Stress in an inevitable part of our lives and it comes and goes on a regular basis. Usually stress shows up when the demands that are placed on us – like work, relationships or school – exceed our ability to cope.
While some stress can be beneficial and works as a boost that comes with an enormous amount of energy and drive that helps us get through tough situations like a work deadline or an exam, chronic stress can have extremely negative consequences on our lives and our health.
Chronic stress can affect our cardiovascular, immune, neuroendocrine and central nervous system and can take a toll on our emotional state of mind. The good news is that there are many positive and healthy ways that help us to handle stress effectively without causing any damage, hassle or strain.
Everybody is different and has their own way how to best manage their stress. Some people seek out solitary activities such as meditation, walking or yoga, others prefer to pursue hobbies such as creating art or playing music.
Here are our TOP 10 healthy ways to handle stress effectively and reduce stress in the short- as well as long-term.
#1 Accept Stress as Part of Life
Rather than wasting time and energy on things like ‘Why do I have to deal with this?’, know that challenges, problems, setbacks and stress are part of our life and inevitable. When a stressful situation arises, do whatever you can to move forward and don’t get caught up in the fact that you have to deal with a stressful situation. Don’t ask ‘Why me?’ and remember that there is always something you can do – even if you can’t change the circumstances – to improve a situation and ultimately your live.
#2 Know What Triggers Stress
Whenever we are stressed out, it seems like stressors hit us from every angle and appear out of nowhere. We start to feel like we are playing a game of doge ball and take a defensive position. Instead of simply trying to doge bullets, take the time to figure out where the stress is coming from and identify your stressors. Is it a fight with your best friend, a work project, an upcoming presentation, a dispute with your boss or the multitude of chores you have to do? Once you pinpoint the stressors in your life, you can take the first step towards taking action and eliminating them.
#3 Figure Out What Is Within Your Control
It is important to remember that there are certain things that are out of our control. We can’t control what our boss does or what our friends say or the state of the economy. However, we are in complete control over how we react, how we spend our time, how we accomplish work and what we spend our money on. One of the worst things you can do when you are stressed out is to try to control the uncontrollable, because you will fail inevitably and only get more stressed. Do what’s within your power to move forward and don’t let stress paralyze you and bring you down. Stick to the parts that are within your control because once you start to move away from the stress you feel incredibly empowered and invigorated.
#4 Preserve Your Boundaries
If you are a people pleaser, turning someone down and saying no feels terrible, because it feels like you are letting someone down. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you don’t learn to preserve your boundaries, you will end up doing something that you don’t want to do and don’t have the time for and only add more stress to your life. If you observe happy, productive people, you will realize that they are extremely protective of their boundaries and time and make sure their boundaries aren’t crossed.
#5 Engage in Physical Activity
Stressful situations lead to an increase of the stress hormone cortisol in our body, which is a ‘fight-or-flight’ hormone that is hardwired into our brains and designed to protect us when we encounter a threat. However, in our modern day and age, we rarely are in stressful situations that could cause us bodily harm that requires a fight-or-flight response. Whenever you feel stressed out, opt for a workout to metabolize that excessive stress and restore your body and mind to a more relaxed, calmer state. Physical activity will melt away the stress and an added bonus is that it releases feel-good hormones and improves the quality of our sleep.
#6 Get Social Support
Whenever you feel completely stressed out, call a friend or better, yet, meet someone you trust in person. Sharing your feelings of stress with another person can be the solution to relieving stress and moving on. However, it is important that you chose a person you trust, who understands your feelings and can validate you. Keep in mind, if your family is your stressor, it may not help you to alleviate your stress if you share your work issues with them.
#7 Get More Sleep
Lack of sleep can cause stress, on the other hand, stress can also cause lack of sleep because our mind is too busy with a whirlwind of thoughts that prevent us from relaxing enough to fall asleep. While many rely on medication to help them fall asleep, we recommend that you maximize your relaxation in a healthier way before you go to bed. Create a tranquil sleeping environment, avoid caffeine and other stimulants 2 hours before bedtime, take a hot bubble bath, listen to relaxing music, meditate, stretch, read a calming book and turn off all electronic devices. Find a bedtime routine that works best for you and aim to go to bed at roughly the same time each night.
#8 Manage Your Time
Our to-do lists can be the source of stress, because it is pretty common to overburden ourselves. Accept that nobody can do everything and start to prioritize your tasks and outsource what you don’t have to do yourself. Have a good, hard look at your to-do list and put them into an order of genuine priority. Now figure out what you need to do personally and what could be delegated to others, what needs your immediate attention and what could be done tomorrow or next week or even next month. Edit your to-do list and make sure that you create buffer times on your schedule to have the possibility to deal with unexpected emergencies and don’t forget to schedule time to relax and have fun.
#9 Smile and Laugh
Have you ever noticed that a stressed out person, holds the stress in his or her face? Our emotions and facial expressions are interconnected with our brains. So every time you feel stress creeping up, make it a point to smile or even better, laugh out loud to help you relieve some of that stress-induced tension and improve any situation.
#10 Strike a Power Pose
It may sound silly, but it works. Body language has the power to relieve stress, exude confidence and make us feel in control. Researchers from Harvard and Columbia looked at whether open, expansive power poses have an impact on our stress level and found that high-power poses held for a minute or two lowers cortisol levels and with that stress levels.
Some stress causes people to crumble, while other stress makes you thrive and become mentally strong. See stress and tension as an opportunity for growth and learn how to deal with difficulties rather than let stress drag you down and take the fun out of life.
KEEP STRESS IN PERSPECTIVE
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked