Life can get stressful and, at times, difficult to handle. From big stressors like relocating to different states and changing your job to daily stressors like unexpected deadlines and forgetting to grab your lunch on the way out the door, stressors occur often and at random. With a little understanding about managing stress and how stress affects your body, you can more easily manage your stressors and, oftentimes, even prevent them!  

When you feel stressed, your body goes through a series of hormonal changes.

The insulin in your body becomes off balance, as do the levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which in turn can cause a rapid heart rate as well as an increase in your blood pressure. Some other side effects of stress may include bloating, hair loss, and difficulty sleeping. One great tool for managing and reducing stress is to practice self-care. A lot of stressors in our life can be eliminated or decreased by following a simple routine that puts our health and wellness first. Read on for a few tips to help you manage the stress in your life!

1. Tap into intuitive eating!

Honoring your health with gentle nutrition by fueling your body with foods that nourish and satisfy you is one of the most important things you can do, not only to ease stress, but also to balance the hormones in your body and ensure your body is receiving an adequate amount of nutrients daily. Tune into how you feel after you eat different foods and lean into eating more foods that make you feel good. Food fuels your body. Eating a primarily unhealthy diet will leave you feeling rundown and may even affect organ function. (To learn more about intuitive eating, check out https://www.intuitiveeating.org/.) 

2. Find time every day to do something just for you.

Relaxation is a great way to decompress after a tough day. Consider turning off the television and heading outside for an evening walk. If the weather is unappealing, try meditating or reading a book indoors. A hobby such as painting is also a great way to relieve your stressors through art and release the tension in your body. 

3. Take your vitamins.

Oftentimes, our bodies are missing key nutrients that can cause minor hormone imbalances. However, when vitamin deficiencies are coupled with added stressors in your life, your stress becomes a far greater problem. High-quality vitamins and probiotics are an excellent way to help combat the effects of stress and go hand-in-hand with a mindful diet.

4. Get enough sleep.

Sleep deprivation is a leading cause of excessive stress in your day-to-day life. The average adult should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. If you are barely getting by with enough shut eye, your body is working twice as hard, and your stressors are amplified. Take a midday nap, drink some herbal tea before bed, and aim to be in bed with enough time to get at least 7 hours of rest.

Stress doesn’t have to limit your daily life.

I think you’ll find that by making these simple yet effective changes to your lifestyle, your body will be better equipped to process stress and handling daily stressors will be far less challenging and less damaging to your overall health and wellness. 

Take my FREE stress quiz today to find out if you’re stressed and a mess or cool as a cucumber!