We all experience stress. There are good and bad stressors. A positive stressor might be planning a birthday party or doing a hard workout. A negative stressor might be worrying over work emails when you’re spending time with family. The goal is not to ever feel stressed, rather, the goal is be aware of stress and allow your body and mind to work through it. What we can do is dampen the stress pressure, or help your brain recognize that the stressor might not be as big a threat as your body perceives. Let’s walk through some tools to help you turn down the volume of your stressor in the moment.
Move
Any type of movement is a significant stress reliever. It could be your routine workout, or a spontaneous burst of movement. Dance to a song you like. Go for a 5 minute walk. Do a set of squats and counter push-ups. Pull up your Daily Muuv: Strive for Five – whatever movement that is realistic in the moment. Yoga is another great option that incorporates both physical movement alongside deep breathing, discussed below. Any amount of movement is going to help to signal to your brain and body that the stressor isn’t as big of a threat as you thought it was a moment ago. If you notice body tension with stress (like a stiff neck or shoulders), then movement is a great response to help physically relieve that tension.
Breathe
A deep breath is probably the most accessible tool that you have to manage stress. You are always breathing – so why not just focus on your next breath? The goal is to breathe deeply into your belly. Try to make your exhale a beat longer than your inhale. You might inhale through your nose, and then exhale through your mouth (or your nose is fine, too). A few deep breaths can make a significant change when you are stressed. A deep breath into your belly allows your body to relax and reduce cortisol (primary stress hormone) levels. While focusing on your breath you ground yourself in the present moment and the action of breathing, allowing you to break the cycle of worry before moving forward. An intentional deep breath is really powerful in shifting your body out of stress. Check out our Wednesday deep breathing exercise in your MuuvWell Daily Muuv: Strive for Five program!
Connect
For many, a typical stress response is isolation. We turn inward, and get stuck in a cycle of worry. Instead, aim to connect with someone you trust. This social connection can help alleviate stress because it can offer distraction, perspective, give support, and remind you that you are not facing the world, and stressors, alone.
Sleep
Sleep is our primary cortisol regulator. So, a great component to your stress management plan is to prioritize sleep! When we are sleep deprived we tend to zero in on threats, dangers, anxiety, and stressors. Alternatively, when we are well rested we are able to better focus on positive thoughts and form happy memories. Sleep is also an emotion regulator – so, when we are well rested we have better emotional resilience, better problem solving capacity, and are better able to manage how we react and feel in a given situation. Unfortunately, a lack of sleep makes us more emotionally unstable (think of the emotional volcano from a toddler who missed their nap).
Mindfully Shift Stress Response Habits
If you catch yourself grabbing sugar, a cigarette, or getting emotionally terse in a moment of stress – notice that. With that awareness, you can gently begin to shift your stress response. How do you want to respond to stress? Rather than grabbing for your routine response, consider something different. Reaching for that candy? Grab a glass of water instead. Brush your teeth. Pause and take 5 deep breaths. Call your best friend. Cuddle your pet. Feeling angry? Take a deep breath. Take a quick break. Go for a 3 minute walk. Listen to that 5 minute meditation.
Experiment with different responses to stress to find ones that are effective for you and that you can lean into easily.
Written by: Stephanie Anklan, Registered Dietitian
