During times of stress, our bodies are designed to go into a state of fight, flight, or freeze. While these stress responses are beneficial during a time of crisis, we were not meant to be in them long-term. 

Staying in a stress response for a long period of time is detrimental to our health in many ways. Inflammation, poor digestion, high blood pressure, and increased glucose levels may result. Your immune system's response will be negatively impacted.  

By reducing the amount of stress and increasing your capacity to handle unavoidable stress, you can help regulate your nervous system so you can stay balanced. 

Let’s look at some stress management techniques that you can use today. 

 

Grounding 

Grounding is simply bringing your awareness back to the present moment by drawing your attention to your body and surroundings. It is helpful for handling stress since most of our concerns are about things in the past or future. 

Simply closing your eyes and paying attention to your breath brings you back to the moment. Thoughtfully looking at things in your surroundings or noticing sensory input can be an effective tool as well. The key is the intention and awareness behind the action. 

For directed grounding exercises check out the following… 

 

• Box Breathing (Healthline)
• 5-4-3-2-1 (The Blissful Mind)
• Basic Breathing For Stress Management (Harvard Health)
• Self-Compassion Meditations (with Kristen Neff)

 

Social Connection 

Positive social cues are good for your physical health. Warm connections lead to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system reducing stress. This is often referred to as co-regulation of the nervous system where healing takes place. 

So, connect with others by… 

• getting together with a friend.
• calling your loved ones.
• using video calls to be face-to-face with those who live at a distance. 
• texting someone you’ve been thinking about.
• smiling at those you walk by through the day.
• getting to know your co-workers.
• joining a club or organization (book club, sports team, religious organization, etc.)

 

Enjoyable Activities

Choosing life-giving activities that you can engage in every day will offset some of the stress in your life. 

You might want to…

• snuggle up with a book.
• go for a walk.
• take deep breaths of fresh air. 
• listen to bird noises or other natural sounds.
• lay on the floor stretching.
• play with a pet.
• savor a small piece of dark chocolate.
• sit in silence. 
• listen to music.
• spend time with those you enjoy.
• get a drink of water or make a cup of tea. 

For more information check out Self-Care for Everyone.

 

 

Healthy Boundaries

Learn to consider what you are willing to give (financially, physically, and even emotionally) before making a commitment. Healthy boundaries that lower stress may look like…

• saying ‘no’ to a request for help.
• limiting the time you spend with certain people or activities.
• negotiating a more balanced approach to responsibilities at home.
• refusing to loan items or money.

After consideration, you may find that you need to learn how to say “no” to others without feeling guilty. Practice saying it in the little things first with people you feel safe. And remember, you don’t have to explain yourself.

 

Practice Gratitude

Feelings of gratitude are good for our brains, activating the hypothalamus and flooding us with the feel-good hormone dopamine. Studies have found it decreases the stress hormone cortisol and lowers your blood pressure.

By placing our attention on things that bring us pleasure we can cultivate gratitude in an authentic way. You may feel gratitude for...

• basic needs being met (home, food, electricity, water, clothing, etc.)
• living in a safe area
• having family or friends
• working at a job that provides for yourself and/or your family
• fresh air and time in nature
• items that bring you comfort or joy
• opportunity for growth

For more ideas on gratitude check out Creating a Gratitude Practice.

 

Perspective

When you are unable to change the stressors in your life, reframing the way you perceive stress may actually change its impact.

Shifting your perspective is not an easy thing to do, but may be possible if you...

• lengthen your time horizon (will you even remember this situation a year from now?)
• find things that you can control (it makes the experience seem less stressful.)
• break stressors into manageable pieces (take small steps that will lead you to the outcome you want.)
• recognize that stress isn't always harmful (your body’s normal stress response doesn’t mean a situation is actually dangerous.)
• change the way you think about a situation (when possible find the good in hard things.)
• embrace the benefits of stress (uncomfortable situations often bring growth. )

For more details check out this Wellness Challenge. 

 

Acknowledging Difficult Emotions

Pushing difficult emotions aside can have a negative effect on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It is important to allow yourself to lean into painful emotions and accept them without judgment. 

When you do this, know that...

• difficult emotions tend to come like a wave, so let them wash over you and then pass.
• the key is learning to lean into these emotions to the extent you are able to without dysregulating your nervous system.
• many people find working with a therapist allows them to more fully process their emotions, and provides them with resources necessary for emotional well-being.

For help dealing with difficult emotions, check Moving Through Difficult Emotions. 

Our current culture seems to thrive on stress, but our physical bodies don’t! What methods help you handle stress? Are there any practices mentioned above that you could try today?

Dr. Jamie

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