It’s pretty much a known fact that humans are the most stressed beings on this planet. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can affect your digestive system, increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and age you faster. Here are a few simple ways to reduce stress and improve your health.
1. Meditate
I know how much of an eye roll this can be for some people, but it’s more than just the “granola hippy” trend that you believe it to be. We spend our entire day, from the moment we open our eyes, stimulated by the things around us. Social Media, News, Radio, and TV. We never really have a moment of just. . .nothing. That’s what meditation is so helpful for. I know it’s hard to really see any immediate benefits from meditating, but I promise you it helps your mental health so much.
You don’t need to meditate for 3 hours- just a simple 10 minutes a day is so simple for anyone. You can follow a guided session on Youtube, or even download the app Headspace. I found it to be really helpful at getting me started. If you find it difficult to stick to stuff like that, honestly all you need is 10 minutes of silence. Just sit in a dim-lit room, close your eyes, and reduce any background noise. Try not to think of anything specific- like your tasks for the next day. It’s okay for your mind to wander. We’re not perfect, and just having this moment of silence is such a gift for your body and mind. Try it today.
2. Go for a Walk
Sometimes, just stepping away from the area where you are feeling stressed will immediately improve your mood. Preferably you live somewhere where the walk isn’t too condensed with stimulation like a hectic city. I live right next to some woods, and it’s always so relaxing to go for a walk on the trails in there during the day. It’s quiet, the air is fresh, and I don’t have to think about anything but just pay attention to my surroundings.
Other than being great for your mental health, getting some exercise in your body every day will improve your overall health. It can lower your blood pressure, and elevate your mood by releasing endorphins. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, but if once a week, you could get a 30 minute walk in, I truly believe you’ll start to feel so much better. Making it a routine will also give you a sense of anticipation every week, knowing you have this moment for yourself. Try it!
3. Prepare for Tomorrow
I find this to be incredibly helpful at letting me sleep faster. It’s so common for me to be laying in bed thinking about all of the things I want to do for the next day, and what I’m going to wear, what I’m going to eat, or what I’m going to write about. Taking some time every night before bed to get everything ready will help reduce these distractions which only cause stress before you fall asleep. Who wants that? Some things I would prepare:
- Lunch for work
- Coffee machine
- What I’m going to wear for the day
- Tidy up the house a bit so I wake up to a clean place
- Any to-dos I can think of that I need/want to do
I noticed sometimes when I’m trying to fall asleep, I’ll suddenly think of something I want to do or can’t wait to do. My favorite trick for this is to grab your phone (or a pen and notepad) and write down exactly what you’re thinking in your notes. This will remove the thought from your head and help you get back to falling asleep.
4. CBD
I’m only just now getting into CBD products, but so far they have been really helpful at reducing my anxiety which has reduced a lot of stress in my life. There’s also different types of ways you can take CBD in, such as oils, gummies, drinks, and even lotions! It’s definitely important to educate yourself on CBD and find out which product will work for your specific needs.
Every strain is different and can have different levels of THC in it- so please research each product you find! I personally enjoy the gummies and find them to be the strongest. I felt super relaxed when I had those!
5. Go For Decaf
This may come as a surprise to you, but that caffeine you drink every day is not helping your mental health. Sure, the jolt of caffeine really helps with your productivity, but too much caffeine can have a lot of adverse effects. Caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness, and anxiety. Basically anything that can cause you more stress. If you find it hard to quit caffeine in its entirety, try reducing your intake every day. You may get some headaches, but it will be worth it to reduce your anxiety and stress!
6. Take a Personal Day- Like Actually Take It
If you’re lucky to have personal days you can take from work, I strongly recommend you take one, but actually use it. What I mean is, don’t take a personal day to get stuff done at home or other work you just HAVE to do. Use this day to actually do nothing but self care- even if that means laying on the couch all day. Trust me, I know more than anyone how hard it is to not do anything. We are programmed to feel guilty if we’re not working all the time in some aspect or another. However, this is your day of rest. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as it’s nothing. Does that make sense?
Use this day to do anything you’d actually like to do for yourself, not feel you have to. Go for a walk, take a nap, sleep all day, go to a museum, check out a book, go to a coffee shop, buy yourself a new candle, or just lay on the floor of your apartment and stare at the ceiling. What you do is not important as long as it’s nothing. I mean, when was the last time you had a day where you didn’t actually plan to do something? This is the day! Take it and enjoy it. Think of it like you’re an old computer. Sometimes you need to turn it off and turn it back on again to get it working.
Stress is the leading cause in a lot of physical and mental illnesses in humans. Unlike animals, we don’t know how to turn off our stress signal which just causes us to be stressed ALL THE TIME. It’s so detrimental for our health. You don’t have to do all of these every single day, but doing one in a day can make such a difference in your mental health. Please take the time to relieve the bottling stress you have- your body and mind deserve it.
source:
https://thetinyherbivore.com/2018/10/15/6-simple-ways-to-reduce-stress/
