Take a moment and remember one of those weeks when your to-do list went from an organized series of activities to a jumble of chaos. Did you spend the week with high energy levels and a superhuman ability to get everything done? More likely, you were short-tempered and unable to focus.
All of these are signs of stress.
Some stress is good for you. It’s your body’s natural reaction to physical and mental demands, and at the right levels it can energize you, help focus your mind and improve performance. However, too much stress creates a host of physical and emotional problems, including irritability, muscle tension, headaches, weight changes, mood swings, panic, anxiety and depression.
April is National Stress Awareness Month, so it’s a great time to take stock of the stress inundating your life, and clear it out with these five tactics. Move into the rest of the year feeling refreshed.
Exercise
You know exercise is good for your physical health, but it also can have a huge impact on your mental health, as well, says Tina Hubbard, supervising social worker at Ontario County Health.
“Exercise boosts the brain’s feel-good hormone levels,” Hubbard says.
“This improves your mood, releases tension and overrides pessimistic feelings.”
If you’re feeling strain at work—pressure from your boss, work overload, coworker gossip and complaints—break the negativity loop by taking a walk or stretching at your desk.
Meditation and mindfulness
Meditation is creating an environment where you focus on your breathing and unattach from your thoughts. Mindfulness is about being aware and focusing your attention on the here and now.
“The idea is to observe without judging. Just be present,” Hubbard says.
Hubbard suggests taking a “mindfulness walk,” a 10-minute sojourn where you focus on your other senses. What do you see? Hear? How does the ground feel under your feet?
Stretching is another way to shift your focus to your breathing and how your body feels, rather than what your mind is thinking.
Breathing
Breathing is something we take for granted because we do constantly.
But there is a difference between automatic and focused breathing. Hubbard recommends this exercise: Take a deep breath for a slow count of five, wait a beat, then exhale for a slow count of six. The beat between the inhale and exhale prevents hyperventilation.
“This exercise relaxes the body by giving it a break and increasing oxygen. Plus it’s discreet—you can do it anywhere,” Hubbard says.
Self care
Taking care of yourself and your needs lays the foundation for good health. The basics include sleep, diet and getting outside in nature. Adults typically need seven to eight hours of sleep to avoid a sleep deficit.
As for nutrition, Hubbard says there is overwhelming research linking nutrition and mental health. Eat wholesome, unprocessed foods whenever possible. Finally, reconnecting with nature provides necessary restorative experiences.
Plus, vitamin D from the sun heals and promotes well-being.
Seek counseling
Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. It’s unrealistic to think you can eliminate all stress from your life, but sometimes you need to learn new strategies and get help to find balance.
Counseling can be a short-term solution that focuses on the issue at hand.
