Stress is defined as “a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc.” Facing stress is inevitable and is a normal part of life that we all live with. However, being stressed all the time can lead to potentially dangerous health problems for our physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Every first Wednesday of November marks International Stress Awareness Day, which brings the opportunity to discuss healthy ways to tackle the stress in our lives. KPG Healthcare understands the stress and pressure the healthcare industry can place on its professionals, and we want to help by providing 6 ways to destress!
6 Ways to Destress for International Stress Awareness Day
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Identify your triggers
Take the time to think about what triggers stress for you. Work? Personal life? Relationship? Finances?
It’s important to take the time to uncover the root causes of your stress so you can prepare for the future. Circumstances won’t allow us to eliminate a stressor as a whole and that’s okay. There are ways we can better manage the stress before it consumes us.
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Exercise
Daily exercise can help improve your mental, physical and emotional well-being.
Exercise can mean many things to each one of us. Some may prefer to take boot camps, a walk, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga, water aerobics and so much more. There are options!
So, get outside, get that blood pumping and enjoy the many benefits of exercise!
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Paying attention to your mind and body
Our bodies are our temples, and we need to take care of them. This statement also applies to our state of mind for stress can have a negative impact on our thought process.
Daily meditation can help us get in touch with our bodies and discover what it needs or doesn’t need. Mediation allows us to focus on our breathing and our thoughts, which can help improve our mood and sleep quality.
Sleeping is crucial to our overall health, but stress can disrupt the quality of rest. Our bodies need between 6-8 hours of sleep per day, so it’s time we give our bodies the proper rest it deserves.
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Connecting with friends or family
The lack of connection and interaction with our loved ones during the pandemic impacted our health. We saw first-hand what isolation can do to our mental health.
Positive connections with friends or family have the power to turn a frown upside down. Through the pandemic, we’ve seen numerous creative ways for all of us to connect, destress and get a little sense of normalcy. A call, text or Zoom message can go a long way.
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Discover hobbies or activities
Every person has a special hobby or activity they love, so why not partake when you’re stressed.
Whether you’re trying something new or refining your skills, hobbies are activities that spark joy for you. If something should spark joy within you, why not participate to destress? Make the time for yourself and joy.
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Healthy diet
What we put into our bodies has a way of regurgitating back up as our emotions. What we eat matters for you, your body and your mind.
A healthy diet consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein and water. Highly processed foods or foods with high sugar content are NOT part of a healthy diet but can be consumed in moderation. These two types of food groups can deteriorate your immune and internal organ systems.