Life in the 21st century comes packaged with stress. From working professionals in large corporates to students preparing for their final exams – stress is an inevitable part of life today. It is impossible to eliminate stress completely. However, the good news is – it can be managed and dealt with.
Stress is an unpleasant feeling of emotional, mental, or physical pain. It may be a result of challenges or thoughts that make one feel angry, nervous, or frustrated. In the short term, stress may be helpful as it is the body’s mechanism to avoid danger, and it also helps one meet deadlines. However, it becomes a problem when one encounters an overwhelming amount of stress over long periods of time. Too much stress for a long time can have negatively affect your overall health. Chronic stress can lead to major physical and mental problems like heart disease and diabetes, and it is of utmost importance to properly manage, if not eliminate stress.
In this blog, we share with you 5 easy tips to kick stress. These are general tips for everyone and are not to be substituted for Doctor’s advice. If you have a serious underlying health condition, it’s best you consult your Doctor or a certified Therapist.
1. Sweat it out!
If you have ever experienced “runner’s high”, you know the impact an intense workout session can have on your overall state of mind.
A runner’s high is a brief, but deep state of euphoria that follows an intense workout session, particularly a run. If you have ever felt like running a few more kilometres after completing your run, you have experienced runner’s high.
Physical exercise feels extremely good and can keep your stress levels under check. This happens because our bodies secrete “Endorphins”, which trigger a positive feeling.
If you are new to regular physical exercise, here are a few moderate aerobic exercises you can start with:
- Biking
- Brisk Walking
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Lawn Tennis
- Dancing
2. Take It Easy
Being rigid with yourself and beating yourself up for every little failure you encounter can lead to an extremely unhealthy state of mind. Holding on to unrealistic expectations is a recipe for stress. Accept your flaws, learn from your mistakes and be absolutely ok with being imperfect; for perfection is a man-made concept!
3. Write
Replaying scenarios in your mind can be overwhelming. Writing it on paper is a great way to cope with stress and similar emotions such as anger, sadness, and loss. A research reported in the journal Monitor on Psychology suggests that writing about your emotions can even help one heal from stress and trauma!
Writing breeds clarity. The activity can help you find meaning in your experiences, which can bring about a solution to the problems you are facing. Write your way to happiness!
4. Take Time Off
“Burnout” is a real thing. If you have been going through prolonged emotional, physical and mental stress (we all have been through it), you may experience a feeling of constant exhaustion, which is nothing but burnout.
A great way to deal with burnouts is to take some time off from whatever it is that is causing you stress. For e.g., if you are stressed at work, taking some time off and going on a holiday could help you return with renewed vigour. Sometimes, all you need is a break!
5. Regulate Your Sugar Intake
There is a famous quote that says, “Stressed spelled backwards is desserts.” This might not be the best quote to live by. An occasional doughnut or two are definitely a good way to celebrate. But it is also important to be mindful of your overall sugar intake, as anxiety and stress feed on sugar. Sugar weakens your ability to manage stress and it can increase your risk of developing depression.
A study conducted in 2017 found that increased consumption of sugar could lead to mood disorders in men and recurrent disorders in both men and women.
Replacing sugar with healthier alternatives can be a great way to start. You could use dates, fruits, honey, maple syrup, jaggery, etc instead of refined sugar. You could also explore the multiple sugar-free alternatives available in the market and see what works for you.
5. Bonus Tip: Consume Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha – the famous Indian herb (also called the King Of Ayurvedic Herbs) is known for is adaptogenic properties and has always been the go-to herb for managing stress and anxiety. The herb has been researched to help control mediators of stress.
The ability of the herb to manage stress is what motivated us to launch Zen Panda –an all-natural 1-A-day dose Ashwagandha that helps with stress reduction, improved memory and focus, and overall well-being. What sets Zen Panda apart is its sustained release formula, which provides all-day benefits of Ashwagandha with a low daily intake.
Conclusion
Stress can affect your overall mental and physical health, and chronic stress could snowball into a bigger problem if not dealt with. The purpose of this blog is to enlighten the reader on some easy ways to beat stress, and it is a gentle reminder that stress is manageable; just like every other problem, stress too has a solution.
If you want to manage stress and live life efficiently, a calm mind is of utmost importance. Nature & Thought’s Zen Panda can help you maintain a calm mind; order now to experience all-day stress support with the convenience of a single dose!
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