The impact that stress and the resulting stress responses have on your life can be attributed to four things:
1. Sleep well and find a regular sleeping routine. Sleep is the original deliberate rest. While you sleep your brain is consolidating memories, repairing physical damage and generating dreams. When we fall asleep, our bodies shift into maintenance mode and devote themselves to storing energy, fixing or replacing damaged cells, and growing, while our brains clean out toxins, process the day’s experiences, and sometimes work on problems that have been occupying our waking minds. And your life depends on it.
Sleep deprivation has immediate effects on your ability to focus, make good judgement, perform under pressure and be creative. Long-term sleep deprivation can affect your mental health and physical condition.
According to Ayurveda, going to bed and waking up around the same time every day helps settle the mind. Create a night-time routine and take time to wind down and relax for an hour before you go bed. During that time avoid active and stimulating activities (TV, computers, smartphones, work) and opt for quiet and relaxing activities (meditation, gentle breathing exercises, etc.). Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine before bed.
2. Naps are a wonderful way for maintaining mental balance, renew energy and revive your spirits. They increase alertness and decrease fatigue – a short 20-minute nap boosts your mental clarity and ability to concentrate by giving your body a chance to restore depleted energy. Sleep scientists have found that even a short nap can be effective in recharging your mental batteries. Naps can even provide an opportunity to have new ideas. Their work shows that you can learn to time your nap to increase the creative boost that it provides, make it more physically restorative, or probe the traffic between the conscious mind and unconscious. Regular napping can even improve memory and performance on perceptual tasks.
3. Eat nourishing food in moderation and take time for yourself when you eat (e.g. avoid eating in front of the computer). As a golden rule, I nourish myself with one home-cooked meal a day. If I don’t have time for that, I know it’s time to reassess my routine and priorities.
4. Get regular physical activity and engage in activities that reduce your chronic stress and ultimately help you feel relaxed, rested and happy. This could be yoga or meditation, but it could also be any other activity that you enjoy and find relaxing: walking, running, surfing, fishing, boating, painting, reading a book, listening to music, dancing, singing, etc. Aim to find active ways to manage your stress. Inactive ways to manage stress – such as watching television, surfing the internet or playing video games – may seem relaxing, but they may increase your stress long-term.
5. Practise relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, tai chi or massage.
6. Seek connection and spend time with family, friends or your community.
7. Keep a sense of humour and give yourself permission to laugh. Laughter really is the best medicine – it decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, and can therefore promote an overall sense of wellbeing.
It is important to find what works for you and then to do it consistently. Consistency may be more important than intensity. For example, going for a walk on a frequent and regular basis for reasonable amounts of time will almost certainly be better than jogging as fast as you can once every few weeks. Genuine support from friends and family, and having someone you can truly talk to, can also be an effective chronic stress buster.
The Stress Management Planner can help you keep track of the stress factors in your life and how you tend to respond. It can also help you to choose tools and resources so you can manage your stress levels day-to-day more effectively.
Be well.
