How to Deal with Stress in a Healthy Way
Feeling stressed?
Of course you have, and will be in the future.
Stress isn’t as bad as you think though.
There is good stress and there sure as heck is bad stress. In fact, stress can get a negative connotation and you may only think of it as when you are feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and to the point where you can’t take it anymore.
Stress can be good. Marriage, winning something, a promotion. Those are all stress but the good kind, known as eustress.
On the other end of things, is distress and things such as divorce, losing a job, financial troubles and the list goes on to fit this bill.
To sum things up, we are going to show you 8 ways to combat stress AND show you that stress can be a good thing.
Stress becomes bad when it is chronic. When it is chronic and always there, our bodies break down. Our mental and physical states suffer and it becomes a problem.
Here are 8 ways to combat stress in a healthy and effective way:
Mindfulness
Taking mental breaks throughout the day is so important, especially when you start your day and when you end it. Those two times set the tone. What are some ways to incorporate it? Do a guided meditation. No, you won’t become a great meditator overnight but work at it. Do some yoga or breathwork. Sometimes just taking the time to breathe and calm down can do wonders.
Need a good app for some meditation or calming music? Try Calm or Headspace or you can just go on YouTube.
Gratitude
What are you grateful for? Everyone is grateful for something and tapping into this is very important. Family, job, friends, the future, we all have something to be grateful for. Start the day with gratitude by saying one thing you’re grateful for. Getting in this state of mind can help you.
Create a Schedule
No, you don’t have to be as crazy as I am with a fully blocked schedule but having some sort of routine helps. Show me the person that has no routine or schedule and I’ll show you someone who is constantly stressed and overwhelmed.
Time blocking is important because it helps you prioritize and prioritizing your health is important. Block out some mental break time. Block out some exercise time. Block out when you will be done work for the day.
Exercise
Sing this one from the rooftops. Have you ever finished a workout and regretted it? Of course not.
Exercise is the ultimate stress reliever. Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators. Endorphins, those things that we hear about that are responsible for the "runner's high" and for the feelings of relaxation and optimism that accompany many hard workouts.
Lean into your physical health. Not only does it help you physically become stronger and leaner but it is just as important for your mental health and stress relief.
Get Sleep
I don’t get enough sleep.
There isn’t enough time in the day.
If this is what you say, how much time are you spending on your devices and watching TV daily?
Sleep is the time where you recover, both physically and mentally. Without adequate sleep, stress levels rise, the immune system becomes compromised and your productivity drops.
Set a bedtime and stick to it.
Self Care Time
Do you always feel like you’re filling someone else’s cup and never working on yourself?
That needs to change and you need to make YOU a priority.
How are you going to be there for others when your cup is empty.
Take time for regular self-care. Massage, stretching, exercise, relaxation time. Take care of yourself and no you’re not selfish for doing that.
Connect with others in a healthy way
We clearly live in a weird time right now where we aren’t seeing many people physically. This doesn’t mean you can’t connect with others though.
The beauty of technology is you can connect with anyone in an instant.
Talk on the phone, set up a Zoom game night, go exercising outside or even inside (with masks on of course). You can do it safely. Humans need interaction so do more connecting with others.
Nothing wrong with getting help from an expert
Mental health has a stigma and that needs to end.
If you need help, say something. There are professionals that specialize in helping you with your mental health needs. That’s why they exist so use them.
Everyone runs into challenges and sometimes those challenges can mount. That’s when you turn to an expert.
There is nothing wrong with it and will lead to you getting the help you deserve.
What is your top way to combat stress and is there one on this list you can start implementing? Let us know as we’d love to hear!