5 Ways To Reduce Chronic Stress

Stress is common in daily life. Even if you are feeling relaxed at the moment, you may have slight stress about upcoming events. Maybe you are wondering how you will get your bills paid or need to complete a household task that has been backed up for a while. 

Normal stress levels are common, but when you are experiencing chronic stress, it can affect how you feel every day. If you have chronic stress, here are the ways you can reduce it to have a better day. 

1. Don’t Beat Yourself Up

There are only 24 hours in a day. You cannot possibly tackle a large list of tasks all at once. Attempting to do so will only add more stress to what you are already feeling. 

Choose 1-3 key tasks that you want to complete for the day and plan them out so that they can get done. Inundating yourself with too much to do can cause you to beat yourself up at the end of the day when you cannot achieve all you set out to do. By choosing those few key tasks to complete and getting at least those done, you can feel like you truly accomplished something. 

When you are finished with your tasks, reward yourself with a fun activity. Maybe you can play a game in an online casino at casino777.nl or eat a favorite treat. 

2. Mindful Breathing Exercises

Take a minute to get away from what is stressing you. Put your smartphone down, turn off the television, and find a quiet place in your home or outside to practice mindful breathing exercises. 

Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Gently breathe in, hold it in a few seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat this process for about five minutes or until you feel more relaxed than you did before starting the exercise. Even if you are handling a tight deadline that is causing you stress, sometimes taking a small break from your task can get you back on the right foot in productivity. 

3. Get Much Needed Sleep

Even under chronic stress, it can be hard to lay down and rest. However, without sleep, your body cannot function at its full capacity. You will feel irritable, have trouble with short-term memory, and be less productive in your daily tasks without proper sleep. 

If you are having difficulty getting to sleep, you can:

• Put on some white noise such as ocean waves or forest soundscapes to relax your mind. 
• Practice aromatherapy with essential oils. 
• Take a warm shower right before bed. 
• Drink a cup of sleepy tea. 
• Put your phone down, snuggle in bed, and focus on sleep. 

4. Talk It Out or Journal

When feeling stressed, it is natural to want to self-isolate. Sometimes you may feel the only way to endure stress is by going it alone. However, talking out your stress with a trusted family member or friend can help you organize your thoughts. 

If you feel you cannot trust anyone with the details of your stress, consider journaling about it. Whether in a spiral-bound notebook or a Word document on your laptop, write or type out what you are feeling. Getting everything down into words can help you understand why you are feeling stressed about these things and what you can do to calm yourself. 

5. Get Up and Move

What is your favorite way to stay active throughout the day? Go for a brisk walk in the morning for some fresh air and to get your heart pumping. Visit your local gym to do some weight lifting. Clean up your home or even declutter a messy space in it. 

Anything that gets you up and moving can reduce your stress by encouraging endorphins to form. Endorphins help you to feel naturally good and take away mental and physical pain without resorting to painkillers. 

Final Thoughts

Reducing chronic stress can be a challenge. If you feel that these tactics are not helping you to feel calmer, talk to your doctor for alternative treatment methods for your chronic stress.