Ever felt like you just can't unwind after a demanding week? That's because stress triggers your body's fight or flight response: your adrenaline starts pumping, your heart beats faster, and your blood pressure rises. In our fast-moving world, stress seems to be just a fact of life.
Ever felt like you just can't unwind after a demanding week? That's because stress triggers your body's fight or flight response: your adrenaline starts pumping, your heart beats faster, and your blood pressure rises. In our fast-moving world, stress seems to be just a fact of life. And we women are especially susceptible: Women report higher levels of stress than men and are more likely to have stress-related symptoms such as nervousness, feeling overwhelmed, or lying awake at night. Whether it's a short-term frustration like a traffic jam or a major life event like divorce or job loss, psychological stress can affect our bodies. Stress can make you sick, leading to everything from winter colds to chronic disease. Long-term overexposure to stress hormones can cause increased risk of health problems such as anxiety, depression, heart disease, weight gain, and memory and concentration problems.
But you don't have to feel dragged down by the weight of all your worries. There are easy, simple steps you can take - that have been scientifically proven to help reduce stress. Check out these alternative ways to de-stress recommended by experts and recent studies.
Tips to de-stress yourself:
1.Talk to a friend: Several studies have found that bonding with close friends and family members helps reduce the negative impact of stress, especially during anxiety-producing times such as job loss or the illness of a parent. If you can't hang out in person, call, FaceTime or Skype!
2. Take some tea time: A cup of tea helps reduce anxiety levels after a stressful event, according to one study. The believed magic ingredient? L-theanine, found in green and black tea, helps regulate the nervous system.
3. Create a soothing space: Research suggests that warm colours like red excite you and cooler, muted colours like blue, green, or grey relax you. Surrounding yourself in any colour you find soothing can help bring on calm. At home, paint an accent wall; and at the office, drape a soothing-coloured scarf over the back of your chair and change your computer screensaver.
4. Clean out your junk drawers: Clutter causes people to feel oppressed, stressed and depressed. It can raise your pulse, blood pressure and stress hormones, taking a negative toll on your health. When you're feeling emotionally drained, chances are whipping out your swiffer is the last thing you want to do. But the truth is, tidying up your home can also tidy up your mind. Having a mindset of de-cluttering helps manage stress. Be ruthless - sell, donate or chuck out unnecessary possessions.
5. Hum a tune: Singing and chanting can help our stress levels, but humming a catchy tune when you need some stress relief is a great emergency strategy. Studies suggest that the combination of vocalisation and vibration has a positive effect on our blood pressure, helps relax tensed muscles, blocks out racing thoughts and makes sure we breathe more deeply and calmly. Singing has even been found to reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the body.
6. Start a scrapbook: Scrapbooking helps you focus and diverts you away from stressful and difficult emotions. It also helps you feel connected to the people you're scrapbooking about. And no, Pinterest boards don't count. There's something about the tactile element of scrapbooking - cutting, pasting, positioning - that is probably more relaxing that posting online.
7. Pick up a physical hobby: If scrapbooking isn't your thing, try to find another activity to occupy your time. The best way to stop the stress spiral is by refocusing your mind on one thought: Gardening focuses you on the physical feeling of the soil that you can hold in your hands. Knitting concentrates your thoughts on the predictability of loops of yarn. The important thing is that you channel your energy into one thing and this, in turn, relaxes your mind by eliminating all of the distracting stresses.
8. Go a bit nutty: Nuts are a great source of nutrients - ones like B vitamins, zinc, magnesium and omega oils, which are all quickly used when stress strikes. A diet rich in walnuts might prep the body to deal with stress by reducing blood pressure.
Eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol in already anxious folks, according to a German study.
9. Fish tanks: For years, dentists and doctors have installed fish tanks in waiting rooms in the hope of calming stressed patients. But a recent study has shown that staring at swimming fish really does lower blood pressure and reduce heart rate. And, according to a survey, keeping fish in the home helps to create a calm, mindful atmosphere.
10. Break free: Using swear words can reduce stress and boost camaraderie among co-workers, researchers found. Just make sure you're in the right company when at your company - and choose your words carefully, so you don't get in trouble with the HR.
11. Chew gum (really!): Chewing gum reduces stress, depression and anxiety, leading to a more positive mood. The mere act of munching might help relieve stress by burning off nervous energy; it also might stimulate other senses, which can boost levels of feel-good hormones in your brain.
12. Get moving: For those of us trying to manage our stress, exercise can be one of the best ways to keep its unwanted effects at bay. Exercise helps dispel stress hormones from the bloodstream and stimulates the release of endorphins, opiate hormones that give a feeling of well-being.
13. Pop fish oil: People with the highest levels of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids are happier and more agreeable. Try a 400 mg supplement daily. Fish like salmon are also high in omega-3s. Stock your kitchen with them.
14. Indulge in reading or watching T.V: Getting lost in an epic tale or suspense filled drama can offer even the biggest worry-wart a way to immerse in something other than anxiety inducing concerns. Also reading is more effective and a quicker approach than other relaxation methods like listening to music or a warm mug of tea.
15. Make time for social life: Long office hours can cause social plans to plummet down your priority list. Don't think of social, family or leisure time as a luxury. Schedule in your recharge time weekly like you schedule other appointments. This relaxation time will also fuel your productivity when you get back to the office.
