You’ve had a tough day at work but just when you want to relax, you’re faced with a pile of bills, an over-flowing laundry basket and arguing teens.
Before you know it, your stress levels have shot up and you’re about to snap.
Sound familiar? We’ve all been there.
According to a survey by the Mental Health Foundation, 81 per cent of women in the UK have felt so stressed recently that they’ve been overwhelmed or unable to cope.
Stress is a part of all our lives so how can we manage it better?
Psychologist and psychotherapist Kelly Watkins says: ‘In many ways, stress is useful. It’s our body’s automatic response to danger, trying to keep us safe. The trouble is that our brain can’t tell the difference between real threats and imagined ones. Whether we’re being chased by an angry tiger or having a fight with our partner, our body responds the same way going into a fight, flight or freeze response.
‘If this happens regularly, the effects can be damaging. Chronic stress has been linked to a weakened immune system, depression and even heart disease.’
It’s important to understand how you personally respond to stress. Are you argumentative (fight)? Do you find yourself physically or mentally withdrawing from the situation (flight) or perhaps doing nothing? (freeze).
Once you tune into your response, you can learn the best ways to tackle it.
Here’s how…
Engage your senses
Studies show that using our five senses can distract a racing mind when we’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
Kelly says: ‘Think about five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can feel, two you can smell and one you can taste. This reconnects your mind back to your body and is especially useful if you’re someone who goes into a freeze or flight response.’
Try box breathing
According to researchers, breath control is one of the best ways to quell our fight or flight stress response. Visualise four sides of a box. Inhale for four seconds along the first line, hold for four along the second, breathe out for four seconds along the third and hold again for four seconds on the fourth.
Cut the caffeine
You might swear by your morning fix, but studies show that caffeine exaggerates the body’s response to stress, elevating blood pressure and stress hormone levels.
Kelly says: ‘Caffeine imitates the symptoms of stress. Where your brain finds it difficult to differentiate between perceived stress and real stress, caffeine can send it into overdrive, increasing your heart rate and making your mind race. Try to cut back and don’t drink your first cup until later in the morning when your cortisol levels are naturally lower.’
Go green
Do you live near a park? A recent study has found that taking a 20-minute stroll or simply sitting in nature significantly lowers stress levels.
Kelly says: ‘Nature is a great tool to stop stress levels from spiralling. If you can’t get outside, have lots of plants or flowers inside your home. Studies show that active interaction with plants, such as touching or smelling them can reduce psychological and physiological stress symptoms.’
Get moving
When you’re het up, working out is the last thing you fancy doing, but scientists have found that regular aerobic exercise lowers the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline.
Kelly says: ‘As soon as we start moving, the chemicals in our brain shift, making us feel less under threat and more able to cope. The next time you’re feeling stressed, do some yoga or go for a brisk walk and see the difference it makes.’
Progressive muscle relaxation
Research shows that relaxing your body can also relax your mind.
Kelly says: ‘Starting with your face, work your way down your body, tensing your muscles, one by one, for eight seconds and then releasing them. It works well for anyone who finds their body physically going into fight mode, with their muscles tensing, when they’re feeling stressed.’
Think about stress differently
The next time you’re going for a job interview and you feel your heart thudding, instead of feeling threatened, see it as your body getting energised and ready to meet the challenge. If we think of stress as helpful instead of harmful, we immediately feel less stressed.
Edited by Stephanie May