Stress isn’t just a malady of the mind, but a condition that can wrack your whole body and set you down the path of some serious health issues. Lengthy periods of stress have been linked to depression, heart disease, sleep problems, weight gain, you name it. But in these challenging times, are these panicked feelings actually avoidable? After all, work isn’t optional and neither is dealing with life’s constant twists and turns.
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Fortunately, there are a few methods you can use to help lower your stress levels and hit the brakes on a potential health problem (and none of them involve burying your head in the sand). We’ve compiled six tips that could help you combat anxiety, survive panic and see the brighter side of life again.
1. Kill Stress with Kindness
Good things come to those who, well, do good things. And we’re not just talking about acts of charity. While those certainly help, small doses of kindness in your day-to-day life have been shown to minimise stress. A Yale University of Medicine study found that small gestures like tagging in to assist a colleague with a particularly difficult task, helping someone carry their shopping or just a friendly “hello” can help reduce your stress levels almost instantly.
2. Plant the Seed for Less Stress
If your desk is a barren wasteland of scribbled notebooks, printed spreadsheets and empty takeaway containers, you’re missing out on some serious stress-busting real estate. A 2019 study by the University of Hyogo found that those who spent time taking care of table-bound planters were able to reduce the effect of workday worries. Even just looking at your leafy friend could help bring down your stress levels.
3. Unleash Your Inner Animal
… or at least spend time around them. A 2020 study reviewed participants’ stress levels after taking a leisurely stroll through a lemur enclosure. Those who spent time around these animals noted significant improvements in their mood after concluding the escapade.
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While your dog or cat might not be as exotic as these rainforest inhabitants, taking a break to cozy up with your pets during the workday could help give you the mental boost you need to power through the rest of your schedule.
4. Take a Sip to Reduce Stress
Even mild dehydration can elevate your anxiety levels and leave you feeling tense, according to a study in the Journal of British Nutrition. So, if you’re waiting until you’re completely parched before reaching for the water bottle, you might be causing yourself unnecessary hardship. According to the Cleveland Clinic, you should be aiming for just shy of four litres of H20 per day. Although you should be prepared to drink more if you’ve logged a strenuous exercise session, it’s a hot day or you’ve been knocking back beers.
5. Reframe Your Feelings
We treat anxiety like a bad thing, and that’s only natural. After all, it can feel like a massive punch to the stomach, robbing us of our enthusiasm for the hours ahead. But research has shown that there’s a powerful tool you can use to leverage the power of anxiety to push you further. The trick? Try to think of your anxious feeling as excitement. This can be difficult when you’ve been coded to perceive your growing fears as, well, growing fears, but with practice you may start to see the silver linings.
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Anxious about how much work you have on your plate? Think about each item on your to-do list as an opportunity to crush tasks, prove yourself and have purpose during your day. Building excitement around things you usually dread can soften the blow of your stressful feelings.
6. Just Breathe
Many of us don’t concentrate on your breathing, letting our body automate this function that’s vital to our survival. But taking a second to home in on the rise and fall of your chest, the long exhales of air and the sound of your breaths as they keep you ticking could be the centering moment you need to survive panicked moments. A 2010 study from the Southern Methodist University found that doing simple breathing exercises just twice a day could be enough to soothe feelings of panic associated with particularly stressful periods. Apps such as Insight Timer will take you through guided exercises.
7. Spend Time With Your Pup
Or your cat, hamster, you name it. Research the State University of New York at Buffalo found that spending time around a pet provides more stress relief than being around a two-legged companion. Did we really need a study to tell us that?
8. Blast the Tunes
According to a study at Pennsylvania’s Wilkes University, listening to music can drastically slash your stress levels (and even help reduce your risks of picking up the common cold). Genre? Doesn’t matter. But some research has found downtempo, ambient tracks could help you chill out harder.
9. Sweat Away Stress
Expletives may pack therapeutic qualities helping you stay calm AF. Researchers at Keele University found that those who let loose with their F-bombs in a stressful sitch performed better than those censoring their lingo. Why? Swearing is an evolutionary stress safeguard; no wonder it’s endured for centuries.
10. Boot Up a Game
Or more accurately: play Tetris. According to research published in PLoS One, spending just half an hour jamming this classic vidya game can help distract your brain enough to leave stressful memories in the dust. Bust stress right now by booting up a brick-busting session right HERE.
11. Try This Power Move
The right reps can help ease stress fast. Do this move for one minute, repeat 3 sets on each leg:
- Stand upright with dumbbells at your side, palms facing your body.
- Lunge forward as far as you can with your right leg, bending your trailing knee so it almost brushes the floor.
- Use the heel of your right foot to push your upper body back to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite leg.
