Give yourself the gift of less stress this National Stress Awareness Day…
Feeling strung out and stressed? Frazzled and fed up? You need a healthy dose of self-care! Try our top tips and feel your tension melt away…
1. B-R-E-A-T-H-E
Find a quiet, dark room and get comfortable. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. In and out. Take big deep breaths and imagine yourself blowing out your problems with every exhale.
2. HOME SPA
Treat yourself to an at-home spa experience. Run a bath or take an extra-long hot shower to soothe your body and soul; ask your partner to give you a massage (or DIY if you want to); paint your nails in fun patterns or relax with a face mask. Whatever you choose to do, focus on relaxing. Don’t forget to add sliced cucumber for that 100% spa vibe! For more ideas on how to have the perfect self-care day, click here.
3. GET ORGANISED
Being organised can make a huge difference to your stress levels. Is your massive to-do list keeping you up at night? Use calendars, timetables and check lists to get your life in order! Make a plan and break it down into manageable chunks. Do a little every day and you’ll soon find yourself making progress and feeling a lot less stressed. Ask a mate or family member to help you if organisation isn’t your strong point.
4. EAT TO BEAT STRESS
Try to eat healthy, balanced meals and swap out sugary snacks for fruit and nuts. Avoid drinking lots of caffeine – it might help you cope with stress in the here and now, but it can make you feel worse in the long run. Read more about the effects of caffeine here.
For some people, it’s the meal itself that’s the source of stress. Mealtimes can be challenging for someone with an eating disorder. To get more help and advice around this, click here.
5. SLEEP TIGHT
Try to get a good night’s sleep. Avoid caffeine before bed, turn off any electric devices and snuggle up. Anxieties got you staring at the ceiling at 3am in the morning? We’ve been there. Try keeping a worry diary where you can scribble down any worries you might have before you close your eyes, OR (life hack), ditch the notebook and make a voice note on your phone. You’re more likely to drift off once you’ve emptied your head of restless anxieties. For more ideas on how to get a good night’s sleep, click here.
6. MAKE TIME FOR YOU
Carve out time in your day to focus on the most important person in your life – YOU. You can do whatever you like with your ‘me’ time… why not read a book or meet up with mates for a game of football? Or you could watch that Netflix show everyone’s been talking about! Doing the stuff, you love helps you relax and reduces stress. That’s why it’s so important to take time out of a busy working day to focus on yourself. If it’s your job that’s got you climbing the walls, you can read more about dealing with work-related stress here.
7. SHARE THE BURDEN
The worst thing you can do when you’re feeling stressed out and overwhelmed is to keep those negative feelings bottled up. Talk over your worries with a friend or confide in a close family member to get it off your chest and out of your head – you won’t regret it, we promise! Talking things over helps you deal with your problems, and you may even work out a few solutions or actions you can take to make your stresses more manageable. So go find a sympathetic and understanding ear and talk it out today!
If stress is taking over your life, please don’t suffer in silence. Talk to your doctor to get help or reach out to our Hidden Strength community and trained therapists. We’re always here to help.
