5 Tips to Help Combat Stress this Month
Many people have difficulty navigating through everyday stress. Whether it’s school, work, family, health concerns, and financial responsibilities. They are parts of our everyday life that can contribute to one’s stress levels.
If you’re living with heightened levels of stress, you’re putting your well-being at risk. Stress can cause damage to your overall physical and mental health. If you are suffering from chronic stress, it can increase your risk of health conditions, including heart disease, anxiety disorders, and depression. Due to this chronic stress, you may notice that it narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and simply enjoy life.
Minimizing the chronic stress of daily life as much as possible can support your overall health.
Effective stress management can help you be happier, healthier, and more productive by creating a balanced life so you can have time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun!
However, how one person manages their stress, may not work for someone else. It’s best to explore to see what stress relievers best help bring peace into your busy life. Trying to find a stress reliever does not have to be another chore, but rather something small you can do to get a quick relief.
If you notice your stress is getting out of control, try one of these tips.
Get Active and Eat a Healthy Diet
Exercise won't magically make all your stress disappear. However, by exercising, you refocus your mind on your body's movements which can improve your mood, clear your thoughts, and help the day's irritations fade. That way you can address your problems more calmly. If you're currently inactive, start with gentle exercises like a walk, a jog, working in your garden, biking, swimming, gentle weight training, or try anything else that better works for you. Pairing exercise with a healthier diet may positively affect your mental health, too. Sometimes stress causes us to overeat, which may harm overall health and mood. By eating a healthier diet, your body is better prepared to cope with stress, so try to practice mindful eating. Try to incorporate fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into your diet.
Take Back Control in Your Life
Learn how to say “no.” It is a small, yet powerful word. Know your limits and stick to them. Learn what you can and cannot tolerate in your personal or professional life. Healthy boundaries are important in a wellness journey. When you don’t have boundaries, you put yourself in a position to experience more stress, anger, and resentment. This can result in less calm and peaceful reactions from you. That feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress and lack of well-being. The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it's essential to find a solution that satisfies you and not someone else. Learning to say no or understanding your limits, can help you manage your stress.
Connect with Others
There is nothing more calming than spending quality time with another human being who makes you feel safe and understood. Having a social support system of friends and family is important for your overall mental health. They can ease your troubles, serve as a distraction, give support, and ultimately, improve your resiliency to life's stressors. When you're stressed and irritable, you may want to isolate yourself. Instead, reach out to family and friends and make social connections. Even one friend who listens can make a huge difference. If you’re feeling alone and don’t have friends or family to depend on, social support groups may help. Consider joining a club or a sports team or volunteering for a cause that’s important to you.
Create a Self Care Plan
By engaging in self-care practices, you can lower your levels of stress and improve your quality of life which can help decrease the likelihood of burnout and stress. Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated. It simply means tending to your well-being and happiness. Self-care can look like taking a bath, lighting candles, reading a good book, using a diffuser with calming essential oils, practicing yoga, or journaling. As you learn and practice these techniques, your stress levels will decrease and your mind and body will become calm and centered. You could try setting aside a couple of nights a week for some quality "me time" away from work or school!
Get Your Sleep!
Try to get adequate sleep. Stress can cause issues falling asleep. Your sleep can suffer significantly when you have too much to do. Most adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night for the brain and body to recharge. Good sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Lack of sleep can affect your mood, energy level, focus, and overall functioning. If you have sleep troubles, make sure that you have a quiet, relaxing bedtime routine. For example, listen to soothing music, make sure the area you sleep in is cool, dark, and quiet, put phones and tablets away, and stick to a regular schedule.
At the end of the day, the reality is that we cannot avoid stress. However, implementing some of these tips into your daily routine can help reduce your stress and improve your overall well-being.
Written by Jordan Adane, Candidate for Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
