditation improved more than the stress-management course graduates in terms of symptoms of anxiety or depression, findings that were maintained for six months.
Cognitive Restructuring to Challenge Negative Thoughts
For example, cognitive restructuring is a technique designed to address the way that stressful information reaches the brain. When faced with a stressful event, men can identify negative thoughts and reframe them into more positive or realistic ones. Identifying that our thoughts are often overblown can reduce the mental burden of stress.
The Importance of Social Connections and Support
These ties serve to bolster stress-coping skills. Talking to friends, family members or co-workers about your stressors is a positive way of opening yourself up to receiving emotional encouragement and practical suggestions. Men should not ‘man up’ – they should ‘find support’. A healthy social network provides perspective and respite, enabling an individual to experience stress from a distance. Strong social ties are associated with better health, both psychological and physical.
Metric | Men | Women | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
Average stress level (1-10 scale) | 4.6 | 5.3 | 2012 |
Average stress level (1-10 scale) | 4.8 | 5.3 | 2023 |
Percentage reporting extreme stress (8-10 on scale) | 16% | 23% | 2012 |
Percentage rating stress levels between 8-10 | 21% | 27% | 2023 |
Percentage saying stress increased in past 5 years | 33% | 43% | 2012 |
Healthy level of stress (as reported by both genders) | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2012 |
Percentage of 25-45 year olds experiencing moderate to extreme stress in past 12 months | 80% | NA | 2021 |
Lifestyle Changes for Better Stress Management
Nutrition and Its Role in Stress Management
Good nutrition is another way you can help manage stress. Eating a healthy mix of whole foods to provide the body with the nutrients it needs, maintaining proper hydration, and avoiding extreme caffeine or alcohol intake are all ways to level your mood and energy.
The Impact of Sleep on Stress Levels
Getting enough quality sleep has a positive effect on reducing stress. Lack of proper sleep (such as irregular hours) can increase stress, negatively affecting sleep. Good sleep hygiene practices involving a regular sleep schedule and a comfortable and quiet sleep environment can help improve our situation and well-being.
Time Management and Prioritization Skills
Getting good at ‘time management’ might lessen an awareness of being overwhelmed: creating a weekly schedule in five-minute increments, establishing personal, professional, and relationship goals, and breaking down composite tasks and challenges into more accomplishable steps can make men feel like they – and their lives – are in less of a death spiral.
Stress-Relieving Activities for Men
Engaging in Hobbies and Creative Pursuits
Activities such as playing a musical instrument, painting or woodworking can be good ways to release stress and stay creative.
The Benefits of Outdoor Activities and Nature Exposure
Spending time in nature can help reduce the amount of stress hormones released by the mind and body and also lower our blood pressure. Walking in a park, hiking in the mountains, or even fishing can help us relax. Having fun is a great way to get our minds quiet and reenergized.
Sports and Competitive Activities as Stress Outlets
One way to alleviate tension is by doing sports and playing competitive games. Sports are all about physical activity, which can be a good way to release stress. Sports also provide the opportunity to accumulate social interaction. A good example of this is team sports such as football, which can relieve stress. However, some people prefer playing games to release stress, such as video games. It is good to exploit both physical and mental aspects of our bodies to relieve stress.
Sports are a good way to avoid stress, yet we need to work out and make sure that we are with our friends. A healthy body assures healthy living. Not all people prefer sports; some find joy in playing computer games. Whatever way you want to exercise, it should guarantee that at the end of the day, you are easing your mood and relieving that day’s bad effects.
Professional Help and Resources
When to Seek Professional Help for Stress Management
If the stress becomes too much to bear and starts interfering with daily life, medical help may be necessary. An experienced mental health professional can help individuals find a way forward. Click here if you need to seek professional help with your anxiety.
Types of Therapy Beneficial for Stress Relief
For example, different types of stress management therapies can be effective for men, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and counseling, which may help men develop coping mechanisms and improve mental health.
Support Groups and Community Resources
Support groups and community resources might also help manage stress by ‘sharing experiences with others who have faced the same issues.
Conclusion
Control of stress levels is an imperative part of overall health and well-being, and by using physical techniques, mental and emotional techniques, lifestyle changes, and getting psychological help when required, men can reduce stress, reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, and improve the quality of their lives. Taking care of mental health is not a sign of weakness.
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