For many of us, stress is common in our daily lives – so you are not alone if you feel like you’ve got a lot on your plate. Why not take a few minutes, and check out our five effective ways to deal with stress:
Use the power of the mind
We often hear the word mindfulness – but what does it actually mean for us and our mental health? According to the NHS:
“Mindfulness involves paying attention to what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.”
You can use mindfulness techniques to calm your body and mind. You might try meditation or yoga – but even simple deep breathing techniques can help lower your stress.
Deep breathing tells our body it is time to relax. Even when we are feeling stressed, we can trick our body into feeling calmer by using breathing techniques.
Next time you feel anxious or stressed, try taking five minutes to concentrate on your breathing. Take one deep breath in, hold it for five seconds, then let it out. Within a few minutes, you should feel your body begin to calm down.
Stay active
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to deal with stress, as it lowers the levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – in our bodies.
Cortisol doesn’t just stress us out, it also makes us more vulnerable to colds, flu and other bugs. By staying active, we can keep ourselves healthy in more ways than one.
Just going for a walk is a great way to start exercising more, here are five ideas for nice walks in Walsall.
Eat your greens
Did you know that certain foods are better at lowering stress than others?
When stressed, many of us reach for chocolate, ice cream, or crisps for comfort, but this is often less effective than we think.
You might not feel the urge for leafy greens or starchy potatoes when you feel anxious, but science says that maybe you should.
For example, sweet potatoes have been linked to a reduction in cortisol, the stress hormone mentioned above. And blueberries have also been found to improve our mood.
Take time for self-care
One of the biggest reasons we get stressed is the feeling that we are always “on”.
When we are not working, we might taking care of the household, looking after other people, or trying to get things ready for the next day.
Making time to relax is an important part of taking care of yourself. Without it, stress levels can build up until they overflow.
Try setting aside an hour to do something that relaxes you – like watching your favourite TV show, reading a book or going for a walk.
During this time, nobody should disturb you. Turn off your phone and focus on yourself – it’s time to recharge your batteries.
Get some Zs
A good night’s sleep is an essential part of fighting stress.
It is much harder to beat stress when you are tired – but ironically, stress often makes it harder to get a proper night’s rest.
Have you ever stayed up all night worrying about something, only to feel exhausted in the morning?
The good news is that the other tips in this post – including meditation, exercise, and making time to relax – all help promote better sleep at night.
We also offer a wellbeing support service, which can offer more effective ways to deal with stress.
