No matter how happy you are with your lifestyle (career, relationship, home and so on), stress will always be a part of your life. Your next bill or perhaps your next mortgage payment can raise your stress levels. This slowly eats into your level of happiness and quality of life. Unless it is managed, stress is a silent killer that can trigger a variety of health issues.
Furthermore, stress can present in many forms. At some point in our lives we will all suffer and experience the impacts of stress. It comes with day to day living and can happen to everyone. We need to chill, unwind and learn how to relax. Whether you are looking to overcome or prevent stress, here are some of the best stress management books (self help) to go through. Not only will you learn how stress works but you will find some solid methods to reduce it.
Stop Stress Fast, by Gregory Landsman
Wellness professional Gregory Landsman surely knows how to overcome stress in simple and proven ways. The book will help you understand what fuels stress, how to reduce it and manage it on a daily basis with simple, but effective techniques. This book is ideal for anyone who experiences stress, regardless of its intensity. The techniques will leave you feeling calmer and the added bonus is that they help prevent premature aging and a plethora of health challenges.
Stop Stress Fast is broken down into small, easily digestible chapters. You will first learn how to identify stress and where it is coming from in your life. You will also find some amazing breathing techniques that anyone can use to relieve stress within minutes. Overall there are 12 proven techniques in this book that tackle stress in different ways!
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, by Robert Sapolsky
Robert Sapolsky is a biologist who analyzes stress from a more medical point of view. The book has been released in a few different editions, with a bit of extra info in every new release. The point is fairly simple to understand. Zebras, for example, experience episodic stress – such as when they run from tigers. Humans, on the other hand, suffer from chronic stress – such as the risk of losing your job.
With these ideas in mind, animals are healthier than people because they can prevent a plethora of chronic stress disorders, from ulcers to hypertension. The book may seem medical, as it double checks the effects of glucocorticoids over the human body. However, it will also help people understand how to overcome stress without too much hassle.
Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Stress is everywhere around you and no matter how well you cope with your life, it will inevitably affect you in one way or another. It feeds on your energy and alters your health, making you more vulnerable to medical afflictions. Jon Kabat-Zinn is renowned for his mindfulness stress relief program and this book teaches the audience how to use natural ways to overcome stress.
Learn how to heal your body and mind by using a bunch of practices similar to what he uses for his programs. You can also learn how to reduce anxiety and depression, deal with the pain caused by stress and prevent heart related problems caused by it. Learn about meditation, yoga and healthy relationships to boost your personal wellbeing.
A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook, by Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein
This book explains the association between stress and various types of pain. Pain can feel like burning out, feeling overwhelmed or extremely tense. Finding balance could be difficult for many, but this book makes it easier than it seems. Whether you deal with self criticism, frustration or a lack of awareness, this book could become your guide to getting out of this state.
The authors help you understand what mindfulness based stress reduction is – a clinical program with proven results. It will help with stress, anxiety, chronic pain and depression. The approach is quite intense and will provide frank and straightforward solutions to managing stress.
Declutter Your Mind, by Barrie Devenport and S. J. Scott
Stress is often associated with mind clutter. At some point, your brain stops working. You have no idea what to do next or which way to go. Whether it comes to daily tasks, anxiety, stressful situations or random worries, this book will provide access to particular mindfulness techniques that will help you overcome stress in no time. It is all about identifying the causes of stress and developing new healthy habits for a healthier approach.
All in all, the authors target every aspect of mind clutter. Discover the main causes of mind clutter and find out how to reframe your negative emotions. You will discover a few strategies to get rid of toxic relationships, the benefits of decluttering your mind, simple strategies to figure out what truly matters for you and ways to mix personal goals and passions. Yoga and meditation are also part of the game, so do not be afraid to experiment.
Burnout, by Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski
Some people associate burnout with constant work. It is about pushing your limits, going to another level and constantly feeling under pressure, until one day you actually fail. You need time to recover and put your thoughts in order. But then, burnout is also associated with stress. All this pressure will inevitably put a lot of stress on your shoulders and will seriously affect your productivity – fail to pay attention to it and it will also affect your health and wellbeing before you even realize it.
This book will help you discover the biological stress cycle, as well as what you can do about it to feel calm and relaxed again. All in all, whether it comes to your body, your work or your everyday worries, this book can be a helpful guide in all stages of life.
The Upside Of Stress, by Kelly McGonigal
Stress is everyone’s enemy these days and can be related to a wide variety of medical issues, not to mention general unhappiness, relationship problems, anxiety and so on. While most people focus on reducing stress in their lives, author Kelly McGonigal promotes a different approach – what if you actually change your mindset about it and see it as a positive thing to achieve your goals?
The author describes the new science behind stress, explaining how everything is in your mind. Learn to train your brain and embrace stress. At the end of the day, you can never get rid of it. You can lose it for short periods of time, but this is it. Instead, use it to your advantage – if your mindset is right, your body will inevitably follow.
When The Body Says No, by Gabor Maté
Can loneliness actually lead to disease? Can it kill someone? Is there a connection between emotions and afflictions? Is there a cancer personality? This book is based on scientific facts and clears out some misconceptions about stress, but it also teaches readers what to do when the body simply says no. It analyzes the link between the mind and body, as well as the role of stress in your life.
According to the author, emotional issues can cause a plethora of afflictions, from diabetes and IBS to MS and heart disease. It is not a potential issue, but a reality. Learn how stress can negatively affect your life and discover the main principles to heal yourself.
10% Happier, by Dan Harris
From one point of view, this book is a memoir. From another view point, it is one of the best stress management books. The author has come up with a hilarious, yet realistic odyssey through self help, stress management and anxiety relief. He found out that becoming happier is actually doable, yet it requires a bit of work and a brand new mindset.
Dan Harris had a nationally televised panic attack – the moment he decided to make a change. His story involves a guru, some brain scientists and a pastor. Eventually, he realized that his problems are related to the voice in his head, as well as a bunch of dumb decisions. He retrained his brain through meditation and stress relief techniques and he is now sharing his ideas with others.
In conclusion, the above mentioned titles are some of the best stress management and self-help books out there. Whether you are after a more scientific research, new techniques to relieve stress or you simply want to experience a new approach to stress, any of these books can help.