It goes without saying that everyday presents different challenges which are a source of stress in our lives as a result of our situations which range from our jobs(financial problems), to our relationships, health and well being amongst other things. It is normal for everyone to experience stress every once in a while but having too much stress and neglecting self-care can be damaging in the long run.
stress can be controlled with good coping mechanisms and also time to take care of yourself.
The good news is that self care does not necessarily involve going to spas or salons but rather small changes you can make to your daily life in order to improve your overall well being.
This document contains scientifically proven ways you can engage in to reduce stress and self care tips you can implement in your daily life.
Whta is Stress ?
Stress: Stress is a component of the biological stress response initiated by a perceived negative thought, memory, concern, event, or other stimulus and an associated physiological, mental, and behavioral reaction to it
Stress can be brought about by many of the following which can trigger the fight or flight response:
increased heart rate
Increased Alertness
More oxygen flowing to the brain to help process information effectively during the fight-or-flight response.
This helps you stay focused and ready to act upon perceiving danger.
Production of Hormones such as Adrenaline and cortisol.
Cortisol is the major stress hormone in our bodies and is the source of our stress as it helps regulate and control cortisol levels and in turn keep us healthy.
When one experiences high levels of cortisol for a prolonged period of time it can throw off the balance in the body.
Too much Cortisol can:
1. Increase the risks of having high blood pressure, chronic high cortisol in women can lower the levels of testosterone which in turn lowers sex drive and sexual dysfunction in men. 2. Lower the bodu’s immunity levels. 3. Increase the regions in the brain that control mood, anxiety, and motivation which in turn makes one feel less motivated and interested in activities and emotions of withdrawal
4. Add energy and Fat Cells and if your’e not eating much it can be a part of how your body continues to gain fat 5. Increase muscle 6. Increase blood suger levels spiking which leads to more blood suger in the blood that would leave the body vulnerable to sicknesses as days go by.
Acute Stress The term acute stress is used when the stressor is the cause of the response as discussed above. Stress Management Article by Dr(s). Robert. R, & Mische. G. Acute stress is characterized by a stress response that occurs only briefly in reaction to specific events. For example, an acute stress response might be triggered by taking an exam or facing a difficult conversation. Managing acute stress often involves quickly identifying and addressing the cause. Other examples of acute stress are: Addressing new problems Giving a speech or a presentation when you are excited or nervous It often takes no special skill to recognize acute stress.
Importance of the effective of stressManagement and of Self Care.
Though the phrase self Care may not seem to have the same level of importance as any form of life-care practices and such, the truth is that for our mental/physical health, the human body prepares to face life’s challenges and situations daily by…
We want health for body, mind and spirit, How To effectively fight stress and implement habits into your life; 1. Know what stress triggers affect you.
In life, we stress about things that we find unpleasant, this leads to stress. Therefore, knowing what triggers you will help you know how to approach them “1 “How To take control of the causes of stress,”” Ask yourselves(at the end of day or before going to bed) – what did i get stressed about/ my day? Why did I get this stressed?, Is it worth it?, and most importantly how could i have handled that situation differently tomorrow,” “My best suggestion for the day, end you day by spending” 5 “Minutes Journaling 2.
Get a good night’s sleep.. It is also of primary importance not to skip sleep, and to ensure that your body gets its sleep ( 8-hours recommended). Too often, when someone is stressed, it’s either work, relationships or any new challenges in your schedule which lead to lost hours in sleep, but lack of sleep creates other issues such as decreased focus and irritability, increased anxiety and the body isn’t able to heal itself..To cope better, try “a regular schedule each day – which entails going to sleep at the exact same time each morning and day” 1 – which’ll also ensure that our body’s cycle regulates and “get accustomed to going to sleep and awakening around the same time each morning and evening. – a ‘biological clock’ regulated by our circadian rhythm,” the American heart association has a healthy routine for 5- 7-hours of Sleep “how to set health standards around your daily routine: ” We go from sleep and in the next paragraph continue on with exercise,nutrition,mindfulness etc.. Which is the next best thing for creating healthily routine and the coping skills of our own . So that our bodies will continue to prepare to handle stresses in any and every situations.
3. Get plenty of exercise It’s another very common and highly effective stress management and self-care tip. Exercise helps oppose the release of stress hormones while triggering the production of more feel-good endorphins, or hormones, in your brain, reducing your risk of tension and making you feel good emotionally. When exercising you can also: – sleep better – boost your immune system – enjoy improved mood – gain self-confidence Don’t feel you’re required to drag yourself out for hours in a gym on a sweaty day to reap these rewards.
Go for a walk This is simple and is very conducive to both our body’s well being and our psychological state of well-being.
Going for a simple walk can do the trick for clearing up a racing mind and lessening feelings of stress.
Do yoga Combining movement with the power of deep rhythmic breathing and mindful awareness can do wonders for lowering stress levels while also providing an excellent workout for your body. Get some stretches in over your day Prolonged sitting can lead to tight muscles, as well as pressure, and some simple stretching throughout your day can loosen those muscles, improve blood circulation, and induce feelings of relaxation. Try something that fun You may find that taking an evening class in tap dancing, swimming, rock climbing, or maybe going out for a bike ride and mountain biking can help you unwind and reduce your stress levels. 4. Eat a healthy diet As you likely know, the food that we eat greatly influences our moods, energy levels, and overall sense of well-being. Sure, eating a piece of chocolate might make you feel better for a short while, but in the long run, you’re likely to feel sluggish, irritable, and stressed out. In addition, a steady, nutritious diet will give your body the fuel it needs to cope better with the stresses of everyday life
Consider foods and habits that will promote positive mental healthEat plenty of Fruits & Vegetables Eat a lot of Lean Proteins Healthy Fats foods containing numerous vitamins and minerals Take on this good drinking habit Sip water regularly. If your body is deprived of sufficient fluid, it’ll compromise brain-body signal strength and communication which increases risk of feelings of lethargy and mental fatigue.
Limit the amount of caffeine you drink. Caffeine makes us feel nervous and edgy and so the amount will need to be kept as minimum as can be. Take fewer amounts of sweets! If you go on consuming these items too often, they will lead to quick energy bursts and dips, leaving you feeling wired, then weary. Plan your meals Meal plans are a great way of avoiding stress induced impulse choices to pick up highly processed junk foods out of desperation; a healthy, balanced range of ingredients you eat and prepare beforehand can significantly help you avoid falling prey to poor nutritional and behavioral options! 5. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation With mindfulness, the practice involves paying attention to what you are feeling in the present moment, and doing so without judgment or negative thoughts about what you are experiencing.
The researchers involved note that mindfulness, “can be practiced simply by focusing on each and every breath your take”. In recent years, mindfulness has been shown to help reduce a number of issues including tension. Studies have found positive results with regards to reduced risk for feelings of despair; improved focus; enhanced emotional resistance; improved mood; improved memory; reduced negative self-talk; and improved cognitive capacity.
Meditation Mediation refers to a body or practice with any mental technique consisting of self regulation, training of mind, focus on an object or idea, concept, image, sound, word etc and or practice where one’s self turns inward, focus toward’s its centre or core for the practice or training of spirit or as well as the mind to develop mental acuity and clarity and increase self actualisation . Gratitude exercise This isn’t a new technique but helps with perspective to concentrate on what’s positive about your situation .
Start with just a5-10 minute practice everyday for meditation until you have found what feels right for you.
6. Practice healthy boundary-setting How many times have you found that you were doing, doing, doing and doing without getting much done by taking on everyone’s needs without thinking about yourself? Boundary setting can be a powerful stress reduction tool. When you learn to set healthy boundaries you prevent overload of your schedule as you protect time and conserve energy, as well as ensuring a happier and healthier home and work-life balance.
Ways to establish healthier boundaries Refuse it and learn to simply say no when someone asks anything of you, don’t answer if and when you know there are too few hours in the day to address things or give any tasks a second of your precious time. Limit demands by not accepting excessive job responsibilities. Be reasonable. Give yourself sufficient time to adjust your demands and ensure adequate attention is being allocated to all necessary life tasks. When working, stick to standard hours if at all possible and try not to let your work life bleed into your personal space or time more than you can. It may feel difficult to tell someone or even to say no when he or she makes a request of you. But the key is to explain gently and directly. However the time may or may not be afforded on a direct basis.
1st: 7 Days Of Challenges to Reduce stress & cultivate more Self Care
Sometimes it just takes a little something extra to make big difference. The process of creating new positive habits does not have to be hard or feel incredibly difficult. I’ve created this very short 7 day challenge to get you on your path to better health and reduced stress levels.
Day 1: Assess Your stressors
Take a little time to think about what, or who, most often gets you down! Take a few minutes out of your day to think about your top 1-5 stressors. It can be situations, people, tasks, habits or even responsibilities. Notice how your body reacts when you’re faced with these stressors: do you feel tense? Do you feel like you can’t sleep? Do you feel like you don’t have an appetite? Do you feel like you’re being overly controlling?
Day 2: Re-evaluate Sleep Habits
Our sleep patterns are one of the most fundamental pillars of our health and wellness, specifically when it comes to our immunity. Tonight or this morning, focus on what you can do to optimize the amount of this valuable resource you get. Try and limit screen time 1-2 hours before bed. Try and limit coffee and sugary drinks.
Day 3: Take Body to its Limits!
Just this – get some form of movement in today! It sounds so simple, however the benefits for stress reduction and mood boosting are incredible. Remember that the “limits” you need to reach today do not necessarily require an intense workout. A brisk walking through nature or around town, a flow of vinyasa, or even simply stretching for just a couple of minutes can have a huge positive effect on how you feel. Perfection is not the point.
Day 4: Express Thankfulness
When stressed, our minds can get fixated on the problems and what is going “wrong”, rather than what is going “right”. Practicing gratitude is a wonderful way to shift your mind’s focus. Throughout your day, make sure to note 3 distinct things that you’re grateful for. It can be your morning coffee, your always-listening friend, a job well done, a flourishing plant, how well your dog knows tricks, but just-write them down or verbalize them: it’s amazing, over time, how much this can affect a perspective and mindset.
Day 5: Practice Time “Away” From It All
We’ve come such a long way with modern-day technology, and for me, those are great tools that aid this amazing life of ours. However, constant stimulation can increase our levels of the stress response. How about taking at least an hour out of your day today? Put your phones down, turn off the T.V., and get unplugged by reading a book, listening to relaxing music without staring at anything, or walk outside! Make your favorite recipe, meditate, or simply daydream and “be” for a while.
Day 6: Reach Out
Connecting with people who you trust and who trust you deeply has an enormous effect on overall wellbeing. This means that it has an enormous effect on reducing stress levels as well. Call, video message, meet up for tea or lunch, or send a lovely message to a loved one who supports you – your partner, best friends, your family, even a new friend.
Day 7: Celebrate All Of Your Wins
Most likely, all of us are very good at judging all we can do still do, when rather than celebrating what we have overcome. Throughout day seven, consider reflect on what you enjoyed during the challenge. What aspects of the journey truly helped. Even if you “failed” with your task for the day, recognize and praise every effort made that move your spirit toward growth. What has gone well during these seven days? What lessons are you bringing with you into the next? Taking that time now is also practice of self love & compassion.
Final Thoughts : Living with Purpose & Less Stress.
Taking great care of the physical whether or not through practices, physical fitness, eating well & sleeping has a direct impact on psychological health and also quality of your mental life. Taking care of your mind and emotions through introspection, stress-reducing practice, meditation & cultivating peaceful inner States can have a significant effect upon your physical healt,these things complement each other; they exist and grow as a unit. Make an emotional or Spiritual connection to what means the most in your life. Seek out practices which serve what is most important to you. You would greatly benefit from learning more about what is effective practice for you.