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Stress Reduction Techniques
Anticipating the arrival of a new family member is an exciting time. You find yourself dreaming of little hands and feet, making mental lists of your favorite baby names and thinking about how you'll decorate the nursery. But along with the excitement, preconception can also cause a lot of stress. You may wonder how you'll afford raising a child, how your boss will react to the news, or how your relationship with your partner will change as a result of a new baby.
Understandably, preconception causes a great amount of anxiety for many couples, but coping with it poorly may leave you feeling tired, drained and anxious, which isn't good for you or your future baby. Below are a few stress management techniques that can help you alleviate such tension.
- Get physical - One of the best ways to reduce the stress in your life is to get plenty of exercise on a regular basis. A good workout at least two to three times a week can help your body release both physical and emotional tension, as well as improve your blood pressure, circulation, respiration, pulse and metabolism. Regular exercise can also help you achieve and maintain your ideal weight, which is essential for a healthy pregnancy. Once you become pregnant, keep your stress level at bay by participating in physical activities you enjoy, such as hiking, bicycling, swimming, gardening, dancing or weight training.
- Eat smart - What you eat has more of an impact on your stress level than you may think, so it is essential to maintain a healthy diet. Certain foods, such as those high in sugar, salt and fat, act as powerful stimulants to the body and are a direct cause of stress. When you are getting the energy and nutrients your body needs from foods like vegetables and whole grains, it is easier to accomplish daily goals you set for yourself. Knowing how different foods affect you can help you formulate a healthy diet that will both strengthen your immune system and benefit your fertility.
- Take deep breaths - Believe it or not, we often take breathing for granted. Instead of breathing deeply and efficiently using your full lung capacity, you may have fallen into bad habits, like slouching or being lazy about your posture. Sitting up straight enables your muscles to help you breathe as your body was designed to. Deep breathing exercises can help you focus these muscles in order to optimize your lung capacity and improve the oxygenation of your blood.
- Meditate - When you experience stress, your body reacts. Your heartbeat speeds up, your blood pressure increases and your breathing quickens. Meditation affects you in exactly the opposite ways that stress does, restoring your body to a calm state and preventing new damage from occurring due to the physical effects of stress. You don't need to take a class to learn how to mediate. Meditation involves sitting in a relaxed position and clearing your mind. You may focus on a sound, such as your own breathing, or nothing at all. The more time you spend relaxing your mind, the easier it will be to relax your body.