Everyone these days talks about how stressed they are or if they do not use that word, they will talk about how busy they are with their never-ending list of things to do.
A study in 2018 found that 74% of adults in the UK felt so stressed that they felt unable to cope. It would be very interesting to run the study again now as some people may feel a great deal less stressed with the many changes due to the pandemic, for example, furlough, less time commuting, more time to exercise, more time with a pet. On the other hand, many people may feel significantly more stressed due to overworking, homeschooling, not able to have grandparents helping with childcare, social isolation etc.
No matter what is going on in our lives, we all need to constantly manage our stress levels so that our bodies can heal and repair daily and be resilient and strong. Our stress response is part of our survival mechanism and unfortunately is being switched on too readily by things that are not life-threatening, for example, the amount of things we need to do or a stressful relationship. Our bodies respond in the same manner whether a predator is chasing us and we are running for our lives, or if we are stressed by our work, finances, family, health or relationships. This can take a toll on our immune system and all of our body functions.
Here are ten tips to help you manage stress:
Breathing deeply - our bodies are constantly taking cues from our thoughts and our behaviours about how safe our environment is. Breathing is the easiest way to calm down our nervous system. You can try box breathing: simply inhale for 7, hold your breath for 7 and exhale for 7, pausing before the next inhalation. Our bodies know we are safe when we breathe like this as we would not hold our breath if we were running from a tiger!
Do not over-exercise - we all need to move regularly to keep fit and keep our heart healthy, however excessive running and other exercise will be giving your body the message that it is in a dangerous environment. Intersperse your exercise from time to time with more gentle exercise like yoga, tai chi, stretching and walking in nature.
Sleep 7-8 hours - getting a good night’s sleep and feeling rested and refreshed when you wake up are vital components of feeling in control and being emotionally resilient. Our stress levels will be much higher after a bad night’s sleep or less than 7-8 hours’ sleep.
Keep your blood sugar stable - avoid eating refined carbohydrates and sugar that will cause your blood sugar to rise significantly and then drop significantly causing anxiety and oxidative stress in the body. Ensure you have protein and healthy fats at each meal that will keep your blood sugar stable for 3-4 hours after eating.
Avoid changes to your circadian rhythms - try and keep a steady routine to maintain calm and safety for the nervous system. Our bodies follow a circadian rhythm which responds to light and our nervous system is calmed by routines like going to sleep and waking at the same times each day and eating our meals at the same regular times. Try to also avoid blue light in the evening by turning devices off one hour before sleep and try to get daylight into your eyes within thirty minutes of waking up in the morning.
Pay attention to your thoughts - having ruminating thoughts is not good for stress! Neuroscientist, Daniel Amen, believes that our Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) are at the root of our stress. Here are some great questions to help you challenge these thoughts and see how valid they are. Our self-talk can be quite destructive if not managed.
Track your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) - a great measure of our stress is HRV. You can track it with apps and devices and learn which activities reduce your stress the most. My favourite device is the Firstbeat Lifestyle tracker - it involves a 3-day assessment and you receive a very detailed graph on how restorative your sleep, exercise and other activities are (or are not!). The OURA ring and Heartmath also have excellent reviews.
Mindfulness and Meditation - these 2 practices are extremely beneficial to helping reduce and manage stress. It is just a matter of finding a method that appeals to you and that you will do ideally daily. I personally love ziva meditation which requires no apps or headphones and I have also used holosync and lifeflow meditations with great success. I also love Calm’s daily 10 minute guided meditation with a nice tracker that gives you a sense of achievement! There are also many free guided meditations and mindfulness sessions on YouTube.
Gratitude journaling - taking just 5-10 minutes a day either at the end of the day or first thing in the morning to write out three things that you are grateful for as well as taking time to really evoke the emotions can be a powerful practice. Don’t just list the items, really remember and feel into it and write about 25 words about how you felt and why it felt good, for example, if someone did something kind for you, write out all the full details.
Regularly take time to relax and do things you enjoy - laughter and having fun are great ways to manage stress as well as being enjoyable! Watch your favourite TV show or a film that makes you laugh or hang out with the friends that make you feel great (I know it is more limited on zoom!). Or if you prefer peace and quiet, find some great fiction books to escape into or other hobbies eg playing a musical instrument. Think about what things you loved to do as a child.
I hope these tips have given you lots of ideas to try out to manage your stress on a regular basis. The most important thing when it comes to stress is to listen to your body and rest when needed.