WHY WE ARE GETTING STRESSED
Is stress getting overwhelming and impacting your productivity, concentration and everyday performance? Stress is something we all experience in our lives, and if the stress is short-term, it can be beneficial as it gives a boost to be more productive. But when the stress becomes long-term, that’s when problems start. Studies show chronic stress can lower the immune system, affect brain functions, moods, mess up hormones, cause weight gain and inflammation. So it’s important to get on top of long-term stress and to bring our minds and bodies more into balance.
The reason why we often feel stressed is that we are either living in the future or in the past. We stress about the endless to-do lists we need to smash through, or we stress about what might happen in a certain event in the future. If it’s not the future we are stressing about, then we dwell on events that happened in the past. The reality is that the future hasn’t happened yet, and we can’t change the past. So the trick to reduce stress is to get more in balance and be present, with what is happening now around us. Easier said than done, right? Next, let’s dive into how we can do this.
REDUCE STRESS BY MOVING THE BODY
If you are feeling highly stressed, sitting down and trying to meditate may not work for you at that particular moment. Getting the body moving and burning off the stress hormones may be much more effective, as the movement calms down the nervous system and the physical stress reaction in the body.
A walk in the fresh air (especially in nature), yoga, and light exercise like a bike ride or jogging are simple ways to lower stress. When you experience high levels of stress, it’s not recommended to do full-on training and lift heavy weights, as it may end up causing more stress to the body and mind, leaving you feeling more exhausted.
LOWER STRESS BY DOING BREATHING EXERCISES
Breathwork is a powerful tool to help fight against stress. Often when we are stressed, the breathing gets shallow and we hold our breath reducing the oxygen flow into our brain and other parts of the body. You may notice your chest getting very tight when you are stressed and not breathing properly.
A great way to reduce stress is to connect to your breath and do breathing exercises that help to calm down your parasympathetic nervous system. The simplest way of doing this is to take long, deep breaths in and out through your nose. This is a breathing technique I use throughout the day if I notice that stress is trying to creep in, for example, when I stuck in traffic and running late.
Box breathing is another great and easy breathing technique, which helps you to calm your nervous system. See the instructions for box breathing on your right.
I start my day by doing intermittent hypoxia breathwork for 10-15 minutes before having breakfast. I’ve noticed a massive change in my energy levels and productivity since I started doing breathwork on regular basis every morning. My day starts in a calm state, energy levels are higher, my mind is sharper and more focused.
BOX BREATHING
MANAGE STRESS WITH COLD WATER IMMERSION
The most effective stress management method I have found is cold water immersion. Once I started swimming in cold water on a daily basis, I noticed that my stress was gone, and I felt overall much happier and energetic. The science behind this says that when you immerse yourself in the cold water, the body starts producing endorphins, which are happy hormones. You may find yourself giggling like a schoolgirl if you stay in the water long enough and get into the natural high state.
You can have cold showers if you don’t have access to a cold plunge pool or a cold lake/ sea. So, if you find yourself feeling tired and stressed out, test how getting into cold water makes you feel. The idea of getting into cold water usually is not very tempting, but the feeling you get afterwards is worth the pain of getting into the water.
To sum it all up, if you are feeling stressed, get your body moving, connect with your breath, get into the present moment, and try cold water immersion. If you are suffering from a long-term ongoing stress, high-performance wellness coaching may help you to get back on track.
There are many other techniques to reduce and manage stress, so stay tuned for more and sign up for Aloraway High-Performance Newsletter.
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