Manage your STRESS

Tips on How to Manage/Reduce Stress in Your Life

Stress. What is it?

‍Stress is your body’s reaction to changes that require an adjustment or response. What is also known at your fight or flight response, stress results in the release of hormones that will prompt you to stay and “fight” or “run away and flee”. Your body is constantly assessing your environment and calculating your options for survival.

You will experience stress in many ways: from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. Stress can be both good and bad.

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Why it is Good.

In small doses, bursts of stress have its advantages. It can help motivate you and help to achieve daily challenges. Exercise is perceived as stress by your body. The more you exercise, the better your body becomes at dealing with physical stresses, which results in less cortisol being released. Having too much cortisol can lead to the breakdown of muscle and increase in fat. Other good types of stress are things that make you feel excited without feeling threatened or fearful. These types of stress keep us feeling excited about life and alive. 

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Why it is Bad

While stress is key for survival, having too much stress can be very harmful. Large amounts of stress can lead to weight gain, sleep impairment, weakened immune system, high blood pressure, increased anxiety, and depression. 

Overtraining can also lead to increased and unnecessary stress. While you may find working out is/can be relaxing and enjoyable, you could be adding stress to an already stressed out system. 

Symptoms of Stress.

-inability to lose weight
-inability to gain muscle/strength
-depression
-high blood pressure
-poor recovery
-difficulty sleeping
-chronic sickness
-no motivation
-anger, irritability 

How you can Manage/Reduce Stress.

-meditation/breathing exercises:
Take a few minutes to sit in a quite spot, take long deep breaths. Plenty of apps to guide you as well.

-proper time/priority management:
Plan your day, your top 3 priorities, you must do things, your meal times, etc.

-proper nutrition:
Balanced meals, enough water (half your weight in oz of O2), enough protein, eating slower, less grazing.

-proper sleep:
8 hours, cool room, dark room, fan or white noise, no screen 30min prior

-journaling:
Writing out your tasks for the next day, what you could have done better that day, what you are thankful for.

-working out (correct intensities):
Pushing through our workouts when feeling good, going for a walk or low intensity when you are stressed.

-slowing down, reducing priorities or obligations:
Similar to time management, but first realizing when you are over-extended and adjusting.

-getting out of a bad job/relationship:
Takes some planning, or at least some difficult conversations.

-reading:
To reduce stress, read for enjoyment. But, can also be for self-improvement if it does not add stress.

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Stress is almost impossible to avoid. But being prepared to handle it and having mechanisms to help control and fight it will lead to a more happy and healthy lifestyle. If you have any questions or want our help with dealing with stress in your life, please let us know!

- Coach Matt