Chronic stress can wreak havoc and cause harmful disruptions to our health and well-being. It can make us vulnerable to disease, drain joy from our lives, and throw our metabolic systems into disarray, from the immune system to blood sugar and the cardiovascular system.  

In fact, the damaging effects of long-term stress are so pervasive that researchers have been unable to produce an exhaustive list of everything that stress can cause to go wrong in the human body. This means that stress can trigger symptoms that physicians might be unaware of or know are stress-related.  

In addition, medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illnesses and diseases are stress-related.

What Is Stress?

Stress can be anything from aggravating things that go wrong during the day to losing a job. 

Anything that interrupts your daily routine or nightly sleep can have a cumulative effect on the body and brain. 

Bad things happen to the brain when a person is overly stressed for a long time without relief. Consider this:

“Chronic stress and prolonged exposure to cortisol also increase the production of glutamate. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in mood regulation, cognition, and memory functions. Excessive glutamate, however, can contribute to the damage or death of brain cells.”

Hormones

Powerful hormones are released during stressful situations or events. These include corticosteroids, cortisol, and others released from the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. 

These hormones are released in ways that drive the body to respond appropriately during stress and then bring the body back to a normal state.

When these hormones continue to run rampant throughout the body of a person who is dealing with ongoing chronic stress, they cause mental and physical health issues.  

Life Events That Trigger Stress

Certain life events cause stress in all people. Some of these include the death of a spouse, divorce, jail time, change in financial situation, sexual difficulty, pregnancy, mortgage, change in residence, change in church activities, going back to school, change in sleep habits, vacation, and minor violations of the law. 

Just about any significant change in one’s situation or circumstances – positive or negative – is perceived as stress by the body.

Symptoms of Stress

Stress-related physical illness can include backaches, insomnia, cancer, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, absence of menstruation, changes in sexuality, sexual dysfunction, headaches, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, colds, infection, dermatology changes, and emotional disorders such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.

Eliminating Stress

It’s impossible to eliminate all stress from your life, and even if you could, you wouldn’t want to because stress, when “used” appropriately, has an important function.  

However, we can reduce some of its harmful effects and hormonal responses by implementing stress reduction techniques. 

Stress-Reducing Strategies

Most people find these strategies helpful: following a balanced diet, regular exercise, and 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

Other effective techniques include deep breathing, prayer, meditation, memorizing scripture and reading Bible promises, staying present and not dwelling on the past or the future, or becoming overwhelmed by everything that has to be done, focusing on one thing at a time instead, and spending time with trusted friends and loved ones. 

You’ve Got This!

While it’s true that life gets increasingly stressful every day and chronic stress damages one’s health, you can control the damage. 

Using stress reduction techniques and getting emotional support disrupts stress’s disruptive influence in your life. 

Consistency is king. By consistently managing your stress levels, you will reduce any long-term effects on your health and, as a bonus, unlock your best life! 

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According to Christina Smith, LMHC, “Avoidance is a maladaptive coping skill that offers the mind an escape from uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and/or experiences. It may seem like avoiding discomfort could be helpful, however, it results in never addressing the actual issue. In fact, avoidance may create a cycle of behavior that exacerbates feelings of anxiety and depression, making it much harder to problem solve, cope, and heal.”

When our dreams start to crumble and our plans fall through, and we feel overwhelmed and stressed, facing the situation and dealing with the problem reduces stress and eventually makes things better.

Avoiding or escaping from a situation increases our risk of developing emotional and physical problems due to increased anxiety and stress. 

The Body’s Response to Stress

The body releases hormones, such as adrenaline and norepinephrine, into the bloodstream when it feels endangered, which helps in emergency situations when we must act fast to protect ourselves. 

Unfortunately, ongoing stress in our relationships, jobs, and finances, or when our plans fall through, can cause adverse physical reactions, resulting in emotional issues and illnesses.

Ongoing feelings of anxiety, worry, and fear cause some people to experience back pain, depression, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, insomnia, problems with relationships, weight gain or loss, and upset stomach.

Healthcare professionals recommend eating a healthy diet, exercising, and sleeping seven to eight hours nightly to help the body manage stress and reduce the long-term effects of chronic stress.

But what else can we do?

Here are some tips for coping with stress when your plans fall through or your life starts feeling overwhelming.

Be Aware and Acknowledge When You Feel Stressed

Try not to ignore the symptoms that come with feeling stressed. You have to be aware of a situation before you can do something about it. 

Some people clench their fists or feel muscle tension in their necks when feeling anxious or stressed. Others get short-tempered and snap at people; some lose their appetites or binge on their favorite comfort foods; others will notice their breathing is shallow. 

The body responds to stress physically and emotionally. 

What are some ways you react to stress?

Next time you feel stressed, anxious, or worried, become more aware of your reactions and acknowledge your feelings, whether you feel stressed, anxious, or worried, or all three. 

Once you become aware and acknowledge your feelings and physical reactions, you can cope with the situation by taking necessary action.

Identify The Source

Dig deep by asking, “Why am I feeling stressed, anxious, or worried?” 

Ask the question more than once to get to the underlying root cause. You might have to ask the question six or seven times to identify the true source.

Once you know the reason(s) for your feelings, it’s time to do something about the situation. 

Sometimes you can remove the event, person, or place from your life. 

Often you can’t.

So you must create an action plan to respond to the stressful person, place, or event.

The first place to start is by adopting a more flexible attitude.

For example, how does getting stressed and upset make things better if the weather ruins your plans for a family picnic at the park? You can’t control the weather. Next time have a backup plan in case it rains.

As a rule, although it isn’t easy, please try not to stress over things you cannot control. Respond and adapt as best you can. Have a positive outlook and search for the silver lining and opportunities. What more can you do? 

Another source of stress is important meetings and job interviews. The best way to handle those situations is to prepare as best you can. You can write questions in advance and practice asking them or role-play with trusted friends. Preparation reduces stress (it doesn’t eliminate it). Dress your best; be on top of your game. Walk into the situation with your best version of yourself.

Change Your Perspective

One of the best ways to reduce stress when your dreams start unraveling or your plans fall through is to change how you see things. 

You can view the situation as an overwhelming obstacle that floods your soul with stress and defeats you, or you may see it as a challenge or opportunity to become better or improve your life. You might even be able to reframe the situation from being a dreaded problem into an exciting adventure that brings out the best in you. 

Other Stress-Reducing Strategies

Some other things you can do to cope with feelings of worry and stress include: talking with a trusted friend or counselor, setting realistic goals and breaking them down into manageable daily or weekly tasks, and enjoying activities that bring you peace, like certain recreational activities, hobbies, or participating in a faith community.

Roger Crawford said, “Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional.”

Don’t let stress, worry, or anxiety ruin your life.

By practicing these stress-coping tips, you’ll be healthier and happier, have a better outlook on life, and make steady progress on unlocking your best life. 

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Although exercise is proven to change our body, mind, attitude, and mood, how many people get physical activity regularly? 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 46.9 percent of adults aged 18 years and over meet the guidelines for aerobic physical activity, and 24.2% meet the guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. 

If you love working out and going to the gym, keep going. But if you’re someone who doesn’t fancy adhering to an exercise program, here are six enjoyable hobbies that will add more physical activity to your life. 

Cycling 

Cycling is relaxing and fun!

You don’t have to ride a hundred miles in a pack of sweaty people wearing flimsy spandex or train like you’re competing for the next Tour De France.

You can take a nice ride along the beach on a cruiser, invest in a Peloton to enjoy group classes with people from around the world, enjoy the thrill of a downhill race on a mountain bike, or take a bike cross country; it doesn’t really matter. There are so many ways to enjoy cycling, and each offers health benefits, social interaction in a community of like-minded enthusiasts, and a fun way to exercise your body.

Dance 

Dancing is fun and can burn over 300 calories an hour. You can take a class, attend an event like salsa night, or go to a concert and enjoy yourself. You can even find dance-themed workouts online. And if you’re a little shy, play some music and dance in the privacy of your own home!

A study for Complementary Therapies In Medicine found that exercise is as good as drug interventions for reducing the risk of overall mortality. In addition, they found that dance was a more enjoyable, easier-to-maintain, form of exercise that helps people to lose weight, improve flexibility, gain muscle tone, improve cardiovascular health, and convey social/emotional benefits.

Running

Okay, I know, running sounds an awful lot like exercise, but the great news is that you can run just about anywhere. All you need is a pair of good running shoes and the will to take a run! Easy! And running is a great way to explore new places. Running has meditative aspects to it, too, because of breath awareness, gait, and fresh air that soothes your nervous system, all of which, when combined, ground you in the present, enriching the moment and your life as a whole. 

Couples Yoga 

Full-body stretching is good for you, and it’s relaxing. There are even postures you can try with a partner that would be impossible alone. Not to mention the social aspect that enhances relationships, which is another essential pillar of good health.

Birding

Immersing yourself in nature relaxes the mind, body, and soul. And birding is a great way to do just that. Plus, the benefits multiply when you add to that immersive experience the mindful awareness of another species. According to some estimates, there are about forty-five million bird watchers in the United States. One of the reasons people enjoy bird watching is because it feels like a kind of treasure hunt, and who doesn’t love treasure hunts?

Swimming

Swimming covers all the bases: it’s challenging and intense, has many variations, is low impact, and immerses you in one of nature’s most fundamental elements. Besides, something is soothing about being in the water. 

The Takeaway

When they were kids, most people didn’t exercise; they played. So, making play out of physical activity makes it more enjoyable and less likely that they will quit. 

It doesn’t matter what you choose to do; what’s important is that you keep moving. So, consider using these six hobbies for physical health as a springboard to explore your own ideas. 

Let your life be an incredible adventure, and may you make it a fun and exciting one. 

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It’s not always easy to sleep when feeling anxious and overwhelmed. But having a routine of getting good quality sleep is probably the best thing we can do to manage stress, even better than meditation and exercise, which also work magic for reducing stress.

Have you noticed how much harder the day seems after missing a good night’s sleep? It’s hard to stay focused, and little problems seem bigger than they are. You feel a lot more stressed and have a much shorter fuse.

Nearly half of Americans report feeling sleepy three or more days a week, and 35% of adults get far less than the recommended seven hours of sleep each night.

Even when we log seven hours or more of sleep, how often is it disrupted throughout the night with trips to the bathroom or noise? Not to mention how hard it is to fall asleep in the first place, especially with so much on our minds.

Then there are the people who say they just don’t have time for sleep because they have so much to do – that they’ll sleep when they’re dead! If they keep skimping on their sleep, that day will come much sooner than expected.

Cutting sleep is the last thing you should do because insufficient sleep makes you less focused and productive. Studies show we get more done when we get the rest our brains and bodies require. Plus, losing can shorten your lifespan by twelve years.

Sleep isn’t a luxury or a guilty pleasure. It’s necessary.

Sleep Tips

These tips aren’t profound. Chances are you’ve heard them before. But you’ll be more productive, a whole lot stressed, and feel ten times better than you do if you follow them. Nothing is more important than your health and well-being. So invest in yourself with good quality sleep.

Bedtime Routine

Yep – this is one we’ve all heard a million times before: Maintain a regular bedtime routine by going to sleep at the same time each night.

Why?

Because it conditions your mind and body to get into a rhythm that makes falling and staying asleep easier.

Eliminate Bedroom Distractions

Get rid of noise, light, and uncomfortable mattresses, pillows, and blankets. Silence your smart devices by putting them in the “do not disturb” or “sleep” mode.

Some people leave their phones in the living room and use an alarm clock instead because they can’t fight the temptation to scroll through social media late into the night.

Get a good lock for your bedroom if people in the house tend to barge in; your health is worth it.

Remove any blinking or ambient lights unless you feel safer with a nightlight.

Turn off any noisy electronics. Get noise-dampening curtains.

Make your bedroom as calm, quiet, and dark as possible.

(Some people grew up in the city surrounded by ambient noise and find it hard to fall asleep when everything is quiet; you do you.)

Reduce Screen Time

Yes, I know, this is another one we’ve heard a million times before. But how our eyes see and process light disrupts sleep at night; bright screens tend to keep our bodies and brains alert.

One of the habits we all need to try to break is looking at our smart devices when trying to fall asleep at night. Why? Because biologically, it’s no different than watching the sunrise, which, in essence, is like telling your body it’s time to wake up!

Meditate

Meditation calms the nervous system by slowing heart rate and reducing stress hormones, paving the way for deep, quality sleep. It’s worth trying if you struggle with insomnia. Give deep breathing (especially box breathing) a try if you haven’t already because it works wonders with inducing sleep!

“Self-love” is all the talk these days. So why not show yourself some love by soothing your mind and body at night with things like reading, enjoying a pleasant conversation with your partner, meditating, or spending a few minutes in soul-relaxing deep breathing before getting your beauty sleep?

If you feel anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed, you’re not really living; you’re existing. So, unlock your best life by investing in your health and well-being; get the sleep you want, need, and deserve to live life to the fullest instead of sleepwalking through life’s most precious moments.

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Money and economics are the leading cause of stress. In fact, the stress and anxiety we’re facing is growing into a national health crisis.

Americans are one of the most stressed out in the world, according to Stress.org

55% of Americans are stressed during the day, and 94% are stressed at work, and 63% are ready to quit their jobs to avoid work-related stress.

But here’s the deal: Life was stressful already- before rampant inflation, the housing meltdown, the stock market retreat, droughts, floods, famines, ongoing supply chain disruptions due to COVID, not to mention the ongoing war in Europe, and the global energy crisis forcing some families to choose between food, fuel, or power.

Stress is an angry 800-lb gorilla that’s knocked us to the ground and won’t get off our chest.

Life is nothing like it was for our grandparents; it’s fast and busy.

These days, both husband and wife must work to make ends meet. In many cases, there’s a single parent at the helm treading water, trying to keep the family afloat. Not to mention side hustles to bring in needed cash. And that’s before you get around to taking care of the house and raising the family.

Life is overwhelmingly busy with day-to-day survival! Gone are the days of clocking out at the end of the workday to enjoy a peaceful, much-needed evening at home, especially with email, instant messaging, and work texts!

But we’re not always our own best friend either because we waste time on social media, silly videos, and mind-numbing entertainment.

The result? Nothing ever gets better. And we’re more stressed than ever.

Will things ever change? No. Not until you reach the point where you’ve had enough.

If you’re ready to stop doing everything and start reducing the overwhelming stress in your life, read on.

1. Pay Attention To Your Day

Time matters because time = life. Every minute you spend doing something is a minute of your life force that you’re paying to do “that” thing.

So make it worth it. Don’t waste your life.

Your day is your life. What are you spending your life on? How do you spend it?

Consider a time log to track where your time goes because you’re paying bits and pieces of your life for whatever it is that you’re doing.

Don’t make it complicated. A simple piece of paper works great, or a cheap notebook. Set a timer to go off every 30 minutes during waking hours, and jot down what you’re doing.

Be honest with yourself. If you’ve been wasting time watching silly videos, write it down. Your time log is for your eyes only. You can even rip it up and throw it away in a few days when you’re finished with it.

Please be honest with yourself so you can take charge of your life to start living it on your terms.

At the end of the day, review how you spend your time. After a few days, you’ll see patterns emerge, some of which you’ll be okay, some you won’t.

2. Cross off the Unnecessary or Meaningless Things 

Make this simple. Cross off the things you want to stop doing or want to do less of because they’re just not worth spending your life on.

Perhaps you can delegate some items that need to be done, but you’re not the one who has to do them, at least all the time.

3. Add Value

It feels good to free up time. Now give yourself the gift of adding valuable activities and experiences to your new-found time. Perhaps you’ll have time for exercise, self-care, meditation, or time for your loved ones.

4. Take a Mental Detox

On another sheet of paper or two, list your worries, problems, struggles, and things you feel you “should do” but aren’t giving them your time or attention.

List things you’ve been thinking or wanting to do.

Now, put your list somewhere safe and leave it alone for a while. Take a walk or go for a drive – put some distance between you and all of those things.

Get it ALL out of your mind – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

5. Master List

Come back to the list in a few hours or the next day after sleeping on it for a while; time creates emotional space and objectivity.

You’re going to create a master list in a second but we have a little more pruning before you do. Look at your list and cross off as much as you can. Things that you can’t control or do anything about, release; let them go.

Circle stuff that needs to get done that someone else can start doing for you or at least give you a little help.

Now look at the things you want to do; they might be dreams or goals or projects; prioritize them according to importance; asterisk the ones you want to start now; make a note of the ones you’ll start a little later.

Now, look at your list again. Draw a line down the middle of a new sheet of paper; now draw a line across the page two or three inches from the bottom. In the top, left column, write the things you will do, along with noting the things you will delegate or get help with from now on. In the top, right column, list any remaining worries, concerns, or challenges along with one or two things you’ll do to tackle them to get them under control.

In the bottom left column, list the hopes, dreams, or goals you’re going to begin now – and schedule time in your calendar this week to start doing them. In the bottom right column, list your hopes, dreams or goals you’ll start in a month or two.

By the end of this exercise, which you may work through more than once, if you wish, you’ll have much shorter lists than you started with, and your spirit will feel much lighter.

Why? Because you’re taking control. The process is less about getting clarity and more about taking charge of your life – even if it’s just controlling one or two additional areas of your life.

It can be a somewhat messy, frustrating process at first, but it’s worth it because you’ll start spending your life on things worthy of your heartbeats and breaths.

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Life isn’t easy.

Of the many techniques to cope with stress, deep breathing is among the best. Besides lowering stress, deep breathing improves blood flow, makes you feel less anxious, and improves sleep.

What Is Deep Breathing?

Deep breathing relaxes your body and nervous system by replacing shallow breathing from your chest area with full, deep breaths from your abdomen area.

Deep breathing works because it reduces the release of stress hormones, which calms and relaxes the body and decreases feelings of anxiety. Deep breathing enhances your overall well-being, too.

Deep breathing can also help with certain conditions such as obesity, Type-2 diabetes, and high blood pressure when practiced regularly. 

People can make rash decisions when feeling angry, anxious, or afraid. But practicing a few minutes of deep breathing can slow you down enough to give you the time you need to think things over and make better decisions in the heat of the moment.

How Deep Breathing Works

Deep breathing floods your bloodstream with oxygen. As soon as the brain detects this rich supply of oxygen, it reduces the concentration of stress hormones. You immediately start to feel calmer and less stressed. 

Deep breathing is easy. Just follow these steps to give it a try: 

1. Place one hand on your abdomen.
2. Place your other hand on your chest.
3. You may either close your eyes or keep them open. 
4. Take two or three deep cleansing breaths expanding your abdomen to get a feel for it. It’s called diaphragmatic breathing.
5. Next, take a long, slow breath, filling your lungs fully; feel your abdomen expanding as you breathe.
6. Then, slowly let out your breath.
7. As you exhale, feel your abdomen get smaller, but your chest only moving slightly. 
8. As you breathe in and out, focus on how much calmer you feel.
9. Repeat 5–7 times.

Benefits of Deep Breathing

Ever notice how you breathe when you feel calm and relaxed? You take long, slow breaths through your nose. But it’s a different story when you are stressed because that’s when the fight or flight response kicks in.

When that happens, your breathing becomes quick and shallow to increase the oxygen supply to your extremities so you can run for your life or fight.

But what happens when you live in a world where you don’t run or fight? An imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide is created, which affects health and well-being. Deep breathing to the rescue to restore balance!

Controlled, deep breathing offers these benefits: 

• It lowers heart rate and blood pressure. 
• It helps with reducing built-up lactic acid in muscle tissue.
• Improves the immune system.
• Boosts physical energy.
• Reduces stress hormones.
• Increases feelings of calm and relaxation.

Deep Breathing Tips

After practicing controlled, deep breathing and getting a feeling for it, use these tips to help reverse your stress responses even further and feel calmer.

• Your first two full exhalations are the secret to going from chest to abdominal breathing.
• Pushing out all the air from the bottom of your lungs creates a vacuum that will allow you to switch to abdominal breathing on your next inhalation. But pause for a second or two before inhaling slowly.
• Breath through the nose, if possible, and exhale through your mouth. 
• When first starting, stick to no more than five deep breaths because more than five breaths tend to make most people feel light-headed. If five breaths are too much, take 2-3 breaths and build up to five. 

The beauty of deep breathing is that it works, and you can do it anywhere! So the next time you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, give yourself the gift of a two-minute break and enjoy a few controlled, deep breaths. You’ll feel calmer and happier and restore your inner peace. 

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 “Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert us to dangers and help us prepare and pay attention. Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness and involve excessive fear or anxiety.”

Get this, although there are over a billion searches on “anxiety,” there are over five billion on “worry.” 

WebMD says this about “worry:”

“Worrying is feeling uneasy or being overly concerned about a situation or problem. With excessive worrying, your mind and body go into overdrive as you constantly focus on “what might happen…. In the midst of excessive worrying, you may suffer with high anxiety — even panic — during waking hours. Many chronic worriers tell of feeling a sense of impending doom or unrealistic fears that only increase their worries.”

“Worry” can cause insomnia, making it hard to fall asleep. And, anxiety is often associated with sleep problems. 

If you’ve ever awakened in the middle of the night or early morning hours to feelings of panic, you know what I’m talking about.

Although it’s impossible to “cure” the effects of worry and anxiety in this one article alone, we can reduce their stressful effects to protect our sleep and get better rest because a horrible night’s sleep only worsens things.

4 Great Tips To Reduce Stress for Better Sleep

Worrying about life and feeling stressed, especially these days, is easy. And if we’re not careful, we can easily be paralyzed into a state of fearfulness, even terror. Two significant sources of anxiety and stress are relationships and money.

Great Tip #1: Take Action

Doing nothing amplifies and magnifies feelings of anxiety and stress.

You must do something. Today.

You don’t have to “fix” everything all at once, but you must do something, even something small, today.

Why? Because doing something, even something small takes you from a place of helplessness to a place of control, where you’re controlling the situation instead of the situation controlling you.

The last, worst thing you can ever do is to do nothing – to sit there and wait for the “ax” to fall.

I know it’s hard, but try not to let life happen “to” you.

As long as you have free will and the power of choice, you can do something today to make things better.

Taking action transforms you from a victim to a warrior!

Yes, you might still get a little bloody and suffer some scrapes and scars, but you’re in the battle now, and you’re taking the fight to your “Goliaths!”

It’s your choice: Warrior or victim.

A warrior realizes that he might lose the battle, but he faces his “Goliaths,” believing with all his heart that he will win the war.  

Take action.

Regarding whatever keeps you awake at night, list one or two things you can do today to rise up and “fight” back.

A lot of our worry and anxiety comes from sticking our head in the sand, avoiding important issues or taking action.

Denial, avoidance, laziness, and irresponsibility can all cause worry and stress. So if you want a different tomorrow, take a different course of action today than you’ve been taking to reduce the stress in your life and sleep better tonight.

Great Tip # 2: Transform Your Worries to “Challenges” and then to “Opportunities.”

Compare the emotional impacts of these words: worry, challenge, opportunity. Which word puts you in a better frame of mind to face your situation? Certainly not worry.

Try to reframe your worry into a challenge, and then try to reframe “challenge” into “opportunity.” Worry is about loss. Opportunity is about gain.

Great Tip # 3: Let it Go… At Least for Now.

The brain has a way of obsessing over worries, which can keep you from falling asleep.

Try writing your worry on paper before you go to bed. Give yourself permission to let it go until morning.

While it’s best to let go of your worries once-and-for-all, you can always give yourself a break by letting them go for a set period of time.

Great Tip #4: Live Today.

Bringing tomorrow into today creates worry and overwhelm.

Tomorrow will have its own challenges.

Live today.

Use today to do the next thing you have to do; take life one day at a time.

We tend to worry and feel anxious when we either bring the past or future into today.

Learn from the past and let go.

Have a vision for the future and let go.

Reduce stress by choosing to live in the present by putting your vision to work by deciding what to do next to make your life better.

Let your mind and soul rest so your body can sleep.

3 GREAT TIPS FOR GOOD SLEEP

Great Tip #1: Create a soothing sleep environment.

Your bedroom should be a safe haven—an oasis.

Make your bedroom a place where you can relax and wake up replenished. Maybe that means getting some noise-dampening curtains, a better mattress, or a cooler temperature. Whatever it is, you should be comfortable.

Great Tip #2: Use sound, water, or a sleep mask.

People are different. What helps one person fall asleep might keep another one awake. Those who grew up in the city need a little noise to fall asleep, whereas those who grew up in the country need it to be quiet.

Either way, try experimenting with a white noise machine, ambient app, or earplugs to seal out the noise if you like it quiet. You might even try wearing a sleep mask if too much light filters into your room.

Some people find a soothing hot bath or shower helps them relax and fall asleep.

Great Tip #3: Heavy blankets.

Some people who struggle with worry and anxiety use weighted blankets to soothe the body and reduce stress for help falling asleep; the pressure has a calming effect.

Reducing feelings of stress will help you sleep better and deeper. Taking action to deal with your worries, a.k.a. opportunities, and creating a relaxing sleep environment, are great ways to have less stress and to sleep better!

The post Great Tips For Less Stress and Better Sleep appeared first on Lifestyle.

Chronic stress is the problem – stressful feelings that won’t go away but stay with you daily.

Chronic stress interferes with your ability to be happy. Although you can feel happier by thinking about being happy and being more optimistic, it won’t last if you’re stressed out every day. 

Chronic stress also drains your energy and disrupts your body’s ability to fight disease, which is why stress is associated with chronic illness.  

Instead of using valuable energy to stay happy and healthy, that precious store of limited energy is exhausted by worry and stress.    

Although you can’t eliminate stress completely because it’s a part of life, you can reduce it with these steps.

Use exercise to release endorphins 

Physical activity, especially cardio, boosts endorphins, the chemicals your brain uses to make you feel good, reducing stress. 

High-intensity exercise is especially potent because this type of physical exertion requires you to focus on your body and effort, which effectively distracts your mind from stressful situations. Instead of wasting your physical and emotional energy on worries and stress, you’re refocusing your energy on physical activity, drastically lowering your stress levels. 

Use physical activity not just for your physical health but for your emotional health, too. Exercise is a powerful stress-reducing strategy. 

Take inspired action on the stress-inducing situation

Here’s a thought, instead of expending emotional energy worrying about the stressful situation, why not address it instead? If you’ve been procrastinating, stop by finding thirty minutes or an hour or two and get moving! Less important activities can wait.

If the source is relational or financial, give yourself the gift of 30 minutes to think about the situation(s). Have a piece of paper and a pen. Breathe deeply to relax your mind, body, and nervous system. During these precious moments of reflection, capture actions that appear in your mind that would start addressing the situation effectively. Is there someone you need to call? A letter you need to write? What’s one thing you can do within the next twenty-four hours to start dealing with your most stressful situation? 

Schedule time for yourself daily 

Take 15 to 20 minutes for yourself each day when you won’t be interrupted to relax your nervous system and clear your mind. It can be early morning, in a secluded place at work, or before bed. Listen for answers, solutions, and directions regarding dealing with whatever worries you and what you can do to reduce the overwhelming stress you’ve been struggling with. Take time to breathe and be grateful; let these quiet moments fill your heart and mind with peace and certainty. And if you’re a person of faith, pray. 

You will never completely get rid of stress, nor would you want to because stress can be a positive motivator. Yes, you’ll feel stressed from time to time as long as you’re alive. Remind yourself that you have what it takes to get through this because you’ve gotten through it before. You’re still here! By using these three powerful techniques for reducing stress, you’ll feel happier, have more energy, and feel more empowered. So replace worry and stress with self-leadership and happiness. 

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