5 Ways To Reduce Your Stress Levels
I read Taz Thornton’s The Business email on Saturday, and she mentioned that April is Stress Awareness Month and has inspired me to write my own list of ways to help with stress.
You can now read Taz’s original as a blog on her website. Just click HERE.
Having sleep and stress related epilepsy, this is a subject close to my heart (and brain). I’ve been treated for stress related issues for most of my life. From mental and physical reactions, I know the signs and thought I’d share some things that I look out for and also that help me keep the stress monster at bay.
Before I get into the tips, we need to understand more about what stress is and how it can manifest itself in the human body.
What is stress?
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. In total there are three main types of stress.
• Acute stress.
• Episodic acute stress.
• Chronic stress.
What Causes Stress?
• You feel under lots of pressure.
• Are facing big changes in your life.
• You’re worried about something or someone.
• You don’t have much or any control over the outcome of a situation.
• Your responsibilities are overwhelming.
• You don't have enough work, activities or change in your life.
• You experience discrimination, hate or abuse.
• You are going through a period of uncertainty.
Let’s not forget about ‘happy stress’. You can also feel stress if you are in a happy situation, like moving house, getting married, or having a baby. Stress doesn’t have to always be related to negative emotions and events.
Here are my 5 top ways of keeping my stress under control.
Look out for triggers. Getting to know what triggers your stress levels can be a powerful tool. For example, being near drunk people for a prolonged period can really start to affect me mentally and physically. So, I tend to stay away from those kinds of people and situations where there will be excess alcohol.
Use tech. I wear a biometrics reader called Whoop. It measures my sleep, daily strain, breathing, stress levels, recovery and all sorts of wonderful bodily functions. It helps me get to bed on time and recommends when I should be waking up. In fact, I can literally watch my stress levels and adjust my breathing, and day in general to help reduce my stress. Get a free WHOOP 4.0 and one month free when you join with my link.
Get outside. I know you hear this one all the time, but it really is super important. From fresh air, to sunlight, and physically grounding yourself on the earth. It all plays a serious part in our health and that includes our stress levels. If you think about it, we’re designed to be naked, running free and generally active creatures. We’re designed to be outside, hunting, working and generally being human. 99% of us probably spend most of the time indoors, attached to a desk or screen of some kind. Get outside. I bet you physically feel your body thank you for it.
Give yourself a break. This one is also a mental and physical one. Firstly, tell that little voice in your head to f*ck off. Give yourself a break from the constant head chatter and guilt trip that I know so many of us put ourselves through. Secondly, give yourself a break from work and life. Whether it be a day, a week or longer. You need to mix thing sup a bit. Currently, I don’t work after 3:30pm on a Thursday and I *try* my best to have every other Friday off. I keep my diary clear as much as possible and have ‘Dee Days’. A day where I do whatever suits me. Sometimes it’s work, sometimes I stay in bed ALL day, other days I see friends. Whatever suits my needs that day. It’s a day that isn’t usually a day off. I don’t work weekends but most of the time my weekends are full of housework and organising, so I don’t have a rest, hence why I created ‘Dee Days’.
Ask for help. Oh, this is a big one for me because I’m TERRIBLE at asking for help. I’m getting better at it, and it takes time and strength to do but it is so important that you don’t feel any negative emotions towards asking for help. I recently had something happen in my life. Life changing stuff in a bad way, and I called on one of my best friends, Sam, for help. The problem was, I didn’t know what to say or ask for, so I told her I wasn’t doing well, and I needed help. We spent the next 3 nights gaming online. She was just ‘there’ for me until I could get it out. The main thing was that I asked for help, even though I didn’t know what exactly I needed help for. This really helps with stopping the spiral that stress can cause. Get talking people!
That's it from me.
Until next time,
#BeMoreHippo
Dee x
*Please note, I am not a professional when it comes to stress. These are just tips on what help me. If your stress is becoming too much, please speak to a GP or health care professional.