The effects of stress are not always visible. Over time, chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues as well as mental health problems like depression.
Becoming mindful of your stress and actively finding ways to combat it can stop adverse, long term effects on your heart. Start today with our 5 tips on de-stressing.
1. Keep a Stress Diary.
Dedicate a diary or journal to recording your stress. Each time you feel a surge of stress arriving, make sure you notice it, and take a moment to consider why you're feeling it. Record it in your journal giving it a stress rating between 1-10, and write down the reason. Can you identify any recurring triggers?
Personalised Tip:
Once you've recognised your triggers, you can start searching for effective coping mechanisms for each situation, so you can start to take control of your stress.
2. Time Management
One of the reasons for stress is feeling we have too much to do, and too little time. Try to write yourself a to-do list each day in order of priority, specifying what needs doing today, or what can wait till tomorrow or perhaps next week.
3. Move Your Body
Even if it's just for 5 minutes. The surge of endorphins can boost your mind almost instantly, and the focus shift from the task at hand can help to restore clarity when you return to it.
4. Me Time
At the end of a stressful day, note down the thoughts you need to pick up tomorrow, and then say goodbye to them until then. Allow yourself some me-time in whatever form that takes for you; a relaxing bath, a pamper session, or even just watching a few episodes of your fav show.
5. Talk it out
Speaking worries out loud has profound effects on our ability to cope and find solutions. If your stress is work related, consider calling a colleague to run through your concerns with and get them heard. Or you could speak to a family member or close friend to hear their thoughts and get some release.
Personalised Tip:
If you don't want to speak to anyone about your stress, just imagine what you would say to a friend if they came to you. Help yourself as you would do for a friend.
