De-stress Your Mind and Body

10 Proven Ways to De Stress your mind and body.

Stressed? How do you know?

We all experience stress at some point in our lives. Whether it is preparing for an exam, going on a first date, getting stuck in traffic, worrying about bills, or making a sales presentation, stress is just a normal part of life.

For some, a quickened heart rate or a slight feeling of queasiness is enough to let them know they’re getting anxious or overwhelmed.

Whenever facing a dangerous situation, “the body kicks into gear, flooding the body with hormones that elevate your heart rate, increase your blood pressure, boost your energy, and prepare you to deal with the problem.”

Although it’s a natural reaction, anxiety is still a negative force that can have a serious impact on both our professional and personal lives.

When we’re stressed, hormones like cortisol flood our systems, producing the “fight or flight response” in which our heart rate goes up, we breathe more heavily (requiring more oxygen) and our blood vessels constrict.

While in the pre-civilization world, the increased blood flow to our heart and muscles helped us escape from predators and dangerous situations, we find ourselves in a very different position now. Our bodies can’t tell the difference between an approaching grizzly bear and a ticked off spouse or a particularly epic traffic jam, so our stress response is triggered when there’s no imminent danger.

Read every word below. How does stress affect us?

Instead of helping us to escape, stress can contribute to chronic conditions like hypertension, heart disease, and headaches, as well as mental health concerns like depression and anxiety disorders. What’s more, stress can make other conditions — like asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, and insomnia — worse.

Stress can also cause you to pick fights with the people you’re closest to. In short, stress can put a monkey-wrench in your career, relationships, and even your life.

So buckle down folks and let’s De-stress!

Why take a step down and De-stress your mind and body?

De-stressing has societal, familial and individual benefits, such as

  • Economic benefits: Reducing stress increases an individual’s productivity at work and reduces the number of days they take-off;
  • Physical health benefits: Being stressed consumes energy and nutrients which could otherwise be used to protect the body (e.g. from infectious diseases);
  • Psychological health benefits: Reducing stress improves sleep and reduces irritability, anxiety, and depression; and
  • Relationship benefits: Improved interpersonal relationships with co-workers or family members.

10 Quick and Proven ways to De-stress mind and body

  1. Breathe

    Slow, deep breathing exercises, even if it’s for only for a couple of minutes can dramatically decrease tension.

    Power 10

    Take 10 breaths. Focus on feelings of anxiety and stress while inhaling and releasing and letting go while exhaling for 6 seconds.

    Heart boost

    Think about two of the best moments of your life and then positive feelings you experienced during these specific moments as you inhale. Release any negative feelings as you exhale. When you pair a positive emotion with an inhalation, your heart will shift rhythms in order to improve your mental state.

    Heart shifting

    Here you’ll take three sets of five breaths with a 4-second inhale and a 6-second exhale. During the first five breaths, focus on negative emotions and then let them go with each exhale. For the second set of breaths, clear your mind of any other thoughts and just focus on the feeling of inhaling and exhaling. Finally, focus on embracing “the love in your heart during the inhale, whether that be for a family member or friend. Let go of the negative emotion while exhaling.”

  2. Take a 10-minute walk

    Exercise is one of the best stress relievers out there. But, not everyone will take the time or have the motivation to commit to a strict workout regime.

    Could you squeeze in a 10-minute walk either first thing in the morning, during a lunch break, or when we get home from work? A short walk clears our heads and boosts endorphins, which in turn reduces stress hormones.

    If possible, go for a walk in the park or anywhere where there’s a lot of green. This can actually put you in a state of meditation.

  3. Get enough, quality sleep

    Are you getting enough sleep at night? You should. Sleep is an essential component in staying healthy and strong and it can help you better handle stressful situations.

    Remember, just cause you’re in bed for eight hours doesn’t mean that you’re getting quality sleep. Make sure that you get restful and restorative sleep each and every night by having a cool, dark, and quiet environment.

  4. Get out of town

    Taking an annual vacation is good for you since it removes you from stressful situations. But, not everyone has the time or money to go overseas or disappear for a month.

    Even a weekend getaway like camping or visiting a friend or family member and a “staycation” can be effective when you need to get unwind.

  5. Unplug

    British researchers connected the dots between rising stress levels and constantly checking a smartphone.

    Sometimes you need to turn off all of your devices in and even leave them behind. Try it. You’ll be surprised at how peaceful you feel when you’re not checking your phone every five minutes.

  6. Discard and organize

    Clutter and disorganization cause chaos and stress. Don’t believe me? How stressed out were you the last time you couldn’t find your car keys or an important document?

    Get rid of the junk you no longer need and start organizing the stuff you have so that you know exactly where everything is when you need it.

  7. Get crafty

    It is found that repetitive motions from crafts like knitting can soothe anxiety. If knitting isn’t your cup of tea, pick-up hobbies like cross-stitching or making jewelry to relax your mind.

  8. Scream, sigh, or sing

    Anxiety is a result of us not letting it out. One of the easiest ways to release this stress is just by letting out a good old-fashioned primal scream.

    Can’t do that in public? Even a sigh can work since it releases tension in your upper body. And, you can also sing your favorite song since that releases endorphins and oxytocin.

  9. Practice gratitude

    When it comes to increasing your happiness, improving your health, and coping with anxiety there isn’t anything as powerful as gratitude.

    Renowned Psychologists found that those who consciously focus on gratitude experience both greater emotional well-being and physical health than those who don’t.

  10. Put on some music

    While classical music has a particularly soothing effect — it slows heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and even decreases levels of stress hormones — any music that you love will flood your brain with feel-good neurochemicals like dopamine.

    And while music can soothe everyday anxiety (crank it up on the drive home!), research shows that it’s particularly beneficial for those in the midst of stressful events, like surgery.

    Don’t have your headphones handy? Try humming or making your own music. One study of stressed-out nursing students found that recreational music-making relieved stress and prevented burnout.

Read Also: How To Relieve Tight Neck Muscles 

How to De-stress your mind and body at work instantly?

Stress from tight deadlines and high stakes can cause us to lose focus. If we let stress get the best of us, it can reduce our unicorn ideas to donkey fodder.

But if we address it head-on, we can stay productive and happy at work.

You can calm your mind and reduce anxiety in a matter of minutes with a handful of these proven techniques for stress relief.

  • Take a Walk
  • Take a Deep Breath
  • Stretch
  • Meditate with an App
  • Make a Checklist and Action Plan
  • Talk It Out with a Friend
  • Listen to Inspirational talks
  • Use Essential Oils
  • Work Outside

If you are in the Lakewood, OH area, and would like for Dr. Mike to do a complete neurological assessment of where your body is at in the process of healing itself, schedule an appointment now!  

Also, if you are looking to have a Chiropractic Adjustment we can discuss that as well. 

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Leave a Comment