Coping with our stress levels is an important part of ensuring our
bodily and psychological health. Left unchecked, stress can wreak havoc
on not only our mind and emotions, but also on our physiological health,
in the form of heart attacks, stroke, kidney disease, and arthritis.
With a demanding schedule that requires us to be in three places at
once, finding time to manage stress can be easier said than done. The term “stress”
was coined by Austrian-Canadian endocrinologist Dr. Hans Selye in 1936
to describe “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for
change.” So, in dealing with stress, our best option could be finding
ways to help our mind and body deal with the ever-changing world around
us by offering up some distractions. Here are five:
1. Exercise
Stress
originates in the brain and makes its way down to other parts of the
body by way of cranial nerve endings. Through this point of origin, many
experts believe the best way to relieve stress and anxiety is to start
with the body and work your way back up to the brain. We can do this
through many forms of light, moderate, or intense physical activity,
depending on what your body can handle. Endorphins, natural painkillers
produced by the brain, are generated at a high rate following any type
of physical activity. Participating in physical activity can not only
reduce tensions but also stabilize our mood, improve sleep, and expand
our self-esteem.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America recommends
a healthy adult take in at least two and a half hours of moderate
physical activity or one and a quarter hour of intense physical activity
each week. In spite of these recommendations, you can start to feel the
stress-reducing effects of weight training or a brisk walk within the
first five minutes. Although a short walk around your block may only
offer a couple of hours’ worth of stress relief, making a daily routine
out of it could put an end to anxiety over time. For the best results,
consider yoga. The combination of deep breathing and careful posing will
wash away your concerns within 30 minutes.
2. Find a Hobby
Laying
out on the couch enjoying some alone time may seem like a great way to
release some tension, but let’s be honest: Being in our own head for
too long isn’t good for anyone. That’s not to say we should glue
ourselves to our work computers from sun up to sun down because for most
of us that is precisely why we’re stressed. Instead, find something
that interests you and devote a part of your day to it. Whether it’s
picking up a musical instrument, starting a new sport, or finding new
and inventive cooking recipes, a hobby can help focus our mind and
diminish fatigue.
Just make sure your new hobby is
something that engages your mind and body. If we don’t offer ourselves
some type of challenge, we might as well head back to the couch. Our
brain thrives on focusing in on a problem and solving that problem. When
we devote around 30 minutes a day to an obstacle within our new
interest, we free ourselves from cares and worries during that time and
as we solve that obstacle we improve our self-esteem. Low self-esteem is
a detriment to stress levels and can result in much bigger problems
including depression.
3. Musical Therapy
You
don’t have to know how to play or read music to enjoy its relaxing
benefits. Simply listening to your favorite song or a soothing melody
can be your greatest weapon in stress management. Music in this case is
definitely up for interpretation. It can include the music of nature:
water running down a brook, the songs of a bird, or a gentle breeze
coming from the ocean. We all know a wandering mind can get us into
trouble. Musical therapy can
provide a positive distraction while at the same time offer us the best
way to focus our attention. Particularly relaxing music can also
balance our physiology by lowering stress hormone levels, slowing our
heart rate, and decreasing blood pressure. For those of you with sleep
troubles, listening to music before bed can help wash away whatever
bothered you during the day, helping you sleep through the night.
Lastly, a certain song or melody can stimulate your brain to think of a
time when you were completely stress-free. The part of our brain that
processes music is closely related to the part that controls memory. Be
careful though. The wrong song can also drudge up some memories better
left in the past.
4. Drink and Eat Right
Changing our diet to
something that is both palatable and nutritious can help prevent the
buildup of stress while relieving any anxiety we may already have. An
unhealthy diet affects our stress in two ways. First, eating the wrong
food can stimulate a negative response in our physiological makeup. This
can include the addition of unwanted pounds and the release of stress
hormones. One of the leading causes of stress is low self-esteem caused
by body weight. Secondly, emotional eating or eating to suppress
negative emotions can set up a vicious cycle by compounding feelings of
stress, anger, sadness, and loneliness. Even if our new diet doesn’t
result in our ideal physique, switching to certain types of food or
drink can go a long way with improving our mindset.
What food
options offer the best stress relief? The primary stress hormone in our
body, cortisol, can damage our health in the form of high blood
pressure, loss of immune function, more cholesterol, and trouble with
learning or memory. To lower cortisol levels, many experts recommend
tea, especially black, green, chamomile, mint, and barley. Food and
drink rich in vitamin C can also reduce cortisol levels while giving the
immune system a boost. Comfort foods such as oatmeal have been proven
to reduce stress hormones while increasing serotonin, the “feel good”
neurotransmitter. Finally, dark chocolate can help improve our cognitive
function and mood. Packed with antioxidants, cocoa supports the
breakdown of gut bacteria while speeding up our metabolism.
5. Get in Touch with Nature
No
need to plan a 10-mile run in the great outdoors. Simply taking your
lunch to a park bench or a five-minute walk along the trees can help get
rid of any stressful thoughts you may be harboring. This probably
explains why big cities are the hubs for stressful people. Don’t be
alarmed, city folk. The beautiful landscape of Central Park is enough to
produce a calming effect. Surrounding yourself with nature in any form
has been proven to reduce cortisol levels while improving a person’s
overall mood. When it comes to nature, experiencing it for yourself is
always better than seeing it through your TV.
A recent study conducted
by the University of Washington asked 90 college students to complete a
task while confined to an office setting. Thirty students completed the
task in front of a window that overlooked a large fountain and trees. A
second group of 30 students completed the task in front of a plasma
screen that showed the same scenery. The final group of 30 students
completed the task while facing a blank wall. Each student’s stress
level was tested via heart recovery rate, and a camera displayed their
eye movement toward the window. Findings revealed that students with the
window view of lush scenery exhibited lower heart rates while spending
as much time looking out the window as students with the plasma screen
in front of them.
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