Managing stress

Managing stress is a fact of life, and most of the time, and in moderation, we cope with stressful situations and some stress is good for us as it encourages a proactive attitude to situations we might be tempted to avoid addressing. However, there are times where excessive levels of stress can have a negative impact on our health and as April is Stress Awareness Month it is important to recognise our day-to-day management of our stress levels. 

Unfortunately, life is full of pressures, and we don’t always have time to fit everything in, but making time to care for ourselves and get the help and support we need can help us to create a routine when our stress levels are too high. Often stress is influenced by a combination of our work and personal lives and despite overcoming tricky situations, we often carry the weight of stress for too long which can make lead to us feel overwhelmed. 

We have been finding out common ways people handle stress to remind us of what we should keep in our daily routines: 

Do the things you love  

In a recent poll, 21% of voters said spending time with family and friends is the best way they manage their stress but often this is because social situations can be the best opportunity to distract ourselves by chatting and laughing which helps our serotonin levels and often lead to conversations where you can get a different opinion and advice on what might be making you feel stressed. Other forms of taking time for yourself could be sitting on the sofa watching your favourite show, lying in a bubble bath surrounded by scented candles or even reading an enjoyable book which are all ways we can unwind and look after themselves. 

Getting moving  

Taking a walk in the fresh air, going for a run and getting sweaty, regular exercise classes or even going on a bike ride are all common routine activities we do to regularly zone out and is often referred to as ‘meditation in motion’. In the same poll linked above this was the most common way people manage their stress with 42% voting that they do regular exercise to manage their stress. Not only can moving our bodies drastically improve our moods and make us feel more motivated but it is often a way for us to set personal goals. 

Sleeping better 

Sleep is one of the best methods of managing stress and is overlooked in terms of its effect on our health. Maintaining a good bedtime routine and making sure you are as relaxed as possible at night can affect your quality of sleep. This can include turning off devices to reduce blue light, practicing meditation and breathing techniques to make sure every night we gain enough sleep. 

Switching off  

Switching off can include screen-free time, taking breaks from your laptop, limiting social media and trying to keep a good work-life balance. For many making sure our working hours are set and trying to regiment time away from devices is crucial to being able to switch off, but this can be challenging to keep up! 

Eating well  

Having a balanced diet is good for us to manage our stress and can help equip our bodies to fight off illness. Stress can affect our immune systems effectiveness so if you can drink lots of water, eat a rainbow of colours, limit your intake of junk food and minimise alcohol consumption this can also help you to combat your stress.