We all have certain things that get to us, and it’s safe to say we have all suffered from stress at one time or another in our lives. Life gets busy. We completely understand this, but it is important to know that stress over the long-term can be very harmful. It can cause physical, mental, and emotional aches and pains, and if that wasn't enough, stress can also be some of the indicating factors for depression, heart disease, weight fluctuation and many more.
The negative impact stress can have on our bodies and souls comes with a scarily long list. So listen to and trust your body — what is it telling you? It reacts to right and wrong better than your mind does.
The good news is that stress is a problem we can do something about. Here are ten ways to help manage your stress, so you can get on the path to living a healthy and balanced life.
It’s important to be aware of what stresses you out so you can build a relationship with your biggest stressors and manage the way you react to them. Understanding how stress manifests in your life is the first step to finding balance.
It’s simple, but it’s true: moving your body is a great way to combat stress. When you keep your body in good physical condition, you feel lighter, more energized, and your body is better able to cope with anything life throws at it.
Find what type of exercise you enjoy the most — maybe you like running, yoga, or a walk in the fresh air? whatever it may be, make it a thing and schedule it in.
Meditation is one of the oldest practices and best tools that we have at our disposal to counteract stress, and at Muna, we can’t recommend this practice enough. But if meditation is not your thing, simply finding time to pause for a minute and taking a few deep breaths can be enough to help improve how you’re feeling in any given moment.
Nourishing your body with the right nutrition will give you the energy you need to tackle daily life, and to help you combat illness, fatigue, and many other undesirable factors that life can throw at us, including stress. Stock up on nutritious food and practice mindful eating. ( This is a state of mind in which you acknowledge and manage your emotions around food).
Sleep is one of the biggest contributing factors to our overall health, yet it is often neglected or overemphasised. When you’re well-rested, you can approach stressful situations more calmly, with more focus, and with more energy.
Did you know that taking annual vacations has proven benefits to our health and wellbeing? Sounds awesome, right! But these benefits do not only come from multi-week, exotic getaways — small breaks are equally as important, and very nurturing for our souls! Even if it’s as small as going for a walk in your local neighbourhood or walking in a garden.
Many scientific studies have found that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience greater emotional wellbeing and physical health than those who don’t. Even the struggles life throws your way can come with some of the biggest lessons learned and give us opportunities to grow.
Saying out loud how you’re feeling — if you’re coping or not coping — can be very effective. Talking things through with a friend, colleague, or even a trained professional can help you work through the issues and sort them out in your head, find solutions to the problems and put everything into perspective.
A common cause of stress is having too much to do and too little time in which to do it. Be kind to yourself, and learn to say no.
Plants are more than just beautiful. They can also reduce stress and anxiety — particularly chamomile, jasmine, lavender, marjoram, and skullcap.
