Nobody likes the feeling of being stressed. But did you know high levels of stress can have huge consequences for your health and overall wellbeing?
Studies have shown direct correlations between living a high-stress lifestyle and health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and anxiety, even Alzheimer’s disease.
Here at Well Citizen, we believe that emotional health is just as important as physical health. While we all know the importance of eating well and exercising to care for your body, the path to taking care of your mental wellbeing sometimes feels less clear.
Here are our top five tips to de-stress your life, so you can live the healthiest possible version of yourself!
Meditation
Meditation is a big buzzword these days, and with good reason. It has been proven to decrease blood pressure, help alleviate anxiety, and increase productivity. Meditation may seem simple, on the surface, yet many people are intimidated by trying it for the first time.
However, meditation is for everyone! The key is to start small. Try spending five minutes a day meditating when you wake up in the morning, or before you go to bed. You can find hundreds of guided meditations on YouTube that are perfect for beginners. With practice, you can increase the amount of time. Keep in mind that meditation is just that: a practice. You do not need to be perfect. The key is to meet yourself where you are on that day and allow yourself a distraction-free space to focus on your thoughts and feelings.
Get Outdoors
There have been numerous studies on the advantages of spending daily time outdoors, particularly in areas where nature is abundant. Like meditation, outdoor activities like walking and running have been shown to help lower cortisol levels, thereby reducing stress. Additionally, getting your dose of vitamin D from the sun can help fight symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Take A Social Media Break
We’ve talked before about the potentially negative effects social media can have on your mindset and overall health. It’s true what they say: comparison is the thief of joy. When you are feeling stressed, it can be easy to use social media as a tool to zone out and relax. But it’s true what they say: comparison is the thief of joy. When you are feeling emotionally vulnerable, the last thing you want to do is put yourself in a position to compare yourself to others. Instead, try putting away the apps for a while, and focusing on real-life connections. Play a board game with family members, call a friend, or maybe curl up and relax with a movie. Social media will always be there, try to utilize it when you are feeling calm enough to interact with it.
Minimize Your Wardrobe
On the surface, this one may sound silly but have you ever heard of decision fatigue? It is a phrase popularized by journalist John Tierney, from his much discussed New York Times Article. The idea is that having to make many small decisions throughout the day (ex. What will I wear? What will I eat? When will I workout?), ultimately leads to an inability to process the larger decisions one has to make. The theory is that by giving yourself fewer choices to make, you can eliminate unnecessary stress and become more productive.
Minimizing your wardrobe is just one way to combat this, but it is a popular one. Minimalist wardrobes have been adopted by some of the worlds’ top thinkers; people like Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs have all admitted to keeping their wardrobe simple, because of this theory.
Interested, but not sure where to start? Check out this book by famous duo The Minimalists.
Practice Saying No
All of us, at some point in our lives, have fallen into the habit of saying yes to everything. When we live in a world where productivity is held up as the key to being successful, it can be tempting to say yes to every opportunity that comes our way. However, this can lead to burnout and high levels of stress.
Instead, practice prioritizing what is most important to you. Remember, it is not unkind or offensive to say no and set boundaries. In fact, doing so can help inspire the people around you to do the same!
No one has a perfect, stress-free life. But with these tips, you’ll be well on your way to reducing your daily stress levels and leading a more balanced lifestyle.
