Fighting stress

Fighting stress could quite possibly be the hardest thing a modern man is faced with at the moment. From tedious tasks and traffic hassle to tight deadlines and nightmare bosses, we are surrounded by stressful situations from all directions. While there is no way of avoiding stress completely, there are still a few ways you could bring serenity back into your life. So, here is a stressed man's guide to handling a bad mood:

Get a Melbourne relaxation massage

Stress affects more than just our mind – it influences every part of our body as well. When we carry too much tension, it seems only natural that it often leads to muscle stiffness and pain. That is why the best way to deal with stress might be to get a Melbourne trigger point therapy massage that targets those specific tender spots and relieves tension and pain in your muscles. If you want to release the built-up tension, but also nurture your whole body and achieve complete relaxation and rejuvenation, then you may want to opt for an incredible Melbourne relaxation massage.

Schedule a dinner night with your friends

As the people who care about us the most, listen to our problems and help us deal with them in the best way possible, it’s no wonder that spending quality time with our friends is an extremely effective way of dealing with stress. So, make your friendships a priority, gather the group together and organise an amazing dinner night. If you live in Melbourne, there are many great Warrandyte restaurants where you could laugh and unwind with your friends, enjoy some quality food and good drinks and spend a relaxing evening together.

Take up a sports activity

Whether you decide to exercise alone or start playing sports with your friends on a regular basis, physical activity will not only improve your levels of stress, but it will also reduce the risk of serious illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. Football and basketball are great options, but if you don’t have such a large group of friends, you might want to consider sports such as tennis or squash, since all you need for these games is one partner, some equipment and a few hours of your free time.

Give yoga and meditation a try

Even though they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, yoga and meditation can do wonders for your stress level. These practices calm you down, restore your inner balance, increase your mindfulness and minimise negative emotions. And the more you do them, the more peace they bring into your life. So, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try yoga and meditation, in order to restore some peace of mind.

Remember to take a nap

While it may not sound like the best idea in the world, taking a nap is quite an effective way of dealing with tension. Most people who are under a lot of stress have problems falling asleep at night, let alone during the day, but when you force your body to do so, it can be hugely beneficial to your stress levels and your overall health. Apart from being well-rested, feeling refreshed and productive and being able to focus on important things, you’ll also be able to forget about all the stress that’s been bothering you, which is why you should think about adding power-napping into your everyday routine.

Whichever way you choose to deal with your mood, make sure it relaxes you and restores your inner balance. When you find a couple of activities you thoroughly enjoy, you’ll notice your stress levels drop in no time.

Peter is a health writer at Essential Men's Clinic blog. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.