Stress is a cascade of hormonal, neurochemical, and biochemical reactions to external stimuli triggering the “fight-or-flight” response by the autonomic nervous system.
Lifestyle Recommendations for Stress Management:
- Surround yourself with positive energy
- Avoid secondhand stress
- Stress Diary
- Autogenic training
- Biofeedback
- Avoid caffeine
- Avoid alcohol
- Improve sleep quality
- Exercise
- Deep Breathing Exercise
- Journaling
- Practicing mindfulness
- Positive Mindset
Stress management
- Set realistic goals and expectations
- Discover your core values
- Reduce triggers of stress
- Avoid tobacco and drinking alcohol
- Focus on restful sleep
- Exercise
- Make time for leisure activities
- Express gratitude
- Journal
- Enjoy everyday humor (laughter is the best therapy to decreasing stress and anxiety)
Surround yourself with positive energy
- Say “no”
- Be cognizant of your environment, visit places with healing energies (nature, place of worship, very close family and friends’ homes, etc.)
- Start a gratitude practice: show gratitude for life, health, wealth, education, family, friends, community, security, government, achievements, and your environment
- Live a well-balanced life (work life balance)
- Look at the big picture
- Thank others and yourself for all the hard work, efforts, dedication, motivation, etc.
- Stop worrying about things you cannot control
- Daily: forgive others, motivate others and yourself, and be an optimist, express your emotions and how they make you feel (e.g. I am happy, I feel proud, thankful, peaceful, hopeful, etc.)
Avoid secondhand stress
- Picking up in the environment others’ emotions, expressions (behavior), cognitive distortions and start worrying about it
- It can be seen as secondhand smoking: passive smoking
- The stress response is triggered when exposing to environmental stress factors
- Becoming aware of others stress signals us that we should also be worried
- Overhearing a stressful phone conversation
- Exposing oneself to the communication of others’ emotional stress
- Be mindful of your surroundings, avoid daily exposure to secondhand stress, build boundaries, and be optimistic
Stress Diary
Technique
- Note the stressful episode
- Questions: what, where, when, why, how?
- Outcomes: how did you feel mentally, emotionally, and physically?
- Rate your stress: 0-10 where 10 is the most stressed you could ever feel
Stress Diary Benefits
- Recognize signs and triggers of stress
- Track your responses
- Built better stress management techniques to cope with stress
Autogenic training
- A technique that focuses the mind’s attention to the physical sensations of the body by using both visual imagery and verbal cues
- Autogenic training achieves deep relaxation by reducing stress both mentally and physically
- It helps control
- Breathing
- Blood pressure
- Body temperature
- Heartbeat
- Autogenic training consists of six standard exercises that induces sensation of warmth, heaviness, and relaxation
- As part of the nightly power-down routine, it is an effective technique to practice daily in order to reduce stress and assists the body and mind to prepare for sleep
Biofeedback
- Biofeedback techniques uses electronic devices that receives information about the body
- It alerts the user when they are stressed
- Users can identify the stressor and take measures to relax both mentally and physically
- Biofeedback works through sensors that track and measure signals about stress levels including
- Brain waves
- Breathing
- Heart rate
- Sweating
- Body temperature
- Muscle contraction
- Sleep stages
- Biofeedback devices
- Many wearable trackers
- Interactive computer programs or mobile devices
Hydration
Avoid caffeine (stimulates the central nervous system)
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Energy drinks
- Sugary drinks
- Teas
- Effects neurotransmitters (serotonin, GABA, etc.)
- Worsens anxiety
- Long-term alcohol abuse is associated with chronic sleep problems
Improve Sleep quality
- Seek out sun
- Follow a consistent sleep schedule
- Get daily exercise
- Avoid caffeine 6-8 hours before bedtime
- Limit light before bed
- Limit naps 20-30 minutes
Exercise
Exercise reduces
- Stress
- Brain fog
- Anxiety
- Risk for neurological conditions (Alzheimer’s disease, MS, Parkinson’s disease, etc.)
Exercise Improves
- Blood circulation
- Angiogenesis (blood vessel growth)
- Serotonin and norepinephrine production (associated with accelerating information processing)
- Processing of emotions
- Mental alertness
- Mood
- Memory
- Cognition
- Energy
- Focus
- Attention
Deep Breathing Exercise
- Deep, slow, diaphragmatic breathing is a technique that can assist with relaxation and decreases tension in the body
- Deep breathing aids with relaxation and leads to physiological changes including
- Reducing muscle tension, blood pressure, anxiety, stress
- Improves mood, circulation, focus
- Slowing breathing rate, heart rate
Journaling
- Overwhelmed with tasks and worries about tomorrow’s chores may disturb sleep
- Writing down thoughts, emotions, and plans is a healthy pre-bed routine to clear the mind and prepare for sleep
Setting intentions
- Raise emotional and physical energy
- focus on who you are in the moment, recognize and live your values
Showing gratitude
- Journaling about gratitude enhances sleep, mental, and physical health
- Reflect on everything that you are grateful for
- Gratitude encourages a positive mindset and decreases anxiety
- Google “Gratitude Journal Prompts”
Feel connected
- Journal about someone meaningful when lonely
Self-Love
- Self-love journaling boost confidence, provides direction, and motivation
- Google “Self-Love Journal Prompts”
Make a to-do list
- Writing out a to-do list may help quiet anxious thoughts and clear the mind before sleep
- Compile unfinished tasks and make a to-do list
- The benefits of a to-do-list includes
- A clear list of intentions for the next day
- Track progress
- Decreased anxiety
Vent to Let it Go (Vent Your Day’s Worries and Frustrations)
- Frustration, anger, worry are healthy and natural responses to daily stressors
- It is important to discharge unpleasant thoughts and emotions
- Writing down in a journal troubling experiences is a healthy discharge technique to clear the mind
Practicing mindfulness
- Manfulness allows for awareness, circumspection (being watchful about your thoughts), self-compassion, promotes letting go, non-judgement, patience, non-striving (being here and now without anticipation of future outcomes), acceptance (but not giving up) and trusting yourself
- This pre-bed technique involves breathing exercises, guided imagery, and other mind-body relaxation practices
The benefits of mindful techniques for anxiety includes
- Cultivate awareness
- Decreased anxious thoughts
- Calm mind
Positive Mindset
- Breakdown your fears
- Practice new ways of thinking (identify areas to change)
- Practice positive self-talk
- Reduce stress with humor
- Set daily positive intentions
- Surround yourself with optimists
- Spend time in nature
When to see a doctor
Seek a healthcare provider when experiencing disproportionate and persistent stress to address your root cause
DISCLAIMER
This information is intended for educational purposes only and it is not intended to take the place of consultation with your physician.
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