How to Reduce Stress Levels

Most of us experience high levels of stress fairly often, some of us even on a daily basis. Ongoing, chronic stress has ravaging effects on our health. It can disrupt sleep, performance, hormones, weight management, and more. Stress can greatly disturb well-being. Understandably, it can be difficult to manage stress when life feels so hectic. That’s why it’s time to learn some of these important ways you can reduce your stress levels today.

 While you may not notice it at first, stress can have serious negative effects. From tight muscles and headaches to feeling irritated, overwhelmed, and out of control, stress takes a toll on your physical, mental and emotional health.

Your body responds to stress by increasing the production of cortisol, which gets the body ready to deal with a crisis, also known as the “fight or flight” response. When you no longer perceive a threat, cortisol levels should return to normal.

But if stress is always present, levels of cortisol can remain high. Since high cortisol is an appetite stimulant, it’s easy to understand why so many people respond to stress by reaching for comfort food. High levels of cortisol also increase your blood sugar, so if cortisol levels remain high, it can put you at a greater risk for Type 2 Diabetes. Other long-term effects of stress include depression, high blood pressure, insomnia, heart disease, anxiety, and increased joint pain, as well as other more serious health conditions.

Hopefully you can see why managing your stress is so critical to good health.

No matter if your goal is weight loss, optimised well-being, or increased energy, it's going to be important to reduce your stress levels. And frankly, everyone these days can benefit from lower stress! The great news is that stress management doesn’t have to be difficult, complicated, or time-consuming. As with most things, it's a process that will evolve over time. So let’s talk about some simple tools you can use to help mitigate the effects of stress.

BREATHWORK

One of the most powerful techniques for stress reduction is practising breathwork. Simply sitting still, even for just a few minutes, and taking slow, deep breaths can tell your nervous system to slow down and relax. Breathwork acts to help the parasympathetic nervous system do its job and bring things back to a state of calm. You can practise this technique anywhere and at just about any time without anyone ever knowing you’re doing it!

If you need a bit more structure while doing this exercise, you can try box breathing. In this practice, you pick a specific interval, let’s say four seconds. Set a 2-minute timer (or 3 or 4…) and get comfortable. Close your eyes and…

• Inhale for a count of four
• Hold your breath for a count of four
• Exhale for a count of four
• Hold your breath for a count of four
• Repeat until the alarm goes off

(If it’s too hard and leaves you gasping for air, shorten the interval times as needed. It should be relaxing, not a near-death experience.)

And an extra tip: Set a few silent alarms on your phone that remind you throughout the day, every 2 hours or so. This will help you stay on top of your intentions for the day.

MEDITATION

Meditation is another powerful technique for managing stress. If you’re a sceptic about meditation, think about this: The first records of meditation date back to the Hindu tradition around 1500 BCE. You don’t need to be a monk sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop in order to meditate. There are plenty of Apps, like Insight Timer, Calm, and Headspace that provide guided meditations and teach you techniques for establishing a meditation practice. And if sitting still for 5 or 10 or 20 minutes feels impossible to you, you can do moving meditations as well! YouTube has a ton of videos on walking meditation. And Leo Babuta, a well-known author and blogger, even teaches clients how to do an eating meditation. So think about how meditation might fit into your life and find a style that suits you.

FINDING JOY

Joyful activities are another great way to manage stress. What things do you enjoy doing? What kind of activities can you get lost in and completely lose track of time? How can you make it a priority to fit more of those things into your schedule?

NATURE

Spending time in nature is also great for managing stress. Even if you live in a busy city, chances are there are parks or green spaces available where you can sit quietly and enjoy a bit of fresh air. In Japan, this is called “Tree Bathing” or “Forest Bathing” and is a well-known technique for improving physiological and psychological health.

Look, we are not superhuman, and neither are you. There comes a point in our lives when we have to decide that our own well-being is a priority, and stress management is a great place to start. 

So, there you have it. Easy to implement, no excuses to be found, a great way to reduce your stress levels and strive towards optimal well-being. But don’t try to do everything at once - start with one practice for just a few minutes every day. Take small steps and the benefits will continue to build over time. The important thing is to find something you enjoy doing that you can commit to doing consistently, every day. Your body, your health, and your loved ones will thank you for it!

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