Ways to relieve stress

Like all traders, you will often be busy, as trading has the power to take over your life if you do not manage it properly.

It can happen to anyone: your strategy does not go as you had foreseen, the market moves against you, and you start to struggle to think clearly, exactly when you need it most.

This is the kind of situation that marks the difference between those who have a competitive advantage and those who do not. How is it possible that some traders get stuck in a panic and close a trade too quickly, while others, despite a stop-loss, end up winning anyway? What is their secret?

You have seen how important it is to have a trading plan. And I repeat it here too because a trading plan helps you to take control of your positions. You will not be forced to manage them constantly or kid yourself that you can control the market by looking at a screen (no one can).

A trading plan helps you have a pre-established approach based on the rules that you have imposed on yourself, giving you the freedom not to be in front of the PC all day long.

My advice is: to take a break and move away from the platform. Your trading will benefit from it. Here are some suggestions for taking a break and recovering the lost concentration.

1. Eat, drink and chew. Eating a piece of chocolate stimulates the release of beta-endorphins in the brain, which produces a natural relaxing effect and reduces the biochemical activities related to stress. If you prefer fruit, banana is an excellent source of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.

Even though most of you are not British, tea is known to be good. An English study conducted on people who regularly drink black tea showed that their stress levels were reduced faster than people who drank tea replacers. Green tea, in particular, is rich in theanine, an amino acid that reduces stress and improves reactivity. Come on! Go put the kettle on!

Chewing gum can be associated with nervousness, but it actually has a calming effect. A 2008 study by Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia, found that chewing reduces by16% the presence of a stress hormone in the saliva in periods of light stress and by 12% in periods of medium stress.

2. Exercise. Adopting an exercise routine (running, hiking, dancing, etc.) is one of the best habits you can get into for all areas of your health. It will not only relieve stress and anxiety, but it will also help with weight management, heart health, and overall wellness.

Exercise is often referred to as a natural antidepressant and natural energy booster. Exercise produces endorphins, which are like natural painkillers, so when they are produced, we feel fewer negative effects of stress.

3. Meditation and yoga. As you have seen in the previous chapter, meditation is a great way to release stress/anxiety or to keep those feelings at bay. It does not have to be a long process where you are not thinking about anything. Many people feel that they have to do it for long periods of time whilst keep their mind totally blank. This is not the case.

Yoga can have a calming effect on those who practice it. Many people consider it an exercise, but it has a great effect on the mind as well.

4. Get a massage. Most people see massages as a luxury, but incorporating them into your wellness routine can be a key method for keeping stress and anxiety levels low. Many massage studios offer special prices when you schedule regularly.

5. Breathing. You also saw this method in the previous chapter. We all breathe every day, and this is how we stay alive. However, the type of breathing exercises that help with stress and anxiety are not our regular everyday breathing. Yet, we can use specific breathing techniques to reduce stress.

By purposefully changing the way we breathe, we can change the way we feel and how our bodies react to what is going on around us.

6. Listening to music. Listening to music, especially songs that bring forth positive feelings or memories can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

If you play a song that reminds you of a happy, calm, fun time in your life, your mind will immediately go to that memory, thereby lessening your current anxiety. If you enjoy listening to music with your eyes closed as a type of meditation, that can also be helpful.

7. Let yourself be inspired. Sometimes, you just need to be inspired to stay focused. You can do this either by watching some classic movies or by listening to the success stories of other traders or successful men and women. “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly” (Robert Kennedy).

8. Petting your pet. Believe it or not, but a study by Social Work Today highlighted how the simple act of petting a dog or a cat can cause the release of oxytocin, the so-called “love hormone” that reduces stress and dampens aggression.

Of this, I am a firm believer. I have a dog, and just a few caresses are enough to make everything else secondary in importance.

9. Singing. Prepare a nice shower and start warming up your vocal cords. Both endorphins and oxytocin, substances associated with the sensation of pleasure and relief from stress, are released as we sing.

Singing also stimulates the vagus nerve, an important element of the parasympathetic nervous system that helps to control our response to stressful situations.

10. Get comfortable on the couch. Be honest, you weren’t expecting this one. I give you permission to rest. When you are tired, you are less patient and more easily agitated, which can increase stress. Sleep is a crucial element for a low-stress/low anxiety life. Many people underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep.

A comfortable period on the couch can also help reduce stress. Furthermore, boredom can increase your creativity levels and maybe give you excellent ideas.

To be honest, there is also an eleventh way to reduce stress, and this is simply using an anti-stress ball. You can find it practically anywhere. it may seem like a childish toy, but try using one and see the beneficial effects for yourself. They are incredible at blowing away accumulated tension.

With these methods of stress reduction, I wanted to give you the means to trade at your very best. Knowing how to take breaks is essential.

As I have said, if you want to keep the right degree of concentration for your trades, it is essential to know how to take breaks.

It is not about getting out of your chair every now and then. You have to build a personal method that works for you and your trading.