When you have an impending deadline or an exam coming up, how does your body respond? Your bloodstream is flooded with cortisol and adrenaline, the hormones responsible for increasing heart rate and elevating blood pressure. If you’re under a constant state of stress every day, it will start taking a severe toll on your mind and body.
Acute everyday stress puts your body into the fight or flight response, and staying in that heightened state throughout the day will harm your mental and psychical health. Constant everyday stress has been linked to higher risks of heart disease, weight gain, depression, memory loss, stroke, and premature death. That’s why you must recognize the importance of finding the best ways to cope with everyday stress in your life. We share some of the best tips to help you reduce chronic stress:
Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance
The key to being healthy and reducing everyday stress is finding a balance between your work and personal life. If you’re spending the entire day at the office and don’t make time for your family and friends, you will burn out. The constant stress and pressure at work will ruin your health. Therefore, you must make time in your calendar to relax and have fun, either with others or alone.
Get Regular Exercise
One of the best ways to deal with stress is to exercise regularly. When you move your body regularly, it helps increase blood circulation and balances the nervous system. The harmful stress hormones are flushed out from your body, and you are healthier as a result. Even walking for 30 minutes outside makes a big difference.
Limit Your Use of Stimulants and Alcohol
Nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol may help relieve stress temporarily, but they impact your health negatively. Prolonged use and reliance on them will worsen your stress. Well-nourished and healthy bodies can cope with stress better, which is why you should cut down on their use. Replace them by adding vegetables and organic fruit into your diet and cut down on sugars and processed food.
Make Time for Your Hobbies
Engaging in activities that calm your mind and bring you joy and pleasure should be practiced. If you enjoy listening to music, gardening, reading, or building Lego models in your spare time, you will handle everyday stress better. Research has found that stress is reduced by half and your heartrate remains stable when you’re enjoying your hobbies or something you love.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Your body won’t tolerate everyday stress if you’re not getting at least seven to eight hours of restful sleep. When you’re stressed out, you will struggle to fall asleep, which will worsen your body’s ability to handle stress during the day. Try practicing meditation before your bedtime and cut down on your use of electronics at night. Getting a good night’s rest allows your body to recover and flush out harmful toxins from your body.