2020 has not been the year most of us expected. It has been quite a period of adjustment with changes that affect everyone. Needless to say, with so much uncertainty comes a lot of stress for many. Whether you're used to dealing with stress or not, it's not something you have to face alone – we're here to help! Here are four ways to manage your stress.
1. Accept stress
It's best to recognize that we can't make all our stress go away, and that's okay! Life is not meant to be filled with only great days, because without the bad we would never appreciate the good.
2. Meditation and mindfulness
Implementing meditation in your daily routine can change your life! Basically, meditation is both a mind and body exercise that focuses on mindfulness, which is essentially the interactions between your brain, mind, body, and behavior. When you meditate, you take your mind off the day-to-day worries and focus on the connection between your brain and body. According to studies, meditation can activate the relaxation response, a common antidote to stress. By setting aside time each day to focus on your breathing, body and thoughts, you can learn how to manage your response to stress and external triggers more easily and successfully.
3. Exercise
Exercising is very beneficial for many reasons, one of which is that it greatly aids in stress reduction. Here's the twist:it's not just exercise that benefits! By using a combination of physical exercises, breathing exercises, and mental exercises, you can better equip yourself to deal with stress. To determine which to try first, here's how each type of exercise helps reduce stress. Aerobic exercise helps with stress in two ways:behaviorally and through neurochemicals. For example, exercise gives you a sense of control and confidence, but also a way to enjoy solitude and not have to focus on your worries. It also stimulates the production of endorphins that are responsible for feelings of relaxation and optimism. As for its neurochemical effects, exercise has been shown to lower levels of your stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
4. Pet a furry friend
Interacting with animals has been shown to lower our levels of cortisol (the stress-related hormone) as well as blood pressure. Unless you are someone who has a strong aversion to animals, pets are an ideal way to help reduce stress and provide emotional support. From encouraging you to get moving to boosting your mood, your little furry friends do more than just sit and look cute! In fact, studies have shown that in a stressful task, people felt less stressed when their pets were present than when their partner or friend was present.
