5 Ways to Reduce Stress

This past year has definitely been challenging for most of us and likely caused you some type of stress. We don’t realize how many outside forces play into what is actually causing stress for us. Environment, food, and thoughts are just a few of these forces.

We can use “feeling stressed out” and anxiety as a signal to ourselves and our bodies that we need to take a step back and do something positive that can help combat these feelings and help us feel better. Although some stressors are part of life and will never go away, there are ways to deal with them and that can help reduce your everyday stress dramatically.

The next time you start to feel overwhelmed by your emotions, anxiety, or just “down” try some of these tips:

1. Breathe - Breath is life. We tend to hold our breath throughout the day, unknowingly. Notice throughout the day if you are holding your breath and when you catch yourself simply stop and take a few deep breaths to re-center. Proper breathing can make a dramatic shift in your mood and has a long list of benefits to your mental & physical health.

   Feeling anxious? Try this breathing technique -

   Box Breathing Technique

   1. Close your eyes

   2. Breath in through your nose while counting to 4 slowly

   3. Hold your breath at the top while counting to 4 slowly

   4. Exhale the breath while counting to 4 slowly

   5. Hold the exhale while counting to 4 slowly

   Repeat this 3-5 times and notice after how you feel.

2. Eat whole, real food - Nutrition is a large piece of the well-being puzzle. The mind-body connection is real, so whatever we are eating essentially is affecting our mood among other things. Your gut is called your second brain and makes up 70% of your serotonin (feel-good chemical). Depending on what you put into your body it’s either fueling you or inflaming you. Certain foods that are harder for the body to digest inflame the body and can cause other issues to arise. Removing processed foods & refined sugar from your diet is a great place to begin in elevating your eating habits, and reduce inflammation dramatically.

3. Sleep - When we sleep our brain cleans itself and heals itself. Proper, consistent sleep is very important. Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Try to avoid bright lights and screens right before bed. If possible, shut all technology off at least 30 mins prior to bed, or make sure you are wearing blue light blocking glasses at night when using any tech.

4. Movement - Moving our body helps to get us out of our heads and release built-up energy. Breaking a sweat releases “feel-good chemicals” in our brain which decrease our anxiety and depression, and can improve our mood. Almost any exercise can help reduce stress, so pick something that you love to do! Try to move your body daily. Go outside for a walk, do some yoga, ride your bike, anything that requires you to move.

5. Meditate - Meditation has been shown to reduce cortisol levels up to 50%. Cortisol is the stress hormone that is produced in the body when we are anxious or stressed out. It can wreak havoc on your body and is the underlying cause of many different diseases. There are many different amazing apps out there that teach you how to mediate such as; Calm, Head Space, and Insight Timer. If you’re new to meditating start with 5 minutes a day and work your way up to 20 minutes daily. Commit to a daily meditation practice and see how much better you feel!
   

The number one thing to remind yourself is that you are never alone. In a world that can feel isolating (especially right now), we must remember that others are feeling the same too. Reach out to someone you love or trust and have a conversation with them about how you're feeling. Just them being there and holding space for you can relieve so much pressure and built-up emotions, and can make you feel so much better and more connected.

Seeking professional help is always a great option as well. Finding a mental health professional is very easy to do online these days, and it can be very helpful to have a neutral third party person to talk to. Places like Talk Space and Better Help will connect you with a counselor via text, video, or chat 24/7. Head to www.talkspace.com or www.betterhelp.com to find out more.