Stress is a normal reaction that many people will experience either physically or emotionally at many points in their life. The human body is actually designed to experience stress and react to it. It can actually be positive in terms of keeping us alert and motivated, however too much stress can become toxic to the body and it may disrupt sleep, cause gut issues and with gut issues come a reduces mood and mindset.
So what are some of the things that we can do to cope with the stress in our lives? We consulted the experts and this is what they had to say.
Identify what is stressing you out
Often when we are over stressed, we are also overwhelmed and this can make to harder for us to get our thoughts in order, which is not helpful when it comes to identifying the source of the problem and coming up with a solution.
Ben Lucas, the founder of Flow Athletic says “While I am a big fan of writing up lists as it is, when I get overly stressed, such as last year when Covid-19 resulted in my business being shut down for a few months, I like to write down what the stressors are, and what I can do about them.”
“I find that when things are in front of me I can start to think more logically about them and put a plan into place, it is very helpful.”
Make sure you are eating well
Luke McLeod the founder of Soul Alive has found that a healthy diet and happy gut can be very important for your mood and mindset.
“I’ve been practising meditation for years and it helps me a lot when it comes to coping with stress, however when I pair my mindfulness practise with a healthy diet I feel my best and most productive. Most people don’t realise but the gut and the mind are inextricably linked!”
“For me, eating a diet of lots of veggies, healthy proteins and minimal processed foods has helped a lot. I’ve also recently become obsessed with Nexba’s range of Kombucha and Apple Cider Vinegar sodas. With 500 million probiotics per bottle and no sugar, it’s been a game changer for me. One a day has kept me feeling great, and because I have so much more energy, I’ve also reduced my coffee intake as a result which is a win for your gut health!”
Mindfulness
“Most people will wait until they are completely burnt out before they even consider doing something good for their mental health, and even then they will often put it off to Christmas or their holiday time” says Luke McLeod.
“But why would you do that when you can go into your holiday feeling refreshed rather than trying to get your mental health back on track?”
“Taking 15-20 minutes per day to learn to meditation or to journal is such a good habit to get into, and I recommend starting it today, not next month or next year.”
“Additionally mindful walks are gold. Go for a quick walk during the day but take the time to notice the things around you. I often will go out and try to find 5 things that I hadn’t noticed before. Its very relaxing, you should try it”
Work on your mindset
It’s funny how some days you look at your workload and feel so overwhelmed, but then you come in the next day to the same workload and you are fine with it.
“Sometimes we are just in flow and sometimes we are not” says McLeod
“On the days I am feeling stressed I often cut my expectations for the day in half. Then I try to get a good night sleep and come back to the tasks the next day with a better mindset to achieving those tasks”
“You can’t expect to feel 100% everyday so don’t be too hard on yourself. I find that sometimes stepping away and looking at the bigger picture can make me feel a lot more inspired when it comes to the smaller tasks that I need to tick off to achieve the big picture.”
Move your body
Psychologist Tara Hurster from The TARA Clinic recommend to move your body.
“When we move our body, we trick our brain into thinking that we have successfully either run away from the tiger or killed the tiger and therefore the threat is now gone” says Tara… I think that really says it all!
Have structure to the start and end of your day
Tara continues by adding that we should have a structured end of day/bedtime routine.
“When we have a plan for the end of the day to help guide us to bed, our sleep hygiene improves significantly. When we have been sleeping well, we have more energy and are more productive so stress is reduced!”