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Reduce Stress
There are lots of things we can do that might reduce our stress levels – have you found what best helps you?
Start
What does the word “stress” mean to you? Do you think of it as something in your mind, or your body? Does it feel like something that is either good or bad?
Proof
Stress responses in our body are normal and healthy – but if we activate them too much they can become harmful. We might also be predisposed to stress due to earlier life experiences. Let’s look at some of the science behind stress:
How stress affects our body
Sharon Horesh Bergquist gives us a look at what goes on inside our body when we are chronically stressed in this TED-Ed lesson – but don’t worry! There is so much we can do to help reduce stress and positively impact our health.
This research paper talks through the evidence and understanding of how chronic stress, that is the repeated activation of stress pathways, leads to brain and body responses that are normally constructive becoming destructive.
How stress affects our brain & the effects of stress management
Stress isn’t always a bad thing; it can be handy for a burst of extra energy and focus, like when you’re playing a competitive sport or have to speak in public. But when it’s continuous, it actually begins to change your brain. This TED-Ed lesson by Madhumita Murgia guides us through what happens in chronic stress.
This research brings together evidence from 58 separate studies and shows stress management interventions are effective in changing cortisol levels in healthy adults – with mindfulness and relaxation interventions having the greatest effect.
The sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous system and breathwork
By stimulating the vagus nerve, breathwork can activate a relaxation response, moving us out of our “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system into our “rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system.
Actionable Ideas
Here are some things you could try to help you reduce stress – different things well help everyone but these suggestions might give you some ideas.
Ways to process stress we are predisposed to due to earlier life experience
- Journalling
- Talking to friends or family
- Speaking to a counsellor or therapist
Ways to manage when life is making us feel stressed
- Reflecting on what is making us feel stressed
- Saying no to additional load
- Putting down things or sharing the load with someone else
Ways to reduce day-to-day stress
- Build a routine including yoga
- Spend time with an animal eg walking a dog
- Have a relaxing bath
- Painting
- Playing music
- Listening to music
Ways to reduce stress in the moment
- Breathwork – click here for some breathwork resources
- Journalling
- Reach out to a friend
- Go for a run / walk
- Give yourself a hand / foot massage
Relate
Understanding the relationships between the different pillars of Lifestyle Medicine can allow us to use our strengths to support the areas we are trying to change.
If you reduce stress…
Reducing stress can help you switch off better at the end of the day and fall asleep more easily
Reducing stress can make prioritising time to more a bit easier, and trying new movement activities less daunting
Reducing stress can make it easier to eat well, since stress responses in our body and brain can make us crave unhealthy food choices
Reducing stress can allow time with others to feel more connected
Reducing stress can lower the temptation to rely on unhelpful coping strategies
The other pillars can help you reduce stress by…
Sleeping better and feeling rested can make it easier to manage stress
Moving more can reduce stress levels in the body and mind
Eating well, especially eating less ultra-processed food, can reduce the levels of stress in your body
Connecting and engaging with others, or being out in nature, can help us process worries and feel less stressed
Minimising unhelpful coping strategies can lower stress responses in the body
Knowledge Library
Here are some more insights you might find helpful to explore:
Self-Reflection
What do you notice when you manage your stress better? What helps you manage your stress?
You might find it helps to keep a note of the things that particularly support you with reducing stress, so you can refer back any time you need.
