According to recent findings, stress keeps as many as one in every three Americans up at night. This comes as a byproduct of many economic, political, and personal issues that people are dealing with, but most commonly stress is a direct consequence of a busy work life. Unfortunately, fighting stress on an ongoing basis can be quite dangerous. The reason why is the fact that it increases blood pressure and may even lead to a heart attack.
Luckily, there are many solutions to someone’s stress-related problems. They include everything from living a healthier lifestyle to maintaining more positive thoughts.
So, what are some of the most common ways to combat the difficulties of the modern business world that bring stress?
1. Monitor Eating Habits
Many people fail to realize that their eating habits could be contributing to their stress levels. For example, drinking coffee during breaks will most likely increase someone’s anxiety due to the fact that it acts as a stimulant. The same is true of doing things like smoking or frequently drinking alcohol.
Instead, one should replace these habits with healthy meals and a plethora of water. Swap your break-room coffee for some green tea or water. Doing so may not seem like a major change at first, but it will undoubtedly improve quality of life in the long-run.
2. Get Enough Sleep
Another common reason that leads to stress is a lack of sleep. The problem, however, is the fact that many people fail to get enough sleep due to the stress they are already experiencing. Thus, it is sometimes a vicious cycle in which stress prevents sleep and the lack of sleep increases stress. This effect is compounded for those of us who are unable to “switch off” our brain at night and set aside the day’s project.
This is why it is important to stick to a fixed sleeping schedule that does not alternate every night. Doing so will help the body get used to the pattern and it may reduce the amount of insomnia. Another great solution is to sleep in an area where there are no reminders of stress. For example, if someone is bothered by the recent developments in the political spheres, they should not sleep near a television that displays this. People should also heavily consider turning off email notifications or leaving their phone on silent at night.
3. Be Physically Active
According to hormone specialists from 25 Again, when stress rises, so does the level of cortisol. For those unfamiliar, this is the hormone that increases awareness and leads to a spike in adrenaline. So, a great way to get rid of those access stimulants is to engage in physical activity. This can be any sport that one finds interesting and enjoys playing. Moreover, it can also be simple things like walking, jogging, swimming, riding a bicycle, and so on.
After a meeting take a quick walk around the office, or consider standing for periods of time in which you cannot leave your desk.
As with sleeping, however, it is important to establish a pattern that the body can get used to. Thus, engaging in physical activity should become a common daily endeavor.
4. Take Time Off
When someone has a lot of triggers that increase their anxiety and stress, it is important to take time off. This could mean anything from taking a short break every day to taking a long vacation and not dealing with work or other stress factors.
In case of daily breaks, people can do those by simply meditating for five minutes or taking a quick walk. Even though it seems as it would be hardly efficient, such small periods of rest will help the body recover. More importantly, it will alleviate some of the mental difficulty by shutting down all negative thoughts.
5. Learn to Relax
According to 25 Again, not knowing how to relax is one of the most common reasons why people fall victims to perpetual stress. In translation, those who are completely incapable of thinking about anything other than their problems will have a lower quality of life. For such individuals, consulting with a professional who might be able to diagnose their issues is important. After that, they might even be prescribed some medicine that will help them overcome their mental barriers.
While medication is a last resort, it may be an overall health boost since it can mitigate many of the dangers of a stressful life.