As I am writing this post, I have just had a pretty stressful day. Meetings, telcos, to-do lists and not enough time to handle it all.
When I am stressed, I am very much tempted to grab a superficial comfort blanket, i.e. laze on the couch, eat chocolate, complain…
So I needed to remind myself today about the real stress killers.
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Breathe.
When we’re stressed, we tend to breathe too fast and too superficially. Some people even go as far as hyperventilating. Pay attention to your breathing. Try to breathe abdominally, because that makes you breathe calmer and deeper which in turn makes you more relaxed. -
Exercise.
I really did not want to go running today. Thankfully I have a tight group of female runners and there is always at least one to motivate the others. Research shows that exercise is good for your health. Practicing a sport releases endorphins and serotonin. These chemicals works together to make you feel good. -
Read a book.
Totally not obvious when you’re stressed, but getting into a book during 6 minutes reduces your stress level by 68%. The fact that you have to concentrate during reading helps your heart and muscles to relax. And you start breathing slower. The same research also showed that listening to music, drinking tea and going for a walk help reduce stress. -
Watch your food.
Try to eat as varied as possible and avoid too much caffeine. Drinks such as coffee and coke produce adrenaline and increase stress. So why not replace your second coffee of the day with a herbal tea or water. Carbohydrates also help, as they stimulate the release of serotonin which is relaxing. -
Laugh.
Too simple for words really, but laughing is a great mean to end stress. When you laugh your brain produces endorphins which make you feel euphoric. A good laugh relaxes your body and mind and reduces the stress hormones. So go ahead and crack a joke.