When left untreated, stress can have a detrimental effect on your health and well being and symptoms of stress can become debilitating. That is why learning how to manage your stress and developing healthy, effective coping mechanisms is key to combating stress & leading a healthy, happy life.
Exercise
Not only is exercise a great way to burn off stress-related jitters or energy, it also produces feel-good endorphins which will boost your overall mood and promote a sense of happiness and well being.
If you are experiencing stress and have a lot on your mind, exercise is a great way to clear your head - as you often divert your attention from your thoughts to your bodily movements when you are focused on your exercising. It is also great for your physical well-being!
Eat a Balanced Diet
Like with most aspects of health and wellbeing, assessing your current diet is a great starting point for stress management. You may wonder how the two are related but studies have suggested a link between adrenal function (the production of the ‘stress hormone’ adrenaline) and blood sugar levels.
Therefore, to manage stress you should always try and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. You can do this by avoiding skipping meals, eating protein-rich foods and reducing your consumption of refined/processed foods, caffeine and alcohol. Eating a diet rich in whole grains, healthy fats, vitamins and nutrients will help you feel like the best version of yourself, to feel more capable of managing stress.
Practice Gratitude
Practising gratitude is a quick and easy way to help reduce stress and anxiety, while also enhancing feelings of positivity, well-being and happiness. Focusing on gratitude helps to shift the mind away from negative thought processes to focus on the positive.
If you are completely new to gratitude, we would suggest starting out by making a list each day of things you are grateful for. They can be anything: a catch-up with a friend, your morning coffee, the sunset - all the small things still count! The more you practise gratitude, the more your sense of satisfaction and well-being can grow, helping you steer away from the stress and anxious thoughts that may have previously preoccupied your mind.
Try Meditation or Journalling
If you are struggling with stress management, both meditation and journaling can be extremely beneficial. As they are so accessible, literally anyone can practice these habits using things they already have at home!
There are lots of free online videos and apps available which offer guided meditations, with a huge variety of styles available. Meditation helps to calm the mind and is effective in reducing stress - we have a whole blog on the benefits of meditation which you can read here.
Journaling is another tool you can use to manage stress, and all you need is a pen and paper (or a computer if you prefer to type!). You can now find self-care and wellness journals pretty much anywhere, which come with handy prompts which are great for beginners. Or you can just go with the flow and jot down your thoughts and feelings to help you to better understand stressful events, process emotions and clear your mind of jumbled thoughts.
Get Outdoors
You are probably familiar with the idea of ‘getting fresh air’ when you are anxious or stressed but studies have actually found that being outdoors is linked to a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol and a slower heart rate.
Getting outdoors in the lighter months will also increase your vitamin D intake, plus going for a walk or a run outside will produce endorphins and help to lift your mood. Even if it is just for half an hour, try and get outside and get active and feel all the stress-busting benefits for yourself.
Incorporate Supplements Into Your Daily Routine
Investing in products designed to enhance mood and well-being alongside your natural stress-management methods like exercise and diet can help to further reduce stress and anxiety. Our Puro Mood & Mind bundle includes 3 high quality stress supplements designed specifically for energy, relaxation, stress and anxiety and the customer reviews speak for themselves!
We hope you have found these stress management methods and tools helpful, especially if you are seeking a more natural approach to enhancing your sense of calm and wellbeing. Of course, we would always encourage anyone who is seriously struggling with stress, anxiety or other mental health concerns to contact their GP or a health professional and seek help as soon as possible.
