Everyone has experienced the adverse effects of stress. It can affect your mood, ability to concentrate and make decisions, and other aspects such as health or personal relationships.
We're bombarded by so many worries about work deadlines looming over us all day long, followed up by countless hours spent trying desperately to catch up. Finally, you get home late, mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds, seeing if anyone missed our last post before fleeing into bed exhausted.
Stress is like an alarm system in our body, warning us about potential danger. It can happen when we feel threatened, whether real or imagined. This blog post will explore seven steps that you can take today to lower your stress so you can feel better at the end of the day.
1. First of all, take a breath.
Stress is a natural reaction from our body, but sometimes it can get out of control and have adverse effects on your life. When you feel tense, breaths tend to be shallower and faster than usual. This activates the fight or flight mode and reduces the blood oxygen level, impacting your entire body. The first thing when dealing with stress is to focus on your breathing and take a deep breath. Breathe in slowly, counting to 5, hold for 3 seconds and breathe out slowly, counting to 5. This will help you to take your mind away from your stress and relax. It's proven to work like a charm.
2. Go outside and get some sun
It's no secret that we can't live without air, water, or food. But what many people don't know is the importance of sunlight in their lives as well! When we're stressed, we tend to spend more time indoors, but it's crucial to re-energize our bodies with some sunlight. The next time you find yourself feeling stressed out, go for a walk or sit outside in your yard or on your balcony. Spend at least 10 minutes soaking up the sun; you'll be surprised how much of a difference this makes!
3. Get moving!
The key to a happy life is exercise. Not only does it improve physical health and mental well-being, but regular workouts also reduce stress levels! If you're not already exercising regularly, start with something as simple as 10 minutes of walking every day for your first week or two. This will help get the ball rolling on what can be one of the most beneficial habits in your life to help manage stress.
4. Do What You Love
One of the best ways to get out of stress is by doing things that we love, like cooking our favorite meal or reading an entire chapter from the book. It doesn't have to be money-related at all! You can engage in activities such as these for 10 minutes each morning before starting work--and this will help you feel less overwhelmed throughout your day because it's fun too :)
5. Get rid of things that make you stressed.
Take a look at what's causing you stress and cut it out. Things like the news or being constantly connected with technology have been shown to increase stress and anxiety, but there are many other things too! You could start drinking alcohol less often, for example - that will do wonders in relieving some tension as well as helping you sleep better at night. Or, maybe cut down on caffeine consumption, make healthier choices, and take advantage of your excellent local farmers market. Whatever changes work best for YOU, don't forget about them because any little thing matters when trying not to be overwhelmed anymore.
6. Practice self-care
Take a little time for yourself every day. You deserve it! Whether you're going on your own walk or watching movies with friends - anything will do, as long as it is something that makes YOU happy. I'm all about self-care, so I try my hardest every day to ask myself, "what have I done that makes me happy."
7. Meditate.
Meditation is the best way to find peace, both in your mind and body. You can try different practices while developing a mantra that you repeat over time, so it becomes ingrained within yourself for quick relief when needed!
Meditation is a great way to take your mind off of the stressors in life. You can meditate for as little or long periods that you want, and there are lots of different types available, so try one out! For example, some focus on breathing techniques; mindfulness meditation, where practitioners pay attention to what they see and hear through their ears while remaining completely aware of how their body feels at any given moment right now. And lastly, we have mantra repetition. This has been found effective among those looking into reducing anxiety levels. You can Develop your own mantra that you repeat over time, so it becomes ingrained within yourself for quick relief when needed!
First of all, pick a quiet place where you won't be disturbed for 10-20 minutes. Sit comfortably on the ground or on your bed with your back straight up or lean against the wall. It's essential to be in a position that feels most comfortable for you. Close your eyes and start taking deep breaths through your nose, allowing each breath to slowly exhale out of your mouth as though you're fogging up the room. Now pick a phrase, word, or sound that you repeat on each out-breath. This sound becomes your mantra. Anytime you are feeling stress, repeat your mantra to re-enter your state of calm.
These are 7 of the best first steps that can really help reduce stress in your life!
Stress is part of life, but some steps can be taken towards lessening how it impacts us. So next time you feel stressed out, take a deep breath and give these techniques a try! We've compiled some helpful tips, but we also want to help by providing an awesome playlist with music guaranteed to calm any mind or body down! Take a listen and let us know what you think (or better yet, share this post with a friend who needs it).
THANKS FOR READING! HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH STRESS? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!