Summary

• Stress can impact our health in a number of ways including changing hormone levels and activating our sympathetic nervous system

• Stress may also result in food cravings

  • You can use the mindful eating journalling in RxFood (“Reflect on your meal under a meal log”) to help differentiate between physical and emotional hunger

• Consider stress reduction strategies that work for you such as meditation, deep relaxation, imagery, yoga, etc. See below for some strategies.

• Start small (e.g. 1-2 minutes of meditation per day to help you build the routine) and try to build up to 30-60 minutes per day

• Focus on stress reduction before bed for added benefit. Consider stretching, meditation, colouring, music, etc.

• There are many great guided meditation resources online.

  • Palouse Mindfulness is a great resource to explore here

• Consider a class or find others to partner with others to help make this stick and to share your experience with others. This adds social connections that are additionally valuable

Stress Management Techniques

Technique	Description
Deep Breathing Exercises	Practice slow and deep breaths to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
Meditation	Engage in mindfulness meditation to calm the mind and alleviate stress.
Physical Exercise	Regular physical activity helps release endorphins, improving mood and reducing stress.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)	Tense and then gradually relax each muscle group to reduce physical tension.
Journaling	Write down thoughts and feelings to gain clarity and manage stress.
Yoga	Combine physical postures, breath control, and meditation for stress relief.
Socializing	Connect with friends and family for emotional support and relaxation.
Time Management	Organize tasks and prioritize to reduce feelings of being overwhelmed.
Laughter Therapy	Engage in activities that make you laugh to release tension and boost mood.
Healthy Nutrition	Eat a balanced diet to support overall well-being and manage stress.

You can read more about the techniques above here

Tips to make stress management practices stick:

• When you wake up, spend 5-10 minutes meditating before you do anything else

• You can meditate in the shower, brushing your teeth, or while doing simple chores like dishes or vacuuming

• You can meditate while commuting (if you are not driving)

• You can perform relaxation techniques as part of you exercise (start, end, or while stretching)

By building these skills you can also add them into your day when you feel stress to help change the way you handle or respond to these daily stresses.