Daily life, with haste, work problems, or family concerns, gives us many reasons for stress. Also, the situations unknown or scary, as we have seen with the case of the coronavirus pandemic, have tested us.
Eliminating all situations that cause us stress is practically impossible. But we can do some things to control it and minimise its impact on our mental health and wellbeing. Here are some tips.
Healthy diet
Following a balanced diet can strengthen the immune system and repair damaged cells. This, in practice, provides us with the energy needed to deal with stressful events. Polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fats and vegetables, can help regulate cortisol levels. If we get used to consuming fast food or biting to soothe stress, it’s good advice to try to plan meals and prepare them at home with healthy products. This will also be able to prevent weight gain.
Regular exercise
Physical activity is essential for well-being and will help us reduce blood pressure and stress hormone levels. Walking and dancing are activities that increase breathing and heart rate so that more oxygen reaches cells throughout the body. This reduces tension in the muscles, including the heart. To exercise, we can also add some deep meditation or breathing activity.
Share our feelings
Sometimes stress comes from situations where we are afraid or feel alone or unable to face a reality. It can be helpful to talk about feelings and concerns with a trusted person. Often, the simple fact of realizing that we are not alone and that what we are experiencing is common can reduce stress.
Work-Life Balance
We have to learn to separate our working lives from the time we dedicate to our personal lives. Regularly disconnecting from work pressures can do wonders to reduce stress, increase productivity, and reduce the risk of physical and mental illness associated with exhaustion in the workplace.
Schedule Fun Activities
At least once a week, it’s important to take a break and indulge in a fun or relaxing activity. We can do some gardening, read, listen to music, take a walk in nature, or prepare a recipe. All of these activities help us overcome stress.
Regulate sleep
One of the usual effects of stress is that it puts us in a more alert state. And this results in delaying the onset of sleep or even being interrupted during the night. And if we do not sleep the necessary hours, we don’t experience the necessary deep sleep stage, during which the body repairs and builds tissue and supports a healthy immune system. That’s why it’s important that a while before going to sleep we slow down the pace of our activity, stopping working and doing some more relaxing activity like reading or meditating.
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