Stress isn’t a tangible concept that is easy to define, because each of us experiences it in a unique way. Despite the ambiguity however, the effects of stress are very real and can be as severe as any imminent health problem. In fact, stress is the mechanism behind many commonly experienced health problems, and it can make existing health problems even worse. Left unaddressed, stress can cause your health, your ability to concentrate and your body’s ability to recover compromised. This is why decreasing stress levels is important and here are ten ways to mitigate the stress in your life.
1. Increase physical activity. Being physically active increases your body’s production of hormones like serotonin, which improves your mood and helps you better withstand stress. Additionally, exercise improves sleep, reduces emotional eating habits and helps to decrease blood pressure. Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous to be effective either, and a 20 minute brisk walk daily can provide significant stress-reduction improvements.
2. Learn to meditate. Don’t picture it as sitting with legs crossed, chanting to an invisible unknown. Meditation doesn’t have to be weird but it can be a powerful way to combat stress. Listening to soft music, relaxing sounds or just the sound of nature can give you a moment to stop and de-stress.
3. Breathe. It sounds simple, but most people don’t realize that they breathe in a stressful way, from their chest rather than from deep down in the stomach. Slow down your breathing, become conscious of it and make an effort to use your stomach to breathe, instead of your chest.
4. Journal. No one has to see what you’ve written, but writing for yourself is a way to bring out what’s eating you inside. Writing is one of the oldest forms of therapy and putting what you can’t necessarily say into words allows you a place to express yourself freely and reduce stress.
5. Get socially involved. Its a proven fact that people who surround themselves with a strong social support network are less likely to experience high levels of chronic stress. It isn’t that they are protected from stressful situations, but instead, they appear to be better at mediating its effects.
6. Get more flexible. Think about how a rigid object like a stick withstands the stress of bending. Your body too, can have the same reaction to stress and becoming more physically flexible can reduce the effects of stress that can break you.
7. Laugh. Taking the time to read or watch something funny or simply seeing the funny parts of your life and enjoying them can significantly reduce stress and improve your ability to cope with it. Laughter also stimulates the release of endorphins that can improve your overall mood.
8. Make a bucket list and begin to fulfill your dreams. No, you don’t have to be dying to create a bucket list, it’s simply a visual representation of your dreams and it can change over time. Putting your list on paper helps you visualize what you need to do to realize your dreams, and what better way to destress than to have a dream come true?
9. Purge your life of clutter. We all hang on to things we don’t necessarily need, but when we are hanging on to a lot of those things, it creates clutter than can actually cause stress. Work on organizing things first and be realistic about getting rid of things. A sentimental object doesn’t necessarily need to be discarded but can it be displayed in a way that doesn’t resemble chaos?
10. Perform random acts of kindness. It isn’t a cliche, doing things for others without expectation of return reduces stress and improves mood.