6 Lifestyle Changes To Reduce Stress
85% of UK adults are experiencing stress regularly, according to a study conducted by Forth. Stress, unfortunately, is a part of life and something we cannot easily escape. Stress can come from many areas of life; work, friends, family, life, money, and sometimes it can feel like a never ending cycle. Will it ever end?
You may not have control over what life throws at you, but you do have control over how you react to it.
Exploring different ways of dealing with stress can lead to quieting your mind and helping you in the hardest of times.
Here are 5 ways to help mitigate life stress. And of course, always see a GP if you need to. Getting help is a sign not strength, not weakness.
Nutrition
Taking care of our bodies should be high on everyone’s priority list. The food we consume can have a huge impact on the way we feel. By ensuring we do not just live on a diet of chocolate and processed foods, we can be sure that we are giving our bodies the nutrients it needs to function.
By filling your plate with veggies and drinking lots of water, can have a positive effect within days. This will lead to being less agitated and groggy and in turn, having a clearer, more focused head in order to take on your day.
Lacking in nutrition can also come from putting bad substances in our bodies as a way of dealing with stressful situations.
stay away from substances/unhealthy ways to deal with it. Used for self medication, but it used for the wrong reasons, to cover up problems not solve them and can have the opposite effect.
Physical activity
Many studies suggest that any form of physical activity can work wonders for stress. Not only can it be a good stress reliever, but also put you in the right mindset to deal with stress in a better, calmer way.
Exercising boosts endorphins, increasing your happiness as well as distracting you from any worries.
Environment
Have you had a long, hard day at work and get home to a messy house?
Walking into a messy house can cause a lot of stress in itself, let alone walking into it already in a stressful head on.
By keeping on top of your mess, finally unpacking those boxes from your move 3 years ago and finding a place for your belongings to live can also help you relieve some stress.
Cleaning is even a form of stress reliever for some people!
As well as keeping on top of tidying up, the feng shui of your home can also have a huge impact on how you feel. Having a place for your belongings, enough space to move about and not feel cramped as well as what you have in your home can make a huge difference.
By keeping plants around the house, candles and contemporary artwork can have a positive impact on your mental well being, as well as providing a sense of comfort.
Aromatherapy candles have an amazing calming effect, helping you slow down, relax and unwind.
Plants can provide many benefits such as reducing anxiety, helping you sleep as well as also providing a calming effect.
Hanging art work around your house can help with your overall mental well being, scientist say. Not only is art great for therapy, but also including art can boost your mood by using the right colours.
Mindfulness
Practising mindfulness is becoming more and more common – and there is a reason for that. Mindfulness is a practise that brings your mind to the present moment. This eliminates all the voices in your head, worrying about the past or the future and just focusing on what is going on with you and the world, right now. This can provide an instant stress and worry relief, equipping you to deal with life and any stressful situation much calmer.
Value yourself
Try not to be so hard on yourself. Life can be hard and stress is inevitable. But being aware of this and helping yourself is key. But in the process, make sure you are not blaming yourself, or punishing yourself in the process. Do more of the things that make you happy.
Find a hobby
There are a plethora of things you can put your time and effort into, to both de-stress and mitigate your overall stress. Find a hobby or even find a course to put your efforts into. There are a plethora of things out there in the world – you just need to look. By putting yourself out there, you are making more connections and spending less time in your own world, worrying and full of stress.
Find a running club, join a beauty course or volunteer at your local care home. There are options to suit everyone.