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12 Stress management tips

Writer's picture: Ekaterina SamoilovaEkaterina Samoilova

Updated: Jan 24, 2024

Lately, it seems everyone is always so stressed. Stress can happen from positive experiences as well as negative experiences. In health and wellness circles, stress is considered the new smoking because it can be that harmful to human health.

Stress activates the nervous system with a multitude of chemical mediators that start many biological changes, including increased breathing rate, increased heart rate, diverted blood ow to major muscle groups and increased alertness. These biological changes allow for our bodies to fight or flee, which is great if we are running from a tiger but not so good if it’s because someone cut us off in traffic. And unfortunately, our bodies physiologically react the same in both situations. When the body experiences stress, our nervous system can get stuck in the fight-or-flight mode called the sympathetic state. Being stuck in an alert state is hard on our bodies over time and suppresses the immune system, making us more susceptible to disease and infection. Despite this, there are many ways we can reduce the effects of stress in our lives. Stress is not going away, but we can reframe and change the way we respond to it.

  1. Start a daily mindfulness meditation practice. Start small with 5-10 minutes a day and set a goal to increase your practice to 40 minutes a day over time. Working from the cellular level, meditation calms the mind and relaxes the body. Some useful meditation apps include Calm, Headspace and Insight Timer.

  2. Write. Journaling is a great way to get your feelings and emotions out. Don’t worry about content, spelling or punctuation - or who might read it - just write. When done, you can keep it in your journal to reflect on, or some choose to tear it up or burn it to release it.

  3. Practice yoga. Yoga is shown to reduce biomarkers of inflammation by calming the stress response. Yoga increases the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (the relaxation side) without decreasing the influence of the sympathetic side (the arousing side), thus allowing you to be calm but also alert. I am myself as a certified yoga teacher always use this tool for myself as well as for my clients.

  4. Try breathwork. Breathing exercises are remarkably effective at calming the nervous system. There are numerous techniques 7-11, 7-7-7, alternate nostril breathing so you can change what works best for you.

  5. Get good sleep. You already know it’s important to get good sleep. But when it comes to reducing stress, sleep is essential. Research has shown that a lack of sleep can contribute to anxiety and poor sleep is associated with higher levels of the stress hormones.

  6. Get a massage and try acupuncture. A massage can feel good and relaxing. But research shows that massages can also decrease cortisol - stress hormone in the body. Acupuncture works by stimulating the central nervous system to release chemicals that promote the body’s healing.

  7. Laugh more! Laughter is great medicine and can even lower inflammation and help raise your good cholesterol. Watch some positive or humorous videos or movies.

  8. Listen to soothing music. In addition to watching funny movies, we can also listen to soothing music to reduce stress. One study showed that listening to calming music after a stressful event helps us more quickly reduce the cortisol levels in our bodies

  9. Take a break in nature. Research shows stress hormone levels are reduced 21-28% by spending time in nature for 20-30 minutes, three times a week. Walk barefoot to get grounded.

  10. Enjoy time with a pet. Pets are known to reduce stress. According to the CDC, research shows that having and loving a pet helps with far more than just stress, it also helps improve cholesterol, blood pressure and is a great reason to exercise while reducing loneliness. Don’t have a pet of your own? Volunteer to play with or walk shelter animals, or visit a friend who has pets.

  11. Try a digital detox. A digital detox is when you go without electronic devices, such as your smartphone, for a period of time. Start with a day or two until you can build up to a week.

  12. PRACTICE ACCEPTANCE Ironically, trying too hard to control how we feel can actually lead us to feel worse. If we instead focus on CHANGING WHAT WE CAN AND ACCEPTING THE REST we can feel a lot better. So ask yourself, what are the things you can and can’t change? Start taking baby steps to change the things you can change and try to let the rest go.


LIFESTYLE CHANGES CAN BE HARD!

There are many ways to handle stress that are within your control. However, making those changes alone can be challenging. This is where I as a certified health coach come in. I won’t tell you what to do but instead will partner with you to utilize your strengths and skills to identify lifestyle habits that work for you and your lifestyle.







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