7 Quick Ways to Deal with Stress
WHAT’S UP: Don’t want to wait until January 1st to make your health a higher priority? I’ve got you covered. Here are 7 quick and easy ways to deal with stress that you can do, right now, for your health and well-being. All natural.
Quick Ways to Deal with STRESS
1. Walk Barefoot (Grounding/Earthing)
We now have many studies that prove, using biomarkers, that walking or sitting barefoot on the earth reduces our cortisol levels.
If you are interested in learning the research, I recommend reading a book called Earthing: The most important health discover ever! by Clinton Ober, Stephen sinatra & Martin Zucker.
You will learn about studies that show how 40 minutes of grounding barefoot had a positive impact on a variety of biomarkers compared to hte control group who were ungrounding. These include:
- cortisol levels (p. 46), measuring by doing a spit test.
- white blood cell (p. 90), chronic pain (lower back/knees p 82 & 83).
- fewer formations of red blood cells associated with clumping and clotting (the ketchup-like blood of people with heart disease and diabetes) towards the direction of the consistency of wine (p. 125).
- blood pressure improving (p. 137).
You will also find fascinating infrared ‘before and after grounding’ images showing biological evidence of why grounding helps people with chronic pain (pp 81-86). Imagine how much money people would save if they knew they just had to take their shoes off every chance they got to experience some pain relief!
2. SkipPING/Jump rope for cardio
Another quick way to deal with stress is by doing some form of cardio. Some people love running, which is great. Wherever you are in the world, you can go out and run to decompress.
Others, like myself, find running a bit boring. If you are like me, and you like a bit more creativity and fun in a cardio work out, try skipping.
With the cost of a cup of coffee (or tea), you can buy a jump rope and exercise in a more fun way than just running. And you can jump rope anytime, anywhere.
Alternatively, you can make walking a daily self-care routine.
There are loads of ways you can build cardio into your day to release stress. Choose one that works for you right now, and commit.
3. STRETCH your body
A lot of jobs now adays are sedentary / office jobs. This can lead to a build of of muscle tension during the day.
Stretching is an easy way to release stress, any time during the day.
What you need is to value your health enough to make exercise and stretching part of your daily self-care.
4. Drink HERBAL TEA
I’m not talking about tea with caffeine in it like green tea or black tea.
Look for herbal teas, like chamomille tea, louiza tea (found in the Mediterranean), lavender tea, or roobois tea.
Drinking herbal tea to decompress in the evening is a great way to help your body relax and unwind.
5. Practice mindful walking
Next time you need to walk to get from ‘A’ to ‘B’, take a moment to notice details in your surroundings that you may not have otherwise spotted.
Are flowers blooming? What shapes, textures, smells, and colours do the leaves have that you are walking past?
Are there birds chirping? What does that sound like?
Is the sun setting? Are there any clouds in the sky? What does that look like?
6. Spend time in nature
New research from an interdisciplinary Cornell team has found that as little as 10 minutes in a natural setting can help college students feel happier and lessen the effects of both physical and mental stress.
New research published in a high ranking peer reviewed journal called Frontiers in Psychology in Psychology found that as little as 10 minutes in a natural setting can help college students feel happier and lessen the effects of both physical and mental stress. The article is called “Minimum Time Dose in Nature to Positively Impact the Mental Health of College-Aged Students, and How to Measure It: A Scoping Review”, and it was in published 2020.
So even if it’s just sit in a nearby park for 10 minutes a day, or to lie on the beach for 10 minutes a day, if you live by the sea, it can do wonders for your well-being.
Whatever access you have to the natural world, make the most of it.
Swap ‘shopping therapy’ and doomscrolling on social media with time in naturee. Then notice how much better you feel.
7. READ A BOOK
Last but not least, reading a book before bedtime is another evidence-based way of reducing stress.
According to a 2009 study at the University of Sussex, reading was found to reduce stress by up to 68%. As long as the book isn’t distressing, and it’s a literary novel that can distract you from the stressors of daily life, reading before bedtime can be a helpful stress management strategy.
Interestingly, getting lost into a literary world was found to work faster than other relaxation methods like drinking tea.
So next time you find yourself going on your phone before going to sleep, remember this research paper and consider swapping your phone with a nice book instead!
MEET ELENI
Eleni Vardaki (BA, PGCE, QTS, MEd, Advanced EFT Practitioner) is a therapeutic coach who specializes in stress, anxiety, and academic success. She works with adults as well as students who want her assistance on clearing their inner blocks to achieving their health-related, career-related, or academic goals.
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