3 Tips to Better Manage Your Stress
Stress is unfortunately a very common thing in our everyday lives. Deadlines, to-do’s, work, school, plans- life is exhausting sometimes. Prolonged stress can elevate cortisol levels leading to so. many. issues. Seriously, your quality of sleep, gut health, level of focus- it’s all (negatively) affected by stress. And while it’s best to get rid of stress, that’s not always a viable option. So, our next best option? Learn to manage it. Here are some tips that have helped me manage and reduce my stress levels, and I hope that they’ll help you do the same.
1.) Exercise regularly.
Sorry, not sorry. You had to have seen this one coming. Exercise is so good for you. When you work out, your body releases endorphins, which make you feel amazing. Hitting the gym, putting on your favorite playlist, and letting your mind focus on your body helps you to forget the stresses of the day and put your energy into physical exertion rather than mental rumination. How about that? And make this a habit. Schedule it at least 3 days a week (5 is even better). Get into a routine, stick with it, and you'll absolutely feel the difference. The best part? You get to choose what exercises you do, and there are so many! You could go on a hike with your friends, ride your bike to the store, hit the gym and lift some weights, or even do a home workout. The possibilities are endless, so there’s no excuse for this one!
2.) Spend more time on self care.
Baths. Candles. Tea. Books. Sugar scrub. Fuzzy robes, heated in the dryer. Essential oils in a diffuser. Take some time to pamper yourself! Let yourself totally relax. Rest your mind, pray, breathe. Make this time intentional. Don’t just go through the motions while you think about what happened at work, how your classmate was rude to you, or how worried you are for tomorrow’s plans. Just let it all go. Pay attention to the here and now, focus on taking care of your body, and rest.
3.) Start a journal.
Sometimes you just need to put things down on paper. Try to become aware of why you’re feeling stressed. Identify the source, write down how you’re feeling about it, and then reflect. Is this something I need to be worrying about? Is it helping me to ruminate on the things that happened today? Likely the answer is… No. So talk yourself through that. Then in the future, you’ll be able to look back on your past entries and see how you worked through your troubles, and you’ll gain insight into your own thought processes.
These tips are pretty simple, but they are super important if you want to actively manage and reduce your stress levels and try to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Stress is deterimental to our health, and we have been taught to simply “deal with it.” Instead, let’s work on learning how to rest and decrease it.
