Stress can be a killer: from making you lose sleep, to raising your blood pressure and alienating loved ones, it can have a massive impact on not only your mental wellbeing but your physical health, too. Stress places pressure on your heart tightens your muscles and causes you to lose flexibility and mobility over time, too; stress can literally rob you of your independence in many ways. This post comes at a time where each and every one of us – globally – has had to deal with more stress overall, and juggling the COVID-19 pandemic, financial pressure, and trying to maintain our physical health, has been taking a serious toll. In this post, then, we offer you some guidelines for dealing with stress – we hope these tips will promote a better, relaxed lifestyle, a healthier body, and a happier you. Follow along and try your best to implement them throughout your day. Here we go!
Exercise Matters!
I think you knew this might be the first tip, right? Stress and exercise are just not compatible – they are a bit like water and oil. As we get stressed, our bodies don’t produce as many endorphins or serotonin as they normally would. Hormone production is relegated to other parts of the body in order to deal with the stress in a bid to deploy crises management strategies. When we exercise, though, we facilitate the production of endorphins and serotonin, thereby lifting our moods and allowing us to tackle stress in a renewed and healthful way. Going for a nice walk, jog, or gym work-out can do wonders in terms of flipping the script on stress – give it a go… after reading the rest of this post, of course!
Cutting down on Caffeine
You might not have wanted to see this one, here… but, it’s true. Caffeine can cause our stress levels to be sore, as sadly, it increases anxiety and tension. In fact, your morning Java may be doing you more harm than good because, in addition to increasing anxiety, caffeine disrupts sleep patterns, thereby increasing stress further. Cutting down on caffeine intake by drinking more herbal teas is a good place to start.
Water for the Win
On that note, stress thrives on dehydration. Drinking enough water throughout your day is vital in maintaining both a healthy mind and body. Water lubricates your muscles, feeds the brain, and gives you a feeling of health and wellbeing that other drinks simply can’t give. Yes, there is water in your coffee, tea, and orange juice, but there is also unwanted sugar, caffeine, and preservatives. Keep it clean and fuel your body with wholesome fluids.
Looking After your Mind and Body: Self-Care
We live in a world that seems to have been spun off of its center: from pandemics to protests, to technology, to wars, things can seem all but too much. So, self-care is incredibly important. We need to take time to assess our lifestyle choices and our situations – doing so will not only introduce a sense of control but will also give us serenity in stressful situations. Why not try meditating or doing some Yoga, for example? Step away from the screens, make a nice cup of tea, and take it to a mat. While you may not be a Tibetan yogi, taking some time to put a little incense on, listen to some calming music, and concentrate on nothing but your body, is a powerful way of centering yourself and reigning in those stressful thoughts. You can meditate while walking or running, too. If that’s not for you, though, try doing something you love a few times a week; maybe you like to read, go to spas, take long baths, or bake – just make sure you prioritize that time for yourself, as doing so will give you the resilience to tackle the outside stresses.
Breathe Correctly
Isn’t it odd how such an instinctual mechanism can actually contribute greatly to the level of stress you experience? Breathing is essential in maintaining a healthy, happy, stress-free you. Most of us breathe from our chests, thereby resulting in flat breathing… which doesn’t necessarily circulate oxygen as successfully as it ought to. If we focus on breathing from our diagrams, however, oxygen is more readily available and our blood oxygen levels increase significantly. The result? You feel healthier, more energetic, and you certainly feel more capable of dealing with external pressures that cause stress. Breathing techniques can be learned – all that you need is an open mind and willingness to learn! Start taking some deeper breaths, right now!
So, there you have it: some powerful tips for overcoming the stress in your life. It’s not easy, though, and we understand that. But, we also know that keeping on top of stress is a necessary step in maintaining health and wellbeing, both mentally and physically.
If you are unsure of where to start, you feel overwhelmed, or feel the negative physical/mental effects of chronic stress in your life, please contact us. Though you may not have known this, qualified, professional physical therapists can help you relieve your stress. In addition, if an existing injury is in and of itself causing you stress, please reach out. Our physical therapists can help relieve your pain, ease muscle tension teach and guide you through invaluable, tailor-made techniques for avoiding the stresses you encounter on a daily basis, can offer you the tools to help you stave off stress in the future, and can even help you with your breathing! So, please, contact us today – you are not alone and we are here to help.
We really want you to be healthy, happy, and stress-free. The tips we went over in this post should act as guidelines for your life – get out there and do some exercise, drink enough water, moderate technology use, and make sure you give yourself time to unwind. Stay healthy and happy!
