Managing Stress
Have you ever found yourself feeling overwhelmed? I know I have. Sometimes situations pop up that are beyond our control and it can feel scary and overwhelming. So what do we do to manage our stress when we can’t change the stressor?
Understand your body’s cues:
Our body will try to communicate with us that we are feeling stressed, even if we don’t realize it. It’s important to be attuned with our bodies so we can pick up on its signals. Here are some ways your body might be trying to talk to you:
Sleep changes. Maybe you’re not feeling rested when you wake up, and you’re tired all the time. Or maybe your sleep is not restful.
Headaches and body pain. Maybe you’re grinding your teeth without realizing it
Sore and tense muscles. Do your shoulders feel like they’re up by your ears?
Appetite or weight changes: in the short term, stress can decrease our appetite. But if the stress response stays activated long term, the increase in cortisol may cause “stress eating” and leave people craving comfort foods.
Feeling irritable: maybe you’re noticing you are more irritable than normal.
Racing thoughts
How does stress impact me?
Having a little stress isn’t always a bad thing. It can help us in potentially dangerous situations or push us to meet a deadline. But there are definitely times when stress can be not so good:
When our stress levels are elevated for long periods of time. Chronic stress can lead to anxiety (our body’s response to stress), depression, insomnia, etc.
It can impact overall well-being
Impacts our digestive system, cardiovascular system, and immune system.
So what can I do to manage stress if I can’t make what’s stressing me out change?
We know that when our stress response is activated for too long, it can be bad news. But we can’t always make what is stressing us out go away. So what do we do? What do you do when we’re faced with a stressor that we don’t really have control to change? There are some techniques you can use to manage your stress, even if you can’t change the stressor. Here are a few examples:
Journaling. This can be a great way to help get your thoughts on paper, and help you gain some insight. There are different kinds of journals, too, like bullet journals and gratitude journals.
Mindfulness. This is the practice of actively paying attention to the present moment. It can help you to become more aware of your thoughts and of the needs of our bodies. Being more in tune with your body means you can more easily pick up on those cues when you’re stressed.
Breathing exercises
Move your body! Regular exercise is a great stress management tool. Why does it help? Exercising boosts endorphins which are our brain’s feel good neurotransmitters. It can also improve your mood—increase self-confidence, help you relax, lower symptoms of depression and anxiety. It’s important to do something you love! That can be going on walks, yoga, dancing it out in the living room. Whatever makes you happy!
Get good sleep—keeping a consistent sleep routine
Reach out to friends and family
Spend some time outside! Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress symptoms.
We can’t always change the situations we find ourselves in, but we can try to manage the stress we feel. And that often starts with learning to identify when your body is trying to tell you that you’re stressed.
-Katy Miller, Intern