We all deal with some form of stress in our lives, whether good or bad, chronic or occasional.
Some types of stress can help us grow, challenging us to step outside of our comfort zone and push our lives into new areas, like building a business or taking an exam. Other kinds of stress aren’t quite as helpful: toxic relationships, difficult work environments, or a scary medical diagnosis.
Regardless of the stress you’re dealing with, finding ways for your body to release the chemical reactions that come alongside it is essential. Stress creates adrenaline, cortisol, and other hormones that can be helpful for short periods but are dangerous in the long term.
You might not be able to cut out all the chronic stressors in your day, but there are small things you can eliminate and other ways you can reduce the effects of ongoing stress on your body. Here are three simple strategies to help improve your overall health by decreasing negative stress.
1. Find Ways to Get Active
Exercise isn’t always about getting and staying in shape. Activity does so much more for your health! When you’re moving and burning calories, you’re also releasing endorphins and feel-good hormones. Even better, you’re getting rid of cortisol and adrenaline.
You don’t need to hit the gym every day or do high-impact workouts. Walk a couple of miles around your neighborhood or find a nearby hiking trail. (As a bonus, spending time in nature is an amazing stress reliever, plus you get the added boost of Vitamin D, which helps reduce depression!)
The reality is that at the end of the day, your brain will find ways to release some of those excess levels of cortisol while you sleep. That’s why so many people grind their teeth and clench their jaws.
This behavior, called bruxism, might sound harmless, but it can create long-term damage to your teeth, jaws, and interconnected muscles. Left untreated, bruxism leads to an increased risk of health conditions such as Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Wearing a soft or hard night guard can reduce the side effects. But getting rid of the excess hormones with activity before bed may solve the bruxing entirely.
2. Stop Those Unhealthy Habits
Let’s face it. Unhealthy habits can be hard to break. The withdrawal symptoms alone often push people right back into the habit they know is harming them.
However, when you remind yourself that the habit is creating a life that will be hard to live anyway, you can gain control of your mind.
For example, smoking is almost certainly going to lead to a disease that will make it difficult for you to do normal daily activities. Alcohol will harm your relationships and damage your internal organs. Overeating leads to things like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other dangerous conditions. Overspending brings debt, stress, and relationship struggles.
Either way, you’re dealing with something difficult, whether it’s short-term (quitting a habit) or for the rest of your life. You choose your hard. Working tirelessly to stop those habits that could kill you isn’t going to be easy, but when you’re successful, you have the rest of your life to reap the benefits.
3. Find a Hobby You Enjoy
Maybe you can’t get rid of the stressors in your life, and that’s okay. Instead of pushing people or situations out, try bringing in something you enjoy!
When was the last time you did something solely for your personal pleasure? Think about the things you loved to do before adulting took over your life. What hobbies did you have as a child? What have you seen over the years that you would love to do “if only” you had the time?
You might think you can’t afford the time/energy/money it takes to bring a hobby into your life. Switch your perspective, and think about how much easier it would be to handle your stressors if you had more patience. Five minutes a day meditating or 15 minutes learning a new instrument, listening to music, or otherwise enjoying yourself can lead to hours of better-quality living.
Self-care is vital to a healthy work/play balance. You can handle stress so much better when you’re happier with the rest of your life. It doesn’t have to take a major investment of time and money to build a pathway to a healthier you. Find something you enjoy doing, and work at it a few times a week for short periods.
Conclusion
Whether you want to get rid of stress as much as possible or find ways to better cope with what you have around you, these three simple strategies will improve your overall well-being.
