5 Simple Ways to De-Stress
February 06, 2018
Everyone experiences stress, but few have mastered the art of dealing with it in a healthy way.
When you’re stressed, your body produces the hormone cortisol. This triggers a fight-or-flight response that’s an evolutionary holdover from our hunter-gatherer days. While it may have been helpful for evading hungry bears, it’s not going to help you get out of that traffic jam any quicker. Cortisol plays a lot of important roles in the body, but an overabundance of it can also be harmful.
Chronic stress has been linked to headaches, anxiety, and increased risk for hypertension and digestive problems. Thankfully, there are a few techniques that help diffuse stress quickly. Try these to get started.
- Sarah Bossenbroek
When you’re stressed, your body produces the hormone cortisol. This triggers a fight-or-flight response that’s an evolutionary holdover from our hunter-gatherer days. While it may have been helpful for evading hungry bears, it’s not going to help you get out of that traffic jam any quicker. Cortisol plays a lot of important roles in the body, but an overabundance of it can also be harmful.
Chronic stress has been linked to headaches, anxiety, and increased risk for hypertension and digestive problems. Thankfully, there are a few techniques that help diffuse stress quickly. Try these to get started.
1. Turn off Your Phone
Constantly checking your gadgets (whether a smartphone or computer) can stress you out, according to the American Psychological Association. Push the power button and put it away for an hour or longer. Trust us, the initial anxiety of wondering what you're missing evaporates before too long.2. Close Your Eyes and Visualize
Spend a few moments thinking about something that makes you feel at peace, relaxed, or happy. It could be conjuring up a memory of a favorite place, a dream vacation you’ve been meaning to take, or imagining yourself achieving some goal. Whatever it takes to get you into a relaxed mind space.3. Have a Drink
Pour yourself a tall glass of cool water and pay attention to how you feel while you’re drinking it. Alternatively, make yourself a soothing hot cup of tea and indulge in a bit of aromatherapy while you wait for it to cool down. This is one way to practice mindfulness, the act of tuning into what you’re sensing in the present moment.4. Go Outside and Move Around
Get up and take a break. If it’s in the middle of a busy day, set a timer for 10 minutes. Aerobic exercise, like taking a fast-paced walk, can help reduce the levels of stress hormones. If you’re able to pick a route that takes you through a green space or park, even better. Some studies suggest that walking through green space can further reduce stress.5. Breathe Deeply
Research suggests that deep breathing exercises are effective at relieving stress and may even help lower cortisol levels. For starters, concentrate on breathing in for an even four-count, followed by breathing out for an even four-count. When you’re ready for more advanced techniques, there’s a wealth of options out there to try. Keep experimenting until you find what works for you.- Sarah Bossenbroek
