Stress is a part of life and can’t always be avoided.
It’s important to learn how to manage stress and find techniques that work for you to relax.
This is not only important for our mental health but our physical health as well.
What do you do when you’re overcome with stress? How can you regain control? Here are some techniques that you can use to build resilience and manage your stress in a healthy, adaptive way.
Take breaks
When you are feeling overwhelmed, take a few minutes for yourself. Step away from your work or take a short walk outside. This will help to clear your head and reduce stress levels. Make sure your break is actually a break.
That means not checking your work email, not browsing the internet, and not thinking about what you have to do next.
If you are stuck on how to take an effective break, what I usually do is get up and walk around, listen to music or take some deep breaths.
Eat a balanced diet
Food can either be your biggest ally or your biggest enemy. It can cause stress levels to rise or fall, so it’s crucial to pay attention to what you’re eating.
Stress can also increase your need for certain nutrients, like vitamin B, vitamin C, selenium, and magnesium. So next time you’re under pressure, make sure you’re eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet.
A tip that I would give you is to stock up on healthy snacks. If you know a stressful time is approaching, stock up on quick, nutritious snacks, such as almonds, fruit, or protein bars.
Get enough sleep
Ensuring that you get a quality night’s sleep as often as possible is not only beneficial to your overall health, but to your emotional well-being as well.
In fact, experts reveal that those who report poor quality sleep also experience high stress and low life satisfaction.
While getting the recommended seven or eight hours of sleep each night is important, the quality of sleep that you get is just as crucial.