1. Interact with others
A study that on163 young adults in college associated lower levels of support from friends and family with loneliness and perceived stress.
When you are stressed, your natural instincts may be to isolate yourself. Instead reach out to friends and family and make social connections. Social interactions is a good stress reliever and you will be surprised how people are willing to listen to you and provide support.
2. Exercise
A six-week study by 200 students in university of Manchester proved that participating in exercises significantly reduced overall stress. Exercise may sound counterintuitive since you have some pain but doing exercises recommended by your doctor doctor releases endorphins in your brain and help you feel better. Exercises can be simple as swimming or taking a walk.
3. Eat a healthy diet
Studies show that people who follow a diet high in ultra-processed foods and added sugar are more likely to experience higher perceived stress levels. Junk foods reach in fats and sugars can cause us stress physically and mentally. While we age it becomes important to eat anti-inflammatory foods like fish, fruits and vegetables while reducing meat and carbohydrates.
4. Sleep
Research demonstrates that lack of sleep renders you more emotionally reactive and more sensitive to negative stimuli therefore, our moods and stress are highly determined by whether you had enough sleep or not. The international sleep foundation recommends quality sleep of 6-9 hours and keeping steady routines.
5. Take time to breathe
Reduce stress by learning meditation and breathing exercises that help manage stress and reduce chronic pain. Learning how to keep your mind quieter can help you feel good all the time. Phycological studies prove that deep breathing exercises may help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the relaxation response.
6. Gratitude
Gratitude helps you to recognize all the things you have to be thankful for. Staying positive plays a big role. You can do this by writing things you feel positive about each day and hoping for the best in every situation. Studies show grateful people enjoy better mental health, lower stress, and a better quality of life.
7. Cut off vices
Sometimes, the best way to reduce stress is to cut off some things from your life. Limit things that contribute to stress to bring more peace to your mind.
This things include watching news, drinking alcohol and using social media too often.
