10 Easy Ways to Manage Stress

If you have found yourself reading this article then you have stress. Everybody seems to suffer from stress nowadays. Some people think it is normal to constantly be stressed. Or it is a sign that you are productive. Below we will talk about what stress does to your body and why you need to find ways to manage stress.

What is stress? According to mental health experts: Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Stress is the body’s response to anything that requires attention or action.

Stress can take a toll on you physically and emotionally. Stress is caused by hyper stimulation or never slowing down. Pretty much everyone in today’s world. I will show you easy ways to manage stress.

When stress is left unchecked, we can have lots of negative effects. These effects can:

• Impair sleep
• Poor concentration
• Weaken immune system
• Make you irritable
• Headaches
• Poor Metabolism (weight gain or loss)
• Cause joint pain
• Cause panic attacks.

My blog is mainly about money…so you are wondering what stress has to do with money? As I always say, health is wealth. Out-of-control stress is not good for your health. This is why it’s so important for us to find easy ways to manage stress.

And the best part…It’s FREE!

Now that we know the negative effects of stress, let’s talk about the 10 Easy Ways to Manage Stress:

1. Exercise
2. Diet
3. Sleep
4. Meditation
5. Digital detox
6. Hydration
7. Hobby or Creative Outlet
8. Reading
9. Sunshine
10. Relationships

Exercise

Exercise is one of the easiest ways to manage stress. I a firm believer that walking is one of the best ways to combat stress. Check out my article about all the great reasons to walk daily.

Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins are your brain’s happy transmitters. A few minutes a day can boost your mood.

Find something you love to do. This could be walking, running, weight lifting, swimming, anything. Commit to a few minutes each day. See how you feel.

Diet

People are often surprised to hear that diet can affect their stress levels. According to researchers eating a healthy diet can help you mange your stress.

Eating an anti-inflammatory diet is a great way to manage your stress. This means eating less junk food and eating more real foods.

What are real foods? Real foods are foods without a long ingredient list. Examples include:

fish=fish

apple=apple

chicken=chicken

Eat a diet full of poultry, fish,meat, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and fiber-rich whole grains.

Sleep

I should have put sleep as the #1 way to manage stress. So many people don’t sleep long enough. Getting yourself on a good sleep schedule is so important. Our bodies need regular sleep to restore our body and mind. Everyone feels better after a good nights sleep.

Getting enough REM sleep is known to decrease stress. REM sleep is the cycle when you usually dream. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body does not enter the REM cycle. Without this, you will not be able to handle stress. Do you see the bad cycle here? Make sure to make sleep a priority.

Meditation

Meditation is another great way to manage stress. Some people think that meditation is for yoga retreats or hippies. Think again.

Meditation is basically breathing. Everyone can do that. There is research that suggests that there is a positive effect on breath counting and your mood.

An easy way to get starting is by finding a meditation app. There are tons of free apps. This can take as little as 5 minutes a day. It may sound cheesy, but it’s magic. Give it a try.

Digital Detox

We could all use a digital detox. Put away the screens. This includes your phones, tablets, and televisions. Reducing your screen time can help you manage your stress.

I find it is a good idea to turn off all devices at least an hour before bedtime. Read a book, meditate, anything. Your mind needs time to decompress. Give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

Hydration

This one sounds too good to be true. Making sure you’re hydrated is one of the easiest ways to manage your stress.

Studies have shown that dehydration leads to higher cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. The higher your cortisol levels, the higher your stress levels. This one is easy. Grab a water bottle and make sure you stay hydrated all day.

Hobby or Creative Outlet

Finding time for yourself can be difficult with our busy schedules. But making time for yourself is so important. Find a hobby or creative outlet that you enjoy. Do you like to paint, write, knit, crochet, garden, anything.

Spending creative time has been shown to help manage your stress.

Reading

I used to always say that I didn’t have time to read. Only on vacations. Reading can calm your mind. Reading is a great way to manage stress.

I try and read during my digital detox…right before bed. This is a great way to get your mind ready to sleep.

Do you see how easy it is to implement all these ways to manage your stress?

Sunshine

Sunshine is actually one of my favorite ways to manage stress. Sunlight increases the brain’s release of serotonin. Serotonin is a mood booster.

Get outside for a walk. Get outside and garden. Get some fresh air. What do you have to lose. You can incorporate several of the ways to manage your stress into one activity.

Relationships

I left this one for last, because it can be the most difficult. Many of us struggle with complicated relationships. Stress can be severely affected by your relationships.

Now is the time to find boundaries. Reassess some of your relationships. Do they bring you joy? Try and practice love, compassion, and forgiveness. You can usually fix a relationship with one of those three things.

Fixing your relationships can help you manage your stress.

We all have stress. We know what stress can do to our bodies. Now is the time to try and manage your stress. I have given you 10 easy ways to manage your stress. They are all free. Start implementing today!