I’m sure we have all experienced it before. The most nerve-racking, anxiety-inducing, and mind-numbing sensation yet: stress. The New York Times reports that 55% of adults experience stress for most of the day.
In today’s bustling society, the spontaneous and crazy obstacles of life bombard us, making it feel almost impossible to not feel stressed. But what if we could?
Completely getting rid of stress isn’t an easy task, but reducing it can be simpler than you think. An overload of stress isn’t feasible to carry along all day as it significantly affects not only mental but physical health as well.
Here, I will be providing the 4 best ways to reduce the everyday stress that may be fatiguing your mental and physical stability and performance.
1. Try Breath Exercises
Breath exercises consist of breathing very slowly. Pretty easy, right?
According to Harvard, “It slows your breathing, reduces your heart rate, and lowers your stress hormones.” All these factors can initiate—what Harvard Medical School professor Herbert Benson likes to call—the relaxation response.
You can also add some imagery if you’d like as well. Harvard scientists recommend taking 10 very slow, deep breaths and imagining your favorite vacation place.
“Imagine all the sensations you’d experience there, such as the sight and sound of the waves, the smell of the ocean, and the breeze brushing against your skin. Hold this image for a few minutes and notice the relaxing effect,” says Dr. Ramchandani.
Another breath exercise you could rely on would be meditation. The easy exchange of a few minutes of quiet, uninterrupted focus for a more peaceful mindset is simple and easy to incorporate into a busy day.
In one study, scientists examined the effects of mindfulness meditation on stress in multiple college students. Their studies had shown promising results as 25 out of 34 college students had reported a significant decrease in stress.
Breath exercises are quick and simple, yet immensely valuable for someone looking to reduce day-to-day stress.
2. Develop Healthy Eating Habits
A balanced diet can be more effective than you think. Not only can it alleviate stress, but it is also responsible for keeping you physically healthy as well.
Another Harvard study says, “A balanced diet can support a healthy immune system and the repair of damaged cells. It provides the extra energy needed to cope with stressful events.” On top of this, “Early research suggests that certain foods like polyunsaturated fats including omega-3 fats and vegetables may help to regulate cortisol levels.” Cortisol is the main hormone responsible for most of your stress.
It’s also very important to practice mindful eating. When we are stressed, we tend to eat quickly without realizing how much we have just eaten. This is commonly known as “stress-eating.”
“Mindful eating practices counteract stress by encouraging deep breaths, making thoughtful food choices, focusing attention on the meal, and chewing food slowly and thoroughly. This increases enjoyment of the meal and improves digestion.”
Mindful eating not only reduces stress but consistently practicing it can help combat weight gain and poor physical health as well.
3. Exercise Regularly
In addition to its physical benefits, exercise has also proven to reduce exceptional amounts of stress.
Many years of research have shown that aerobic exercises, strengthening with weights, or movement activities like yoga or Tai Chi can be reliable ways to reduce stress.
One study suggests that the repetitive motion of exercise puts your mind in a state of focus in the present moment. When you put more focus on your body, you’re essentially allowing your mind to disregard the past and future thoughts you may have; almost becoming a form of meditation.
Multiple studies have also shown that aerobic exercise will release endorphins—natural substances that help you feel better and maintain a positive attitude.
On top of having a direct effect on your stress levels, regular exercise also promotes optimum health in other ways. By improving your physical wellness and heart health, you’ll have less to feel stressed about.
In this way, exercise—in all of its forms—becomes a dependable way to reduce stress; leading you to a more peaceful and healthy state of mind.
4. Optimize Sleep
The American Psychological Association provides detail on a few recent studies covering how sleep can have a significant effect on stress.
According to their surveys, American adults report sleeping an average of 6.7 hours a night—less than the minimum recommendation of seven to nine hours. In addition, 42% of adults report that their sleep quality is fair or poor and 43% report that stress has caused them to lie awake at night in the past month.
Many have also reported that their stress increases when the length and quality of their sleep decreases. So this has now become a cycle.
As you lose sleep, you feel more stressed. The more stressed you are, the less sleep you get.
In addition to stress, this same cycle also occurred when these adults felt angry, overwhelmed, impatient, or even just a lack of motivation or interest. This is a clear indicator that sleep has a direct effect on your stress levels and overall mental health.
According to Banner Health, “Getting more rest can significantly decrease cortisol levels and restore balance to the body’s systems. In a preventative step, try to get between seven to nine hours of sleep a night to avoid the rise in hormone levels altogether, and reduce existing feelings of stress and anxiety.”
As you can tell, getting an adequate amount of sleep is crucial. Not only does it face stress head-on, but it also keeps many other emotional levels under control and stable. Sleep is definitely one of the biggest ways to reduce and possibly get rid of stress completely.