Nowadays, stress is the public enemy no. 1. When you consider a contemporary person’s lifestyle, the fact that stress levels are seriously high shouldn’t come as a surprise. We don’t have enough time for ourselves, and that is taking its toll on our quality of life. We don’t have the means to do what we like and we focus too much on our jobs, and that is making us a bit more unhappy every day. So how can we find the balance and stay productive at the same time? Here are some suggestions to help you maintain the health of your mind and body.
1. Breathe
From time to time you’ll find yourself stuck at your workplace under a mountain of stress and without any way to vent. In these cases, the quickest way to relax is to take a couple of deep breaths. When stressed, we normally breathe more quickly and take shorter breaths, which means that our bodies and minds aren’t getting enough oxygen. As a consequence, we are unable to think clearly, which only increases our stress levels. If you take a minute to do some breathing exercise, you’ll notice that you can focus better and that you don’t feel as tense. It works in an instant and doesn’t take much time.
2. Avoid sugar
First of all, sugar rush lasts only as long as it takes your body to actually process the sugar. During that time, your body works harder in order to deal with the high sugar levels, which is why you feel the sudden burst of energy. However, that means that, after it’s done processing, your body will have to take a rest and work more slowly for a time, making you feel lazy and sluggish. Secondly, your adrenal glands work more slowly when there’s too much sugar in your system. Since they produce adrenaline which helps you battle stress, you want them to work flawlessly. Isn’t that enough incentive to swap that chocolate bar for a salad?
3. Eat healthy
A healthy diet is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body and mind. If your current diet is very unhealthy, you can start by simply swapping some of the foods for the healthier version of it. For example, instead of a chocolate bar, bring a protein bar with chocolate to snack on at work. Instead of regular, try apple cider vinegar capsules because these provide an excellent choice. Drink warm lemon water in the morning instead of coffee. Eating a bit healthier doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. With a little effort, you can incorporate healthy elements into your diet little by little.
4. Exercise
Regular exercise is one of the strongest stress reductors, and it provides many other benefits as well. Only 20 minutes of light exercise will do wonders with your stress levels. You don’t have to hit the gym if it’s not your cup of tea, you can just walk for twenty minutes, or go for a bike ride. Go to the beach and swim for a while, or simply chase your kids around for half an hour. However, even though you don’t have to do a lot of exercise, keep in mind that the more you de, the better you’ll feel.
5. Meditate
There are many health benefits associated with regular meditation, and stress relief is one of them. Meditation doesn’t have to take a lot of your time, and you don’t need any special skills to do it. Take ten minutes after you wake up and before you go to sleep, and just try to clear your mind. It will be difficult in the beginning, because you won’t be able to shake off some of your more pressing thoughts, but after a while, you’ll notice it becomes easier. However, short meditation each day will help you feel better and cope with stress in a more productive way.
6. Sleep
You need a good night’s sleep in order to function properly. Sleep deprivation is extremely dangerous for your health, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Make sure that you sleep for at least 7 hours each night. Not only will it reduce your stress levels, but it will also help you deal with everyday problem much more quickly and efficiently.
7. Relax
Find some me time and relax. Do whatever you like to do – spend extra time with your family, or watch a movie. Read a good book or listen to some music. The important thing is to let your worries go and forget about your problems for a while. It’ll make you more energized and more ready to deal with whatever life throws your way later.
Stress is not something you can avoid altogether, but using some of these can help you reduce it as much as possible. Try them out, and don’t forget that your most valuable resource is your health.