Stress Management 101

Posted on 28 September 2007

I frequently deal with life coaching clients that are in a permanent state of high stress. Stress is an insidious and destructive condition yet there are some surprisingly easy methods to bring it under control. I must stress (pun intended) that it is important to look at the underlying causes and try and treat them, but in the meantime there are several things that you can do to help reduce symptoms and make you feel better.

So before you pay to see a life coach or a stress management specialist, see if you can’t help yourself out with these simple tips:

1. Breathe properly. Too many people breathe shallowly and rapidly and from the upper chest area rather than from the diaphragm. Take a few moments to check your breathing, is your stomach rising first and then your chest? If not, take some time to practice this. Breathe in deeply and slowly through your nose. Hold the breath for a moment on the top of the inhale and then exhale slowly and evenly making it about 50% longer than your inhale. It may feel awkward at first but you will soon get the hang of it.
2. Cut down on caffeine. Any stimulant such as caffeine will prompt the heart to beat faster and the person to become more ‘wired’ This in turn leads to more rapid breathing and potentially a resultant increase in anxiety and stress. We are a society addicted to caffeine yet it has few redeeming features.
3. Reduce your alcohol intake. Sorry to be a killjoy!. Alcohol is a depressant and whereas it may make you feel better at the time it will not help you reduce stress the following day and will actually have the opposite effect.
4. Take time out. This is absolutely imperative. Take time for yourself to relax. 20 to 30 minutes meditation per day can have incredibly positive results. Accept that there will always be stuff in your in tray and try to spend a little bit of time ‘in the moment’ Just chill!
5. Eat more healthily. Try and keep all those saturated fats and processed and refined foods to a minimum. Also, drink plenty of water. Water is a great way of reducing acidity in the body and flushing out all those toxins.
6. Get some exercise! Have you ever felt down or stressed after doing sports or working out? Of course not it’s almost physiologically impossible. Exercise releases endorphins, lowers stress and promotes good health that will help your immune system keep you fit and healthy.

 

Clients sometimes tell me they do not have the time to do all this. I then ask them if they would have time to spend in the hospital if they had a heart attack or a stroke. It kind of gets the message over. This is your health we are talking about, so just do it.

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