Tips for reducing stress
We know that 2020 was a very stressful year due to the pandemic, loss of loved ones, job loss, home foreclosures, social distancing, and the day-to-day sense of doom. Some say the pandemic is starting to take a turn for the better. However, we are still left with the negative effects of stress on our health and well-being.
So, what can we do to help control stressors in our daily life? Today, I will give you some tips that have been proven to help control and manage stress.
"Stress can lead to you bringe eating on unheathy foods, which can all increase your risk of heart attack and stroke"
1) Get more exercise
According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being. Exercise lowers your body’s stress hormones. It pumps up your endorphins, which reduces the negative effects of stress, and improves your mood. Endorphins are chemicals produced by the body to relieve stress and pain. Exercise also improves the production of creatine in the kidney and liver. Creatine is an energy source for muscles, which is why you feel more energetic after exercising.
The official guideline is to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Mix cardio and weight-bearing exercises. Cardio exercise is known to reduce blood pressure, which in turn can help you relax. If you are new to exercise, speak with your health care provider before starting an exercise routine. If you can’t afford a gym or don’t want to go there during the pandemic, then go to YouTube.
There are unlimited choices of free exercise videos to satisfy your desired method to ‘keep moving’.
2) Relax and control your breathing
Breathing and meditation exercises can also help to relieve stress. Breathing techniques use in Lamaze have been proven to reduce the perception of pain and increase relaxation during the most painful time in a women's life, ‘childbirth’. Breathing techniques help to relax the entire body and are very easy to incorporate into your daily life. A good breathing method can change your mood and have you more relaxed within minutes. Meditation can help you sleep better, which in turn helps reduce your stress level.
Try listening to some meditation music to help relax your mind and body. Perhaps take a class on meditation and breathing exercises.
The emotional benefits of meditation can help you view stressful situations in a new light, gain skills on how to manage stressors, and reduce negative emotions.
3) Schedule some ‘me’ time
We seem to schedule everything else, so why not schedule some time for you. Take time to do things that you enjoy doing such as a hobby, bike riding, walking, reading a good book, or having lunch with a friend.
When we take care of our health and happiness, we become better friends, spouses, and parents. You won't obsess as much about problems because you will understand that taking care of yourself is a necessary means to your end of peace and happiness. Get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Sunshine boosts the hormone serotonin which can have a positive effect on mood.
4) Eat healthier
According to WebMD, foods can help tame stress in several ways. Comfort foods, like a bowl of warm oatmeal, boost levels of serotonin, which is a calming brain chemical. Serotonin helps to stabilize our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness.
Some foods that can boost serotonin, include complex carbs, whole-grain bread, pasta, and breakfast cereals, pineapples, spinach, avocados, fatty fish such as salmon and tuna, black tea, seeds, and nuts. I mentioned earlier that sunshine will improve serotonin levels, so don’t forget to get that daily walk-in after consuming a nutritious meal.
Meal prepping has become very popular and provides a great way to always have nutritious meals readily available, which eliminates the stress about what to eat and possibly bingeing on junk food. I know when I’m having a stressful day, the last thing I want to think about is cooking a meal.
5) Get enough quality sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, getting enough sleep on a nightly basis can alleviate stress quite effectively. They also advise that healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. When it comes to sleep, you also want to get good quality sleep. Sleep helps to renew our minds and body. Sleep is when the body intensifies the process to heal itself. So, if get less sleep then muscle soreness will last longer.
Ways to get better sleep:
1 - Stick to a sleep schedule and create a restful environment.
2 - Exercise is one of the most important things we can do to improve our sleep but not right before bedtime.
3 - Reduce blue light in the evening 2-3 hours before bed.
4 - Avoid caffeine late in the day.
5 - No eating and drinking beverages 2-3 hours before bed.
6 - Set bedroom temperature between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit for the most comfortable sleep.
7 - Take a warm shower or bath before bed.
Summary
The bottom line is to take care of yourself by incorporating exercise, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough good quality sleep. These actions can improve our mood and sense of wellbeing while cutting down on the negative effects of stress.
Sources for this article:
WebMD
MayoClinic
National Sleep Foundation
If you need help developing a plan to reduce your stress then we can help with that.
Contact Mrs Dee at www.tips4living.org/consulting
