Stress is quite common across the world. Almost everyone experiences it at some point in their lives. Some of the most common causes of stress include poor nutrition, health, money, job pressure & it’s no surprise that we tend to get burnt out.
After all, many people prefer to get a huge dose of these stressors almost all the time. What is very surprising is that it takes a couple of minutes to reduce stress & that can also take some effort & time. For this, you don’t have to follow a strict regimen or something. With the help of quick stress-relieving activities, it will reduce your stress levels significantly. Start practicing a few of these habits enlisted below & you will be good to go.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the most crucial & beneficial ways you can use to reduce stress. It can seem a bit contradictory but a lot of physical stress on your body via exercising can release mental stress. In fact, if you exercise daily, you are less likely to develop anxiety, depression & other mental health concerns. There are a few reasons behind this:
Stress Hormones
Exercise can reduce the stress hormones of your body by releasing endorphins that act as natural painkillers & boost your mood.
Sleep
Exercising can also improve your quality of sleep which can get affected negatively by anxiety & stress.
Confidence
Working out regularly can make you feel confident & competent, which will promote your well-being.
Reduce Your Caffeine
Caffeine is generally found in tea, energy drinks, chocolates & coffee. Some high doses could also increase anxiety. While different people have different thresholds of the amount of caffeine they could tolerate, it makes you anxious & jittery. Even though students can drink coffee in moderation, it may not be for all. Overall, a few cups a day is considered a moderate amount.
Attend A Yoga Class
Yoga is one of the best methods that provide stress relief among all age groups. Even though yoga styles may differ, they all offer you joy in your mind & body. It increases breath & body awareness. A few students have examined the effects of yoga on mental health. It can enhance your mood & may also be effective as an antidepressant drug. However, a few of these studies are limited. Overall, yoga can be beneficial for reducing anxiety & stress. It will also lower blood pressure, heart rate, lower cortisol levels, etc.
Eat a healthy & balanced diet
Nutrition can also influence cortisol. Though all foods could be enjoyed in moderation, learn to be mindful of the foods that will alleviate the stress symptoms & also help you manage those cortisol levels. Having high added sugar could also lead to elevated cortisol levels. Generally, high sugar diets, refined diets, grains & fats could lead to higher levels of cortisol compared to vegetables, whole grains, polyunsaturated fats & fruits.
- Dark chocolates contain flavorings that can buffer stress reactivity in your adrenal glands & result in a lower release of cortisol.
- Whole grains are rich in fiber, polyphenols which could support gut health & stress levels.
- Legumes & lentils, as they are rich in fiber, support a healthy gut, and also manage those blood sugar levels.
- Whole vegetables & fruits contain a lot of polyphenolic compounds that fight all cell-damaging radicals.
- Green tea contains a compound called l-theanine that increases mental alertness & reduces stress.
- Probiotics such as yogurt & kimchi contain bacteria & soluble fiber which is good for mental & gut health.
- Diets rich in unsaturated fats contain a rich source of needs, seeds & fatty fish.
- Dehydration is a reason behind the increase in levels of cortisol, which makes it important to drink a lot of water all day.
Meditation
Meditation has existed for over 5,000 years and it is considered one of the most beneficial ways to reduce stress, chronic pain, anxiety, etc. It also does an excellent job in improving your sleep patterns, mood & energy levels. In order to meditate, you will simply have to find a quiet & comfortable place, sit down in peace, focus all your attention on a phrase, object, word, etc & then simply let your thoughts come to you
Try Breathing Techniques
By focusing on the way, you breathe, a lot of changes can be made in your stress levels. Breathing techniques are useful in calming the body & brain in a matter of minutes. The best part is that breathing takes no effort, works perfectly & nobody even gets to know that you’re doing them. So regardless of whether you are in a theatre or walking down the street, you can breathe correctly & reduce your stress.
There are many techniques like karate breathing that are useful. For that, all you need to do is breathe through the nose & let the belly fill up your air. Next, count slowly as you keep inhaling. Third, hold it for one second & then slowly breathe through your nose as you keep counting. Another thing you can do is breathe through the nose, inhale calm & peaceful air & imagine that when you are breathing, you are releasing tension.
Make leisure a priority
Leisure is one of the best ways to beat stress. So if you have games, hobbies, or anything else you like to play, make sure to add that to the list. Making time for leisure will help you feel your best. It will allow you to perform better, help you become more efficient, etc. Not just that, you will find joy but will also be able to live your best life.
Go Outside
Research also suggests that Vitamin D does an excellent job in boosting sunlight. It also elevates energy levels & a feel-good factor. It also does wonders for your mental health.
Experts also suggest that being in a time-tested & research-supported manner is a great way to set your emotional balance. It also gives you the chance to step out of your comfort zone & manage anxiety & stress. Washington State University also recently published that when plants are added in the workplace, the subjects exhibited would show a lower blood pressure, which means they were not much stressed.