Exercise More
Whenever you’re feeling stressed, exercising may help. Studies have shown that working out two days per week significantly reduces stress and also improves your mood, while sedentary behavior may cause higher stress levels, bad mood, and sleep disturbances.
But, if exercising is not part of your routine, you can start with a soft activity such as walking or biking around your neighborhood. Bear in mind that choosing an activity that you enjoy may help you commit to it in the long term.
Have A Healthy Diet
You should know that everything we eat and drink affects every aspect of our health. Studies showed that people who eat ultra-processed foods and added sugar are more likely to have higher stress levels and consuming too much caffeine might increase feelings of anxiety and harm your sleep.
That is why it is important to have a healthy diet. You can start by reducing the amount of highly processed foods, beverages and coffee you consume and eating more vegetables, fruits, fish and nuts that have the nutrients needed to regulate stress and mood.
Minimize Your Screen Time
We know that our life is easier thanks to the many technological devices we use. However, findings in recent studies have shown that excessive smartphone use and spending too much time in front of screens can make our stress levels go up and even cause mental health disorders.
Too much screen time may also negatively affect sleep. So, consider trying to minimize the amount of time you spend looking at your phone, watching TV, or using your computer in order to reduce your stress levels and even have a better sleep.
Practice Self-Care
We had all heard the expression “Self-Care,” even more after the pandemic, but what does it mean? Self-Care can be defined as the practice of doing activities that you enjoy or that are relaxing to avoid stress. It simply means taking care of your well-being and happiness.
Setting aside time for yourself to practice self-care is an important – and simple – way that may help reduce your stress levels. Practicing a hobby, taking a bath, reading a good book, or doing yoga are some examples of activities you can do to treat yourself and relieve stress in the process.
Keep Your Friends And Family Close
Sometimes we take for granted the benefits we get from having a loving family and supporting friends. There are studies that suggest that people with lower levels of support from friends, family, and romantic partners may experience loneliness, depression and stress.
The love and support that family members and friends can give may help you get through stressful times. So, whenever you find yourself feeling stressed, try calling a friend or talking to your parents. You may feel much better knowing that they are there for you.