Stress can be a killer. Literally and figuratively. Some of us suffer from chronic mental illness, and stress is just an added bonus that mother nature decides to throw in. While others experience high levels of situational stress. Regardless, there are many ways you can tackle or at least maintain your stress at home.
Why It Is Important to Reduce Your Stress Levels
Stress can cause a domino effect of other horrible issues. If you already suffer from anxiety or other mental illnesses, then stress can amplify these things and make it difficult to live everyday life. Lowering your levels can help you deal with other things and give you better piece of mind.
Also, stress is directly related to heart problems and hypertension. This can lead to heart attacks and angina, so it’s important to get it under control.
What Can Cause Stress?
It can honestly be anything that brings it on, and everyone experiences it differently. There’s no exact math to it because we all deal with our thoughts and feelings in different ways. But, often, things such as toxic workplaces, upcoming events, deadlines, lack of sleep, and financial problems are at the top of the list of culprits. When you can pinpoint the source of stress, it becomes easier to tackle.
Ways to Lower or Control Stress Levels
Yoga
Yoga originated in India and has become a worldwide phenomenon. And for good reason. Not only is it a great, low impact way to stay healthy and lose weight, but it is also an excellent way to destress and focus your mind. Yoga can be very relaxing and rewarding, which in turn helps lower stress levels.
Diet
Not many people look at diet when it comes to dealing with stress. It may not be the direct reason for your issue, but it can certainly impact it. Eating things high in sugar, carbs, and trans fats can fog your brain and disrupt the digest machine inside you. This can cause constipation, tummy aches, headaches, and more. None of which are good for stress.
Cutting sugars, or at least lowering them, can have positive effects. Also, you can get headache relief with essential oils and proper hydration. Increase your fiber intake and lower your meat portions.
Sleep
Hardly anyone gets the recommended amount of sleep anymore. Children need anywhere from 8-12 hour every night. While most adults require 8-10. Are you getting 8-10? I know I’m not and I haven’t for years. Sleep deprivation and sleep debt are serious things and shouldn’t be ignored. When we get stuck in a cycle of sleep loss, it can have major impacts on our stress levels because our bodies and brains aren’t fully capable of dealing with regular everyday issues. Our temperaments are shorter. Our emotions are unbalanced. So, make sure you get at least 8 hours of good sleep every night, or as often as you can.
Work Environment
This is a big one. And were often not able to do much about it aside from quit. But that’s not usually an option. For those who work full time, you spend 8-10 hours a day (or more, depending on what you do) in a place with the same people, the same tasks, the same environment. And If that environment is toxic, it can slowly ship away at your mental health and causes daily stress. Not wanting to go to work, not wanting to be at work, avoiding confrontation, etc. This is all toxic things. Usually it comes from working with someone or situations that aren’t as positive as they should be.
My advice is to address it. Talk to the person involved and let them know how you feel. Try and resolve things to provide a better work environment for everyone.
You Time
This one is super important, especially for parents. I know that after I had my kids, I found myself putting aside my own time to make room for everything else. Eventually, it got to a point where “me time” was going to bed. That’s not good. And it began to affect my mental health, emotions, and brought on stress.
Find time each day for yourself. Whether it’s five minutes in the bathroom, ten minutes in the morning before everyone gets up, or one day a week where you tell your partner that it’s your time to do something. Join a club, take a class, go for a run, go to a movie by yourself. Don’t feel guilty for this. It’s important and can seriously help reduce stress levels.
Conclusion
I hope these few simple tips have helped you gain control over your mind and tackle those times of high stress. You don’t have to live with it every day, it is manageable. And if you find that you just can’t do it on your own, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with seeking medical help. Just be sure to talk it over with your doctor so you understand all the options available to you.