It feels like every week we learn something new about stress, whether it’s the causes or impact, and that’s for good reason, because stress is thought to be one of the leading causes of both mental and physical health issues.
With symptoms that can pervade every aspect of your life, it can be difficult to know where to start tackling the issue. In today’s post, we provide 7 tips to start managing your stress issues.
Check in with yourself daily
Many of us know about the effects of stress, but fewer people actually recognise stress in our own life. Get in the habit if routinely asking yourself how stressed you feel and ask yourself whether you’re suffering from any of the known symptoms and signs of stress. Common signs and symptoms include:
- Snapping at people
- Less patience than is normal for you
- Eating more/less than you usually do
- Loss of interest in your usual interests and hobbies
- Poor sleep quality, waking frequently and taking longer to fall asleep
- Feeling on edge all the time
- Difficulty focusing and prioritising tasks
- Memory problems
- Getting more frequent viral infections, such as colds
Acknowledge it
It isn’t always easy to accept (even to ourselves) that we’re feeling stressed, but it is often the first step that we can take in helping ourselves. Accepting that you feel stressed, or that stress is contributing to physical symptoms, can be hard. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge that you are feeling the pressure.
Use mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of focusing attention on the ‘present’ moment. It is thought to reduce negative states such as anxiety and depression and (with practice) can be achieved by even children. The benefits of mindfulness include:
- Improved well-being. Being mindful makes it easier to notice life’s little pleasures and helps you to become more resilient to life’s negative events.
- Improved physical health. Mindfulness can reduce stress and help reduce blood pressure, improve sleep, reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and more.
- Improved mental health. Mindfulness is increasingly being used by mental health services to reduce the symptoms of depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety, obsessive compulsive dirsorder (OCD) and more.
Use movement
Did you know that just 20 minutes of activity can improve mood for up to 12 hours? All sorts of numbers have been thrown around in fact, but the one thing that’s consistent acrosss the articles I read, at least, is this…exercise improves mood.
If that wasn’t an excuse to do some activity, then I don’t know what is. If you’ve been inactive for a long time, or have pre-existing health issues, it would be worth talking to your doctor or specialist nurse first and then go gently until you build up tolerance.
The power of forgiveness
The Stanford Forgiveness project has demonstrated that forgiveness reduces stress, anger, and depression, and helps with feelings of optimism. It also supports our immune system, and reduces the risk of heart disease and chronic pain.
The power of kindness
This applies to yourself and those around you. In April of 2020, the Mental Health Foundation worked with YouGov to conduct an online survey of more than 4,200 UK adults aged 18 and over. It revealed that 63% of UK adults agree that when other people are kind it has a positive impact on their mental health, and the same proportion agree that being kind to others has a positive impact on their mental health. It’s a win-win.
The power of gratitude
Many studies have shown the link between being grateful, and elevated levels of positive feelings. Gratitude has been shown to decrease depression, increase resilience, improve sleep, decrease the risk of heart disease, and improve relationships. Taking time to express gratitude helps us slow down and focus on the present, and the positives.
The power of connection
Connecting with those we care about can have a buffering effect on stress. Supportive, positive relationships work both ways, and you can never underestimate the power of a phone call or a friendly chat.
The power of sleep
Try to establish a winding down routine; you have a morning one, so invest in a bedtime one, too. Switch devices off at least an hour before bed, avoid caffeine after 2pm, keep your bedroom cool, and have a notebook by your bed to write down any worries, ideas, or things to do, that pop into your mind.
Next steps
We offer hypnotherapy both online and face to face, as well as in your own home, if you’re a blue badge holder living within approx’ 10 miles of WF14 9ED.
To book, just send us your availability over the next 10 to 14 days and we’ll set up an initial consultation, to see how we can help you move on with your life:
- Use our online contact form.
- Via text/SMS to 07808 931714 if you’re inside the UK, or +44 7808 931714 if you’re outside the UK.
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About us
We are Hypnotic Universe (formerly Mirfield Hypnotherapy Centre) and we help you use the power of your own mind to achieve your goals, and live the life that you want.
Disclaimer
We do our best to provide suggestions based on our experience as hypnotherapists and using nationally recognised good quality health education material, such as that provided by the NHS (UK). Information contained on our site does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to replace medical advice. You should speak to your doctor about any health concerns that you have and before making any radical changes to your lifestyle and health and fitness goals, including your quest to reach those goals.
