Stress is an inevitable part of life, and while over-the-counter and prescription medication can offer relief, there are many non-pharmaceutical ways to manage and reduce stress. Embracing these natural strategies can significantly improve your mental and physical health. What are those strategies? Here are five of them.
Doing Activities You Enjoy
It may seem like an obvious suggestion, but immersing yourself in activities you love is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress. Whether it’s a hobby, sport, or a creative pursuit, doing something you thoroughly enjoy can provide a much-needed escape from the pressures of daily life, enabling you to shift from stress-inducing thoughts to something that brings you pleasure and satisfaction.
When you enjoy an activity, your brain produces dopamine, commonly known as the feel-good hormone. Dopamine gives you feelings of motivation, pleasure, and satisfaction, three things you lack when stressed. Anything you enjoy releases dopamine, from painting a picture to playing at online betting websites, playing your favorite video games, or attending a concert or live sporting event.
Make time in your schedule to do something you love. Even if you only do it briefly, it can be beneficial on many levels.
Practicing Mindfulness and Meditation
Meditation and mindfulness are powerful tools in the fight against stress. They focus your mind on the present, helping to reduce anxiety. Meditation involves dedicating time to sit or lay quietly and focus your mind on a specific activity, object or thought. Through deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation techniques, meditation has been medically proven to decrease cortisol levels in your blood. Cortisol is the opposite of dopamine; it is the stress hormone.
Mindfulness can be practiced in many ways, including mindful breathing or simply paying attention to your surroundings. For example, the 4-7-8 breathing technique involves breathing in for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds. While breathing like this, pay attention to the feelings and sensations generated through your body. You will find that your mind is focused on the present, not the thoughts causing stress.
Meditation and mindfulness activities are often alien to people because they rarely perform them. Start by attempting them for a couple of minutes each day and gradually build up. Eventually, these practices can lead to a calmer and more centered approach to life’s challenges.
Establishing a Regular Exercise Routine
The benefits of physical exercise are well-documented. Not only is physical exercise beneficial to your body and overall health, but also for your mind. Regular exercise improves mood and mental health by stimulating endorphin production, which our bodies produce to lift our mood. Additionally, exercise helps rid our systems of the stress-inducing hormone cortisol.
Some people wrongly believe you need to be an athlete to benefit from exercising. However, any exercise that increases your heart and breathing rate is beneficial, even if you have spent the past decade actively avoiding doing so! In fact, if you have been sedentary for a while, starting exercising will have far more benefits, at least initially, than someone who is a fitness fanatic.
Something as simple as a brisk walk in the park or to the store instead of driving can have significant benefits. The combination of physical movement, fresh air, and a change of scenery can work wonders for your mental state. You can even integrate some mindfulness techniques during your work for a double-whammy of dopamine and other endorphins.
You will naturally feel better about yourself as you become fitter and stronger. You may lose some excess weight you have been carrying, enabling you to fit into your favorite pair of jeans. Overall, you’ll feel better about yourself, which helps you have a more positive outlook on life, even when things are not going your way.
Devise and stick to an exercise schedule because regular exercise is more beneficial than sporadic bouts.
Building Strong Social Connections
Humans are social creatures who thrive when around others. It is far too easy to isolate yourself from friends, family, or others when stressed and not feeling good about yourself. Having a supportive network of friends, family, and colleagues can work as an effective buffer against stress.
Talk to someone who understands and cares when you feel overwhelmed; they say a problem shared is a problem halved.
Building and maintaining connections requires effort, which can be challenging when your mind is elsewhere. However, something as simple as a text message to someone you have not spoken to in a while can spark a conversation and reform past connections.
Feeling isolated and alone can increase stress levels, so get yourself out there among other people.
Practicing Good Sleep Hygiene
Sleep plays a crucial role in our physical and mental well-being. A lack of quality sleep increases heart rate, blood pressure, and the production of the dreaded stress hormone cortisol. Stress affects sleep quality and vice-versa; it is a vicious circle.
Start by developing a bedtime routine. Activities like taking a bath or shower or reading a book before bed help our bodies realize it is time to switch off and prepare for sleep. Ensure your bedroom is a comfortable place that isn’t too hot or cold, quiet and dark, all things that help promote a good night’s sleep.
Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even at weekends when you do not have to go to work. This helps keep a stable body clock, further promoting quality sleep. By all means, have a sleep-in if you require it, but try sleeping and waking at regular times for the most part.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, stress is an unavoidable part of life. However, we can effectively manage stress so it does not negatively impact our lives. Before reaching for over-the-counter or prescription medication, why not try this article’s five stress-reliving techniques and strategies?
These strategies are not only proven to alleviate stress symptoms but are also enjoyable activities that can add real value to your life.
