Stress has a huge impact on our daily lives, and if you don’t take action to get stress under control, it can quickly cause havoc in your body and mind. Our bodies are only designed to handle a small amount of stress at a time, not the amount of stress commonly associated with modern society.
Busting stress isn’t always possible with immediacy. However, a combination of actions can reduce your overall stress levels and bring them down to something that feels less worrisome.
Breathing
When we are stressed, there are a couple of things that happen. In some cases, people breathe too fast, and in some cases, people hold their breath. Both of these have a negative impact on our bodies. Catching how we are breathing can help to take our mind off other things that are happening. Carefully slow down your breathing and start taking bigger breaths.
Breathe in for a few seconds, hold it for a second or two and then release it. Many breathing exercises can help you start to calm down, but any amount of controlled and slow breathing is great.
Day Off
Not just a day off from work or from chores, but a day away with nothing but relaxation on the agenda. Look for local spas with some treatments that you might like, or consider taking a therapeutic dip in a bathhouse. A spa day can help to release tension held in the body, which can help to reduce the amount of stress in the mind.
A day off to do whatever brings you mental space and happiness is a must.
Walk it Out
Walking helps us to focus on something else; even a few minutes away from where you are working in the day can work wonders. Bonus points and extra stress-busting comes from walking in the woods or a green area. Our brains respond positively to either water or greenery.
Walking helps to stretch many of our muscles, and that can help to release some of the tension we are holding.
Sometimes, when stress tacks up, you might find you have extra energy that you can burn off, and moving a little faster might be more beneficial: Running For Your Physical and Mental Health.
Talk About It
One of the most common responses to – How are you? Is ‘fine, you?’. Sometimes, it is important that instead of keeping it all bottled up, you are able to speak to someone about the stress and pressure that you are feeling.
Talking about it with a friend who knows you well, and even better if that is funny, can help to quash a lot of stress. Laughing is a great tension and stress release, as well as it flooding your body with stress-busting hormones.
Nap
While you might not be able to sleep away your problems, you are probably not getting enough sleep to have a good balance of hormones. When you are stressed, a 20-minute nap can make a significant difference in your cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
Getting to sleep when you have a lot on your mind can be tough, so looking for relaxing sleep stories or sleep music can help you get that much-needed snooze.