Looking for strategies to help you regain calm amid the daily stressors of work and life?
Here’s a helpful first step: take a moment to name the feeling.
“It helps to understand where exactly your stress comes from,” he says Asha Shajahan, MD, medical director of community health at Corewell Health’s Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital and a physician at Corewell Health in Eastern Michigan. “For example: ‘I’m tired. I’m upset.'”
Think carefully about why you might be feeling stressed. If you can figure out the reason, it can help you calm down, Dr. Shajahan said.
Rebecca Hershman, LMSWa psychotherapist at Corewell Health in West Michigan, agrees.
“Recognizing your stress and how it happens can help you cope,” Hershman said.
Here are some simple strategies to help you stay calm during a storm:
1. Practice mindfulness
Being mindful – being present in the moment – can be a great tool for reducing stress. Stress builds insecurity. Learning to name your stress can help you bring it from an emotional place back to the rational mind.
“Become aware of what your body is feeling,” Hershman said. “Acknowledge the feeling, but remind yourself to take a step back and work through it. You can start by breathing deeply.”
2. Optimize your fuel
Make sure your tank is full so you have energy to deal with it. “You can optimize your fuel consumption by making sure you get enough sleep, eat well, take breaks and exercise,” said Dr. Shajahan.
When we are not in our best physical health, we are less able to cope with emotional stress.
3. Move your body
Cortisol is often called the stress hormone. It can affect any organ in the body, and it can even affect blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Exercise — even a five-minute break from exercise — can help improve cortisol levels, Dr. Shajahan said. “Walking, cycling, running are all great ways to feel better.”
Hershman recommends walking your dog, and not just for exercise. “Being around dogs or other pets can actually be a great stress reliever,” she said.
4. Cherish the silence
Being quiet and learning to enjoy quiet time can bring great benefits.
“Away with the noise,” Dr. Shajahan said. “A moment of prayer or meditation can calm you down.”
“It can help to take some time for positive self-talk,” says Hershman. “Be kind to yourself. Discuss it in your head and ask yourself, ‘Is this a realistic fear that I’m emphasizing?’
5. Engage your support system
Your family and friends can help provide a safety net when you feel overwhelmed or exhausted.
“Having a strong support system can be a protective factor against stress,” says Hershman.
Sharing concerns can reduce these. People who know us best can also give us advice and help us regain perspective on our problems.
“Nurturing your relationships so that you have a support network available when you are in trouble,” said Dr. Shajahan.
6. Have fun
It’s true: laughter is sometimes the best medicine. It can increase your heart rate and bring more oxygen into your blood, and it can help relieve the physical symptoms of stress.
If you can’t laugh, try smiling. It can release molecules called neuropeptides that help provide a feeling of well-being and reduce stress-related illnesses, Dr. Shajahan said.
“Smile often,” she said. “It’s good for you. Try not to take everything so seriously and remember: imperfection is perfection. Stress is often caused by being consumed by perfection.”
7. Look on the bright side
Laughter and smiling support good health, which can help strengthen your immune system. But when laughter seems out of reach, positive thinking can have a similar effect.
As the saying goes, every dark cloud has a silver lining. Look for it. A sense of gratitude can reduce stress when you focus on what’s going right in your life, rather than on what seems to be going wrong.
8. Ask for help
Talking to a professional can make a world of difference. Whether in person or virtually, find a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist that suits your needs and personality.
Reference By: healthbeat.corewellhealth.org
