Stress and Health
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)
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
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. |
Other tips
Target 1hr per day
Meditation focus on sound, sight, breath
Do it as soon as you wake up for 5-15 mins and before bed for same time
Meditate in shower while doing simple chores, commuting if not driving, in line at a store, even while walking or biking
Boundary setting and learning to say no/focus on what is most important is also critical to keeping space for yourself
Stress management is not something that was covered extensively during my medical training, but it is becoming more evident that we should be. Stress can impact hormone levels in our body and impact our nervous system (to name a few things). It can affect our sleep, increase our blood pressure, change how we respond to food (e.g. impacting glucose levels) and more.
The goal is to work towards 30-60 minutes a day of stress management per day, but like everything else, going from nothing to 5 minutes a day is the biggest step and will add value. You can also fit relaxation into your day with these tips:
When you wake up, spend 5-10 minutes meditating before you do anything else
You can meditate in the shower 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.
Toe yoga: https://breathingdeeply.com/toe-yoga-physical-therapy/
Stretching: https://rehabps.com/video-on-line.html
Tai Chi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEOS2zoyQw4
Qigong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd018Ca3JfY
Deep Relaxation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKGrmY8OSHM
Intuitive movements are a way to listen to your body to guide your movement. It can be anything including walking, free flowing activities, etc. You can do this with music or not. It is about bringing you joy. These activities also count towards your physical activity weekly goal as a bonus!
This is a nice summary of the above techniques: https://emergency.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/Relaxation%20Techniques%20for%20Stress%20Relief.pdf
You can find guided videos or podcasts on these techniques which can help you get started. Or look for a class or partner with others to help make this stick and to share your experience with others. This adds social connections that are additionally valuable (more to come).