Top 10 Ways to Reduce Mental Stress

Life can be stressful at times. Stress is common and it seems to impact the lives of most of us. When you are stressed, your body suddenly releases hormones that provide extra energy, focus and strength. It is your body’s response to deal with danger in their environment. This is called fight-or-flight response. It describes two types of reactions; ‘fight’ means to react and ‘flight’ means to retreat. Stress is not always a bad thing. A slight increase in the level of stress can boost your performance and motivate you towards your goal. But too much stress can lead to mental health issues such as Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep problems. Students, homemakers and professionals, all of them suffer from stress. The study shows that Indian Professionals suffer higher stress level than most workers globally. You cannot avoid stress and its impossible to get rid of all of your negative thoughts, feelings and life situations. But you can try to make small lifestyle changes that may help lower the levels of your stress hormones. Here are 10 Scientifically proven ways to reduce Stress: 10. Spend More Time with Friends and Family Research shows that spending quality time with friends and family makes a big difference when it comes to coping with stress. Daniel Gilbert, a Harvard happiness expert, explains that while money wont buy happiness, it is a significant investment to spend time with those you love. According to a Carnegie Mellon University study, people who spend more time with family and friends have better-coping strategies when managing stress. They use their social network as a stress buffer. So how do friends and family help us to cope with stress? As the saying goes – “a problem shared is a problem halved”. Having someone to talk to is good for your mental health. Talking with someone who listens and understands you will make you feel better instantly. So try to be around supportive people so that you feel more confident and happy. 9. Feed Your Good Gut Bacteria Stress and Anxiety are related to gut dysbiosis. High levels of stress can weaken your immune system which leads to gut dysbiosis. Gut dysbiosis means there is an imbalance of micro-organisms in the intestines. Probiotic and Prebiotic foods help to reduce cortisol levels. Include prebiotic foods like onion, garlic, asparagus, apples and green bananas in your diet. Also take fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, cheese, sourdough etc. Eating such foods can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn helps to lower your stress hormones. 8. Set Priorities You should decide what are the things that is more important to you and try focusing on it. Sometimes you might struggle to do more than one task in a day. In that case you can seek help from others to do the task which you have given least importance and that can be both at your workplace or at your home. When you have an appropriate time schedule for all the tasks and when you follow a routine to get them done, then this will help you to manage stress effectively. 7. Spend Time in Nature Spending time in nature can give you happiness and peace of mind. But in our busy lives, we don’t always get time to enjoy nature. According to a study in the April 4, 2019,Frontiers in Psychology, it is said that spending just 20 minutes connecting with nature can help lower stress hormone levels. So always try to take a small break from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives to enjoy nature. It can do wonders for your mental health. 6. Prioritize Sleep Sleep is a powerful stress reducer. Adequate sleep helps your body to naturally reduce the levels of cortisol and other stress hormones. Cortisol is responsible for your fight-or-flight response to danger. Excess cortisol levels in your body can lead to cardiovascular diseases in future. Lack of sleep make you tired and you may go for more caffeine drinks which will lead to increase in cortisol levels. This will make things worse. People after having a good night’s sleep tend to stay calmer even in a negative situation, so try to get at least 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Share on Pinterest New Research suggests that getting deep sleep is a natural way to ease anxiety and stress. 5. Limit Your Caffeine Caffeine is the most commonly used drug in the world. Small levels of caffeine can benefit you. It is said that if you consume caffeine before exercise, it can boost your performance and lift your mood. But high amount of caffeine can have a negative affect on your health. It can increase sugar cravings, keep blood sugar high and increase cortisol levels. As you know, anything in excess can be dangerous so limit your caffeine intake. According to Dr. Karla limiting the intake of caffeine assists in maintaining autonomic hygiene, allows relaxed sleep and reduces stress levels. 4. Avoid Over-exercising We all know that exercise is very important for all of us. Physical exercise improves muscle strength, is good for your heart, enhances your immune system and helps to prevent certain mental illnesses. With regular exercise you can feel better, live better and look better. Nowadays more people are health conscious and more into fitness. Some are obsessed with fitness. But what if you over-exercise? Over exercising can lead to serious health problems in us. “Over exercising is counterproductive and can actually be dangerous to your health”, says David Miranda, a physical therapist. As the saying goes, “ Even if it’s the divine nectar, when consumed in limits beyond what is necessary, will act as a poison”. So it purely means that everything should be done within the limits, if it goes beyond the limits, it is going to be dangerous. Over exercising is actually making your body to produce more cortisol levels and it stresses your body out. Try to involve in moderate physical activity everyday for at least an hour. Don’t overdo it. 3. Learn to Accept Change as a Part of Life Life is so unpredictable. You never know what is going to happen next. Nothing is in your control and some situations in life can never be changed. Lowering your expectations, accepting that you can’t change certain things, and keeping a positive attitude can help you cope with stress. 2. Take a Yoga Class Yoga is widely recognized for its stress relieving benefits. It gives us both physical and mental benefits. Yoga teaches us breathing techniques like Ujjayi breath, meditation like Yoga nidra, asanas etc, which can help our body and mind to stay calm. Daily 20-30 minutes of yoga practice can reduce cortisol levels in the body, helping you to manage stress and improve sleep. Yoga has helped a lot of people to overcome different issues related to their life. Research shows that yoga helps to reduce stress and anxiety. It can help all age groups, so take a yoga class to stay calm and happy. 1. Create Boundaries and Learn to say NO For some of us creating boundaries and saying NO can be difficult. You don’t have to agree to the things which you don’t like or do things which you don’t want to. Stop caring what others will think of you. Try not to be a people pleaser and learn to say NO more often. Learn to draw a line or boundary especially with people who gives you a negative energy. Consider what you value the most and do things which makes you happy. It is ok to put you first and be selfish sometimes. Remember that setting boundaries is important both in your personal relationship and workplace for mental well-being. Conclusion You need not try to change your lifestyle all at once. Start small and try to add one new habit each week or month. Taking one step at a time and incorporating all these habits slowly can make you a calmer and a stress-free person.