Reduce Stress asap
It seems the American Dream has turned us all into constantly moving, stress zombies. Many of my clients talk to me about how stressed they are, and about how they feel this level of stress is inevitable in 2023. No one seems to be getting enough sleep, no one seems to have enough time to relax, and almost everyone seems to be desperate for a change.
At the end of 2022, 37% of Americans rated their mental health as “fair” or “poor,” which is an increase from the year prior. This means that over a quarter of us (and I’d imagine this is under-reported) are suffering from the demands of every day life. According to the American Heart Association, stress can affect your health in all of these ways:
anxiety
headaches
depression
sleep problems
weight gain
memory and concentration issues
high blood pressure
heart disease and stroke
digestive problems
So what do we do? For most people, it isn’t possible to take a Caribbean vacation or quit their job on a whim for a more enjoyable one. Most of us are stuck with what we’ve got, so how can we lessen these stress levels that are negatively impacting our mental and physical health?
Play outside with bubbles. Or chalk. Or a tiny plastic pool. Basically, I want you to engage in an activity with no desired outcome. No technology allowed! Unstructured play has been found to reduce stress, increase creativity and boost mood. One study found that creating art for 15 minutes significantly reduced cortisol (your stress hormone.) Dig down deep, find your inner child, and play.
Put your phone down. We spend so much time scrolling on our phones, watching the lives of others, that we are missing our own lives. It feels as though we know many influencers and celebrities intimately, and yet, many of us don’t know the first names of our next door neighbors. I’d suggest leaving your phone behind sometimes. We live in an age in which we are always reachable, which makes us feel as though we have to be responsive 24/7. This hinders our ability to stay in the moment, as well as our ability to hold our connections with others as valuable. Instead of an intentional, thoughtful conversation with a friend, we shoot off a quick text and go about our days. Nothing is sacred if everything is.
Every time you write a to do list, write a gratitude list alongside it. I know, I know, gratitude lists are so cliche, but things tend to be cliche for a reason- because they are tried and true. We can’t do away with our to do lists; we are all adults with necessary responsibilities. What we can do is remind ourselves how lucky we are. Yes, we all have things to do, and yet, how beautiful is it that we have this gift of life? This bright sun? These people who we care so much about? It is crucial that you learn the art of intentional appreciation of the ordinary.
Keep it simple. Many articles about reducing stress will encourage various green smoothies and elixirs and workout regimens and books that must be read and habits to stack and things to do and suddenly the article about reducing stress has increased your stress with a brand new to do list. What I’m offering to you is the opposite. Stop trying to do all of the things. Pick a couple things you enjoy and put your heart into those. Other than that, slow down. Watch a sunset, play with a dog, go for a walk, have a cold glass of water.
References
American Heart Association: To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. www.heart.org. (n.d.). https://www.heart.org/
Americans anticipate higher stress at the start of 2023 and grade their mental health worse. Psychiatry.org - Americans Anticipate Higher Stress at the Start of 2023 and Grade Their Mental Health Worse. (2022, December 21). https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/americans-anticipate-higher-stress-at-the-start-of#:~:text=More%20than%20one%20in%20four,percentage%20points%20from%20last%20year.
Proyer, R. T. (2013). The well-being of playful adults: Adult playfulness, subjective well-being, physical well-being, and the pursuit of enjoyable activities. The European Journal of Humour Research, 1(1), 84–98.