Stress can have devastating effects on our physical and mental health.
For most of us, stress is a part of daily life – barring monks in far-away places who have taken a vow of silence. For the rest of us, stress will affect all of us at some point, to varying degrees.
How your body and mind respond to stress triggers will play a huge role in how well you cope with stress once it reaches chronic levels. Stress typically only goes away once a stressful situation is over, but if one stressful situation is just replaced by another, that leads to months and years of stress taking its toll.
If you lead a stressful life and need tips on how to relieve and reduce stress, below are five of the most effective ways:
- Boundaries
Stress is a bodily response to high-pressured and demanding experiences. When under stress, our bodies release cortisol and adrenaline – the stress hormones. Those hormones allow us to prepare for what we perceive to be coming next.
Say no more often. Create boundaries at home and work, juggling too many responsibilities isn’t worth it, and it often doesn’t work out anyway.
- Limits
Taking on too many projects can leave you feeling overwhelmed and anxious.
One of the best ways to cope in these situations is to take on less. It sounds simple but it isn’t. Some people’s need to please others is often at the expense of their mental health and well-being.
That only ever leads to burnout. Set limits before it is too late – you’ll be grateful that you did in a few weeks when your health improves.
- Support System
Friends and family will help you get through stressful times more than you realize.
Having a social system to lean on is essential for getting through the stressful bad times as well as enjoying the good times even more.
One of the most common signs of chronic stress is a stress belly and leaning on friends and family can help prevent that. To learn more about stress belly you can click here.
- Cut Back on Caffeine
Multiple studies have shown that without caffeine, people are less jittery, feel calmer, and have improved sleep quality.
Cutting back on your caffeine consumption may seem like a daunting task at first, which is natural because caffeine is addictive.
With most addictive things in life, less is always more. Instead of pounding an energy drink, take a quick brisk walk. Aerobic activities increase your energy levels and the production of endorphins (the feel-good hormones).
- Sleep
Sleep is a crucial part of coping with chronic stress, but unfortunately, sleep problems are often caused by stress. People who are chronically stressed often also suffer from insomnia or poor sleep quality.
The best approach is to get into a sleep routine and stick to it. Go to bed at a similar time and aim to get at least seven hours of solid sleep.
Following these five tips above will help improve your health and wellbeing, not to mention make you a much happier person!
