10 Stress Busters to Try Today

Perhaps now, more than ever in recent history, we need to employ habits that will reduce our stress and improve our mental and physical health. The following tips are easy to implement stress busters that you can work into your lifestyle today.

1. Meditate

Practiced for thousands of years, meditation is considered by many in the scientific and medical communities as mind-body medicine. When practiced regularly and correctly, meditation quiets streams of thought, alters brain waves, reduces stress, improves focus, and can help regulate emotions, reduce reactivity, and may even help with physical healing. There are different types of meditation and they are all worth exploring: Guided Meditation, Mantra Meditation, Mindful Meditation, Transcendental Meditation, Qi gong, Tai Chi, and Yoga. There are many apps available that make it easy to get started with whichever type of Meditation you choose. These apps will help you build a consistent practice, schedule time, provide reminders, and track your progress. A few of my favorites are Insight Timer (they have a free version and a paid version that includes Courses), Calm, Headspace, and Ten Percent Happier.

2. Get Good Sleep

A lack of good sleep is linked to a host of issues such as obesity, poor cognition, reduced productivity, low energy, muscle weakness, inflammation, depression, anxiety, emotional regulation, and increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. To say that sleep is important is an understatement-- it is essential. If you are struggling to get good sleep, here are my favorite sleep tips:

1. Turn off all visible lighting, hang blackout drapes, or use a face mask.

2: Use ear plugs for absolute quiet or a fan for ambient noise

3. Reduce your air temperature to around 65 degrees

4. Stop using or watching technology at least 30 minutes before bed

5. Take a warm bath before bed

6. Drink a glass of water and empty your bladder directly before bed

7. Do not consume alcohol for at least one hour before bed

8. Do not consume caffeine for at least six hours before bed

9. Do not consume food for at least one hour before bed

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3. Eat Better

A diet that includes plenty of health meals and snacks and avoids processed and fried foods should be a priority. An important part of reducing stress is ensuring you have energy to do the things required of you, that you feel mentally in control and physically well. If you are constantly rushed, it is easy to make poor food choices. Poor food choices tend to lead to weight gain, sluggishness, more stress and, eventually, depression. Meal planning is a great way to set yourself up for success and avoid those last minute fast-food runs. If that feels like too much of a commitment, start with with a liquid vitamin for better absorption or commit to reducing your meat and dairy intake with Meatless Mondays.

4. Move Your Body

Whether it is stretching before bed, a daily walk, a 45-minute yoga class, moving your body is key in increasing your endorphin and serotonin levels. The body's natural weapons against stress also combat depression, and anxiety. It's important to note that a healthy diet and good sleep are also important for maintaining healthy serotonin levels.

5. Declutter

Few things are more anxiety producing than clutter and disorganization. When your space is clear, your mind can be too. My tidying hack: Spend 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening tidying up. You'll be surprised how just 20 minutes a day can help you get clutter from piling up. For bigger jobs, pick one project per month to focus on. By scheduling the hall closet makeover on a calendar, you'll be more apt to follow-through.

6. Set Small Goals

When times are tough and you feel stuck, setting small, manageable goals that will serve your mind, body, and spirit can help you feel better AND provide a sense of accomplishment. Goals such as cultivating a meditation practice for 10 minutes every morning or drinking 6 glasses of water a day; committing to taking a daily liquid vitamin, stretching before bed, or even adopting Meatless Mondays. By keeping your goals small and manageable you increase the likelihood of completing them, allowing you to feel progress. And if you miss the mark one day or week, give yourself the grace to let go and try again.

7. Cultivate Acceptance

Accepting that we cannot control outside circumstances, only how we react to them, is a powerful and life-changing realization. If we can cultivate a willingness to let go of outcomes, other's thoughts, other's feelings, other's actions, we are effectively recognizing those things as separate from ourselves. While this can bring significant relief, there is another piece of the puzzle required for achieving peace, and that is self-acceptance. For more on this complicated and powerful topic I recommend Tara Brach's Radical Acceptance and Dr. Brene Brown's entire body of work.

8. Laugh

Is laughter the antidote to stress? Maybe. Research has shown that a good hearty laugh can relax the body and boost your mood for up to 45 minutes. Laughter also decreases stress hormones, and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. It's also good at diffusing anger which were most susceptible to when we're under stress and emotionally reactive.

9. Self-Care

Never underestimate the power of "Me Time". Create a self-care routine that includes small, manageable daily or weekly efforts like a nightly bath and a cup of tea; a weekly manicure and pedicure or regular luncheon with friends.

10. Connect

Humans need other human beings. We each thrive on human interaction to different degrees. While close get togethers may look different during the pandemic, we can still strive for meaningful connection. Perhaps that looks like regular video chats with friends and loved ones, an outdoor lunch with a co-worker, or a walk in the park with a friend. However you find connection, it's important that the interaction be one of substance where you feel like you are getting as much as you are giving.

Have a tried and true stress buster? Share it with the community by leaving it in the comments below.

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