A short acute session of stress can be useful, for example helping you through an unexpected challenge or helping you to work within a tight deadline, chronic stress, however, is extremely detrimental to both emotional and physical health. Long term release of our stress chemicals, cortisol and adrenaline, affect our immune system and causes health issues such as IBS, migraines, high blood pressure, eczema, tinnitus and depression in addition to weight gain/loss, fatigue and insomnia.

Stress and anxiety is a very subjective experience. What triggers someone to feel stress may not be a problem for another person. Two people can have the same job role in the same company. One person may feel pressurised by the work, unhappy in his role and alienated from colleagues the other may feel fulfilled and happy in their role. It’s clearly not the job that is stressful but rather the individual’s perception of the situation.

Stress can have a big effect on physical and mental health. Here are some ways to think yourself free of it.

• Meditate regularly. Numerous studies have shown that meditation can have a very beneficial impact on the brain and even change how your brain processes things over time. Make time in your schedule for meditation and you may learn to control your stress and your mind.
• Relax and let stress go. You can use your thoughts to help rid yourself of stresses. When you’re feeling overwhelmed take a minute to relax and focus your thoughts on something else. Over time, you may be able to better handle the big and little stresses that come your way.
• Think about each breath. It can help to focus your thoughts and draw stress away if you make a conscious effort to think about each breath as you take it in and out. It will help relax you and bring you more in touch with your body’s rhythms.
• Control your thoughts at bedtime. For many who are stressed, getting to sleep at night can be a challenge. Use your thoughts to shove out all the worries and tasks that are floating around and to concentrate on relaxing, restful thoughts even if that means just counting sheep.
• Prepare mentally for bed. Before you ever hit the sack, make sure your mind is ready to sleep. Start creating a thought routine that will get you ready both mentally and physically for bed and help you get the sleep you need to be happy and healthy.
• Revise your dreams. If you find yourself haunted by bad dreams or awoken multiple times throughout the night by them, learn to use your mind to control them as they are happening. This lucid dreaming will allow you to turn nightmares into happier dreams and allow you to get the rest you need.

• Concentrate on each muscle individually. One way to relax is to concentrate on each muscle individually in your body and relaxing them, bit by bit. By the time you’re through you should be in a completely restful state and you’ll have your mind power to thank.
• Allow yourself to daydream. Daydreams are often are body’s way of taking control when we need a break from the stresses of our busy lives. Give yourself a chance to daydream now and then without interrupting with thoughts of things you should be doing.
• Stop worrying. Many people fall into a mental pattern of worrying constantly about things to the point that it causes them a great amount of stress and anxiety. When you feel worries coming on, train your brain to start thinking about other kinds of thoughts.
• Set aside time to think. With busy lives it can be hard to find time to just think, let alone organize your thoughts and prepare for the next day. Give yourself a few minutes each day, whether it’s during your commute or before you go to bed, to let your mind wander and think about your future, your relationships or whatever else it wants.
• Write in a journal. It can be helpful when trying to direct your thoughts and emotions to write them down in a journal. This can be a great way to vent out negative feelings and emotions and to let you track your progress in making changes in your life.
• Use color to control your thinking. Having trouble relaxing or waking up in the morning? Colors can have a big impact how we perceive things. Make your bedroom full of soothing colors like greens and blues to help you get to sleep and try wearing a bright color when you wake up to see if it gives you a little extra pep. By using your natural associations with colors, you may be able to change your thinking.