It’s been an especially long time since my last post, and we’ve been through what seems like a million changes, but the one thing that is alike for both non-parents and parents of all types- biological parent, adopted parents, kinship parents, grandparents, and everyone in between- has inspired tonight’s post.
Stress. We all feel it. Whether it’s financial worries, a term paper, a past approaching deadline at work, or the myriad of stresses that tiny humans bring, it seems that it’s always hanging around.
Due to mental health project I’ve been working on, stress has been on my mind lately. Not just the causes of stress, which are many, but the physical and mental implications, and how to decrease stress’s impact as well.
In small doses, stress can actually be beneficial to us. According to a 2014 article by ulifeline.org, stress can boost the immune system to help prevent infection, help improve focus to help us knock out a big project, or help improve memory. Unfortunately, stress never seems to show up in “small doses”.
Unfortunately, stress seldom shows up in small doses. In larger doses, stress can negatively impact our health, causing higher blood pressure, immune problems, and long term heart damage. It's important to control our stress levels in order to minimize long term physical and mental health repercussions.
One of the most important traits we can achieve is self-awareness. By obtaining the ability to be self-aware, we can protect ourselves against physical and mental health concerns, including stress. By recognizing our stress triggers, we can attempt to avoid them. I use a journal page, which I'll be releasing soon, to track my moods and possible stressors. You can easily do the same in an app, on a calendar, or in your diary.
For stress that cannot be avoided, there are steps we can take to minimize its impact. According to WebMD, the following tips might help you in reducing stress:
1. Meditate
2. Breathe Deeply
3. Be present
4. Reach Out to others
5. Tune in to Your Body
6. Decompress with warm towels, massage, etc.
7. Laugh
8. Listen to music
9. Exercise
10. Count your blessings
I would add a few other suggestions to that list:
1. Splurge a little
It doesn't need to be expensive, but a small splurge can lift your spirits. For me, a Pumpkin Spice Latte does the trick. Maybe a new nail color, or a paperback book would be the boost you need.
2. Surround yourself with relaxing smells.
Again, pumpkin spice is an instantaneous relaxant for me. Vanilla helps. I especially like to add those scents to …
3. A warm bath.
A warm bubble bath helps relax the muscles and decompress after a long day. With some Epson salt, low lights or candles, and a cup of tea or coffee, and I'm ready to take on the world again!
As I suffer from both Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Borderline Personality Disorder, stress has a very strong effect on both my physical and mental health, so I've made a habit of self-awareness, with the goal of preventing too much stress. I avoid people and situations that stress me out whenever possible, and when it can't be avoided, I buy myself (or make myself, as I roast my own coffee beans and keep a small supply of flavored creamer on hand) a latte (or a vodka!), run a hot bath, and grab a book or run on my apple music, and take 15-20 minutes to reduce the stress as much as I can.
What stresses you out the most, and what techniques work best to control it? Let me know in the comments below!
Unfortunately, stress seldom shows up in small doses. In larger doses, stress can negatively impact our health, causing higher blood pressure, immune problems, and long term heart damage. It's important to control our stress levels in order to minimize long term physical and mental health repercussions.
One of the most important traits we can achieve is self-awareness. By obtaining the ability to be self-aware, we can protect ourselves against physical and mental health concerns, including stress. By recognizing our stress triggers, we can attempt to avoid them. I use a journal page, which I'll be releasing soon, to track my moods and possible stressors. You can easily do the same in an app, on a calendar, or in your diary.
For stress that cannot be avoided, there are steps we can take to minimize its impact. According to WebMD, the following tips might help you in reducing stress:
1. Meditate
2. Breathe Deeply
3. Be present
4. Reach Out to others
5. Tune in to Your Body
6. Decompress with warm towels, massage, etc.
7. Laugh
8. Listen to music
9. Exercise
10. Count your blessings
I would add a few other suggestions to that list:
1. Splurge a little
It doesn't need to be expensive, but a small splurge can lift your spirits. For me, a Pumpkin Spice Latte does the trick. Maybe a new nail color, or a paperback book would be the boost you need.2. Surround yourself with relaxing smells.
Again, pumpkin spice is an instantaneous relaxant for me. Vanilla helps. I especially like to add those scents to …
3. A warm bath.
A warm bubble bath helps relax the muscles and decompress after a long day. With some Epson salt, low lights or candles, and a cup of tea or coffee, and I'm ready to take on the world again!
As I suffer from both Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Borderline Personality Disorder, stress has a very strong effect on both my physical and mental health, so I've made a habit of self-awareness, with the goal of preventing too much stress. I avoid people and situations that stress me out whenever possible, and when it can't be avoided, I buy myself (or make myself, as I roast my own coffee beans and keep a small supply of flavored creamer on hand) a latte (or a vodka!), run a hot bath, and grab a book or run on my apple music, and take 15-20 minutes to reduce the stress as much as I can.What stresses you out the most, and what techniques work best to control it? Let me know in the comments below!
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