We all hear that we should destress, but what does that really mean? Why is stress bad? Should you avoid it at all costs?
Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but managing it effectively can significantly improve your mental and physical health. Stress is your body’s response to anything that requires attention or action and can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Chronic stress can lead to issues like high blood pressure, weakened immunity, and burnout. Whether you’re juggling work, family, or personal challenges, learning how to manage stress can enhance your wellbeing and overall happiness.
Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way you respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to your overall wellbeing.
Stress response is necessary for our survival, so we don’t want to get rid of it, but we want to eliminate the bad forms of it. Stress signals adrenaline and cortisol in your body which signals your ‘fight or flight’ response. Acute stress, like meeting a deadline, or being in a competition is beneficial because it will help you perform at your most intense for a short period of time.
Chronic stress changes the size and shape of your brain and shows itself though poor sleep, forgetting simple things, moodiness, feeling restless and feeling overworked or always “under the pump”. Chronic stress is what we’re looking to avoid and manage.
To prevent chronic stress physically, mentally and emotionally you need to give yourself a rest and signal your ‘rest and digest’ system.
1. Practice Mindfulness and Breathing
Even just a few minutes of deep breathing, guided meditation, or mindfulness exercises can help lower stress levels. Deep breathing exercises, such as focusing on diaphragmatic breathing or completing 4-7-8 breathing, help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress hormone levels. If you haven’t tried meditation before, you can use apps like Headspace or Calm to guide you through simple and effective meditations. Don’t underestimate the power that a few minutes of mindfulness and breathwork can have on reducing your stress.
2. Get Regular Physical Activity
Exercise has both physiological and psychological benefits. It helps reduce cortisol levels, enhances mood through endorphin release, and helps to improve sleep. Whether it’s a walk, yoga, weight training, or cycling, find a form of movement that you enjoy and make it a regular part of your routine.
3. Connect With Nature
Spending time in nature helps to lower cortisol levels and blood pressure while improving your mental wellbeing. Aim to get outside everyday for at least 20 minutes, this can be in the form of light exercise or sitting, breathing, and immersing yourself in your natural surroundings. Taking time to go out in nature also creates a much needed pause in your day where you don’t need to be focusing on everything that you “have to get done”.
4. Maintain a Balanced Diet and Hydration
What you eat affects how you feel. A nutrient-dense diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats supports brain function and helps regulate stress hormones. You want to avoid or eliminate excessive caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and processed foods as they can heighten your stress response, increase inflammation, and disrupt your sleep. Staying hydrated is also crucial for overall wellbeing as even the slightest bit of dehydration can increase cortisol levels and worsen stress and anxiety.
5. Prioritise Quality Sleep
Sleep disturbances exacerbate stress and lack of sleep with high amounts of stress create a vicious cycle together. Chronic stress keeps cortisol elevated at night, leading to insomnia, fragmented sleep, and reduced deep sleep. Make sleep your priority by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, limiting technology exposure before bed, and practice journaling if you have racing thoughts at night. To learn more about getting quality sleep, read my post about How To Get The Best Sleep: 5 Tips For Restful Nights.
Final Thoughts
Managing stress is a key pillar in your overall quality of life and wellbeing. Holding onto stress can have profound negative effects on your health but by incorporating these simple, yet effective strategies, you can reduce your daily stress, improve your mood, and enhance your overall quality of life.
Always remember that small changes can make a big difference in how you feel so start implementing one of these tips straight away!
