Stress is bad for you. Really bad. And yet, when someone says they’re stressed, many people shrug it off and think something along the lines of, “aren’t we all?”
It can be tough to take stress seriously when it’s just a fact of life for most of us. But without stress-relieving habits to take care of your mind and body, it can take a severe toll, creating issues like obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
If you deal with stress, it’s time to implement habits that will help you combat stress, relax, and protect your mental and physical health. Keep reading to find out how.
Understanding Stress
Here are some of the mental side effects of ongoing stress:
- Irritability, anger, and impatience
- Anxiety, worry, tension, nervousness, and fear
- Depression and a lack of interest in life
- A sense of dread or impending doom
- Racing thoughts and a diminishing sense of humor
- Worsening of existing mental health problems
- Nail biting, teeth grinding, and jaw clenching
- Indecision, trouble concentrating, and difficulty with memory
- Constant worry, crying, or feeling tearful
- Snapping at people
- Spending too much
- Avoiding exercise or overtraining
- Eating too much or not enough
- Panic attacks, difficulty breathing, and sweating
- Sleep problems, fatigue, sore eyes, and blurred vision
- Sudden weight gain or loss
- Headaches and muscle pain
- Chest pain, high blood pressure, and fainting
- Indigestion, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea
- Rashes and itchy skin
- Feeling dizzy, nauseous, or sick
- Loss of interest in sex, erectile dysfunction, and menstrual changes
The above lists could be longer, but we’ll stop here. Long story short, everything can get worse if you’re experiencing high-stress levels for extended periods. And it’s in your best interest to implement stress-relieving habits now to protect your health in the future.
Stress Relieving Habits That Work
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Therapy with a trained mental health professional specializing in CBT is the best way to learn this effective skill. You can even find therapy from home with online services like BetterHelp. Or you can look for CBT books at the library or bookstore (or on Amazon) and start to learn the methods from home. Then, when you have time to work with a therapist, you’ll have an excellent foundation to build from.
Exercise and Do Yoga
Adding exercise and yoga into your daily routine is an excellent way to combat stress levels, increase feel-good endorphins, and maintain health. Try alternating between 30-60 minutes of exercise and yoga throughout the week while making time for some active rest days.
A sample routine might look like this:
- Monday: 60-minute YouTube yoga video or local yoga class
- Tuesday: 45-minute full-body workout
- Wednesday: 40-minute YouTube yoga video or local yoga class
- Thursday: Active rest with a 30-minute walk
- Friday: 60-minute bodyweight workout
- Saturday: 30-minute YouTube yoga video or local yoga class
- Sunday: Active rest with a 45-minute gentle hike
Meditate
YouTube and apps like Headspace make it easy to start meditating, even if you only have a few minutes every day. Try setting aside time to meditate before you get out of bed in the morning, when you’re heading to bed at night, before your morning yoga/exercise practice, or even in the shower.
Massage
It’s as easy as swinging by the local mall for a quick chair massage before you come home from work on Mondays or buying a weekly membership to a local massage therapist. Alternately, take 15 minutes in the morning on a rest day to massage your hands, feet, legs, arms, head, or neck.
Take a Deep Breath
If chronic pain adds to your stress, we have one last recommendation: the Kailo Pain Patch. Kailo can help support you every day, and it’s designed to relieve pain in seconds. You can wear it all day, anywhere, even while you shower, and a recent clinical study showed that 99% of patients felt pain relief within 10 minutes of using the Kailo Pain Relief Patch. Simply apply your Kailo patch near the site of pain and breathe a deep sigh of relief.
Disclaimer: Kailo should not be used if you have a pacemaker or are pregnant. Always consult your doctor or health care professional before using Kailo.
