We all have stress, from work demands to our home lives, we are all managing some degree of pressure. Chronic stress can greatly affect your health and your happiness and though we can all recite the common fixes like meditation, exercise or taking a vacation, having some practical, go to strategies can help to create calm, alleviate anxiety, and restore a positive state of being.
Stress Strategy 1: Enjoy a healthy snack.
Feeling stressed out and pressed for time, it’s tempting to grab a sugar fix or a salty snack. Over time, these habits can lead to mood swings, weight gain and other health problems. Having healthy options on hand like fruit, vegetables or nuts will keep your blood sugar in check and their fiber will help you feel full until your next meal.
Stress Strategy 2: Practice a relaxing movement.
Stress can announce itself as a stiff neck, a headache, digestive issues or back pain, to name a few. Using gentle, mindful movement can calm your mind and relax your body when you’re feeling stress creep into your day. Slow, deep breathing, gently rolling your neck in circular rotation or rolling your shoulders a few times can pull you away from that anxious edge. Give yourself permission to relax completely, move gently and reconnect with your body.
Stress Strategy 3: Listen to your stress.
Stress can result from any area of your life and if left unchecked it can manifest in symptoms like anxiety, depression, weight gain, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, (IBS) and hypertension. Stress may be the manifestation of an ongoing problem; an overly demanding schedule or unhealthy lifestyle habits that need attention. Beyond relying on stress management techniques, take the opportunity to try to identify and then address the underlying causes of why you feel stressed. Taking time for reflection is a stress reliever in itself.
Having a go-to healthy snack, moving your body mindfully and gently and listening in and putting things in perspective are all easy ways that you can address the stress you may feel today so you may notice positive changes tomorrow. At Anew Home Care, we are proud to be a trusted wellness resource for you and your family. For more information call (866) 282-6090 or visit AnewHH.com.