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If you feel like your stress is out of control, then it’s time to take steps to rein it in for
the betterment of your health – physical and mental. You can easily take charge with six daily habits that will have you feeling better in no time.Don’t waste another day of wallowing in what the world is throwing at you.
First of all, take solace in knowing that more than 60 percent of Americans say they feel significant stress daily. It can show up as a short temper, sweat stains, or frequent pen or toe-tapping that puts others on edge. For their sake and yours, watch for warning signs and prepare to dial them down
If you need motivation, remember chronic stress can cause end-of-day fatigue, headaches, upset stomach, muscle aches, moodiness, anxiety, depression, or lack of motivation. Who needs that?! Not you.
Try to identify the source of your stress and erase it first. For example, if you have a soul-sucking friend or family member, it’s time to block them for a while, or forever. However, if pressure is part of your job, then you have to face facts and deal with it as best you can, unless you are willing to change careers.
Here are some of the best ways to relieve stress:
1. Get a Sweat On
Heart-pumping exercise, such as jogging, cycling, or dancing, distracts you from the irritants in your life and increases your level of endorphins, giving you a “runner’s high.” These hormones ease pain and reduce stress while decreasing cortisol and adrenaline production to make you more zen. It’s also a preventative measure for future stressful encounters. As an added bonus, it makes you feel better by giving you a sense of accomplishment once you’ve completed your workout.
Find something you enjoy, whether it’s walking with a neighbor or taking up kickboxing. You want to tap into an activity that you look forward to doing, so you can commit to 150 minutes of exercising each week. You can mix it up to do a few activities if you need variety. Also, doing something you love will make you smile, which gives you a dose of dopamine, another feel-good hormone.
2. Stop and Relax
It sounds so simple, but it can make all the difference in your day. By practicing deep breathing, meditation, or yoga, you allow yourself to block out the world and focus on just you.
When stress hits, you breathe faster and shallower – or actually hold your breath – to cope with your racing heart. Instead, inhale for four counts, hold it for seven then exhale for eight. This is a go-to technique for emergency workers so it’s a good one to try for your busy days.
Meditation makes you mindful of the tension in your body and thoughts in your brain so you can release or process them. This type of awareness can help you when you face an unreasonable person in your everyday life. Begin at home or in a studio in a quiet place. Soon, you will be able to use its techniques in the car or at work.
Doing yoga early in the day can set you up for a peaceful start and you can maintain it for a while. It helps you control your cortisol levels and your blood pressure. You can also use it to destress at any point in the day, including some stretches to get relaxed and ready for bed.
3. Sleep Better
It’s almost impossible to operate on an even keel when you have had fewer than 40 winks. You’ll have less energy to be patient with people and will be less able to focus, which will frustrate you even further. Ideally, you should be crashing for seven to nine hours per night, but the challenge can be staying asleep once you conk out. Cortisol can keep you alert if you don’t get it out of your system at bedtime.
Try to wind down before the lights go out, by doing a relaxing activity and following a regular sleep-wake schedule. Your body likes routine so hit the sack at the same time and get up when your alarm goes off. Stay away from screens and their awakening blue lights. Sip a soothing tea and relax. You’ve earned it.
4. Eat Well
This does NOT mean feasting on rich foods but actually avoiding highly processed or sugary treats. The same goes for abundant levels of heart-racing caffeine.
In their place, pick nutritious foods that enrich your body. Opt for crunchy or green vegetables and fruits that are rich in Vitamin C. Whole grains help you produce more serotonin, which is good for your mood and happiness. These three S’s – spinach, salmon, and soybeans – give you healthy doses of magnesium to fight back against fatigue and stress-induced headaches. Salmon also provides omega-3 fatty acids to help slow the surge of stress hormones.
Stop yourself from bingeing to cope with stress, since it just makes it harder for you to sleep and to shake the guilt.
5. Spend Time With People You Love
Friendship is a powerful tool, whether it’s found within your family or beyond. You can bounce your frustrations off other people as you let go, lowering your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormone levels. Getting a hug – even virtually – makes you feel you are not alone and releases feel-good hormone oxytocin levels.
If you think hugs are great, sex is even better. Whether you act alone or with a partner, climaxing releases endorphins and oxytocin, making you feel better and forgetting your troubles.
6. Laugh Out Loud
A good belly laugh can erase the stresses of the day if you are still immersed in them or long gone from the traffic jam. Laughing draws more air into your lungs, which shares them with your heart and your muscles. That relaxes your muscles and kicks in a hit of endorphins to make you less tense.
You can enjoy a laugh with loved ones, as noted above, or seek out a funny TV show, movie, podcast, book, or meme. However, shut that phone down early so you can get some quality shut-eye.
Your Homework
You can try each of these on their own or combine them to get maximum benefit. Listen to a humorous podcast while on the treadmill, then do deep-breathing exercises on your drive home from the gym.
Find what works for you and stick with it. Not only will it help you today, but it will also give you the skills to cope with stress-filled days in your future.
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