Most of us don’t know how to deal with stress when it’s starting to consume us, and another thing that makes it more difficult is the fact that we’re not in the position to control a large chunk of the stressors we face in life. Nevertheless, our stress levels can be significantly impacted by how we respond to these stressors. And, this explains why it’s crucial for us to know what to do and what we shouldn’t do when we’re feeling stressed so that we don’t intensify or aggravate the situation.

Don’t Do These 8 Things When You’re Feeling Stressed

When we feel stressed, it’s easy to fall into patterns that may exacerbate the problem rather than alleviate it. But, by learning what to avoid doing during these moments, we can break the cycle of stress and find a path to calm.

Whenever you’re feeling stressed, here are the things you shouldn’t do:

1. Don’t Ruminate

Rumination doesn’t help you solve anything and this kind of deep thinking is often characterized by obsession and negative and unproductive thinking. A simple act of rumination is to constantly think of your stressors and this act will only make you focus on the negative and get you plunged in an ugly circle, and, of course, intensify your stress levels.

Have you ever wondered why counselors and motivational speakers often encourage people not to dwell too much on the negative? It’s simply because this act of dwelling leads to rumination, and in this case, the result doesn’t usually yield positively. Rumination makes you close your eyes and mind to thinking of what you can do to fix things but makes you so concerned about what went wrong. So, whenever you’re feeling stressed and you notice you’re on the verge of ruminating, be quick to jettison that thought.

2. Don’t Lose Sleep

Sometimes, your lack of sleep is what makes you feel so stressed. Sometimes, we are driven by the need to do more and become more productive and then we deprive yourself of getting enough sleep. This is more like shooting ourselves in the leg.

When we lose sleep, we’re prone to becoming more anxious, we’re likely to make mistakes, and our cognitive functioning will be dull, plus we’ll become more attracted to stress. Do well to get better sleep by darkening your room, having a fixed time to go to bed every night, and leaving the computers or televisions before going to bed.

3. Don’t Eat Junk

Do you know that how you feel can be impacted by the things you eat? A wrong diet can play a role in your stress levels and you can be propelled to indulge in emotional eating when you’re stressed.

Make sure you eat healthily. This can, somehow, help you find a little balance you may need to thrive. If you find the urge to eat very strong, especially when you feel stressed, you can click here to read about healthy alternatives you can oblige to when those cravings hit.

4. Don’t Lean on Frenemies

Relationships do help us thrive during challenges. The stability, helpful resources, and emotional support they offer during our stressful moments can provide great relief. However, you must also be careful about the kind of relationships you rely on whenever you feel stressed.

While you may constantly feel the need to get support by connecting with others, make sure you don’t further put your health and well-being in a conflicted relationship. Endeavor to keep healthy relationships where values are appreciated and reciprocated.

5. Don’t Overload Your Schedule

Your lack of downtime will increase your stress levels when there are lots of things piled up on your schedule. Being too busy can be toxic and you’re likely to feel more drained when there are tons of unnecessary or stressful activities on your schedule. Thus, to cultivate inner peace, make sure you cut out whatever stresses you and learn to say no to anything that devours your time.

6. Don’t Put Off Exercise

Many of us tend to feel stressed and occupied to the point where we don’t have time for a little exercise, not knowing that we need that exercise to feel better. In such a situation, exercise becomes the last thing we want to do, even when it’s more beneficial to do. You have to brace yourself to do what you’ve got to do.

7. Don’t Indulge in Negativity

It’s very easy to bask in negativity whenever you feel stressed and feel there’s nothing you can do to control the situation. However, you must encourage yourself not to see yourself as a victim but to stay optimistic and empowered by accepting what you must do and making the choices you can.

8. Don’t Ignore Your Stress

It’s often common for most people to ignore their stress level until it starts to wear them off. This act of not responding proactively to manage stress will make you reactive instead. Thus, it’s very important that you practice stress management. Nevertheless, you should know that stress management is not a one-time act but a continuous process. So, don’t let your stress levels get too high before you do something. Be conscious and practice stress management.