This year’s “Know Your Numbers! Week” – an initiative by Blood Pressure UK – takes place from 2 to 8 September and is the UK’s biggest blood pressure testing and awareness event.
High blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other illnesses. So, knowing your numbers means you can start making lifestyle changes or access medication to bring your blood pressure down to a healthy level.
Reducing your stress levels is one way to help to manage your “numbers”, so read on for 10 habits you can build into your daily routine that can help reduce stress.
1. Build exercise into your routine
Regular exercise can help you reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke, so building it into your daily routine can help you manage stress.
You don’t have to go to the gym five times a week either. You can easily incorporate some exercise into your working day, such as:
- Running or walking up and down stairs for a few minutes
- Going for a brisk walk during your lunch break
- Using an under-desk treadmill or cycle to exercise while you work.
Physical activity helps release endorphins, which are natural mood lifters.
2. Spend a few minutes practising mindfulness
When you focus on your breath, your focus detracts from areas of pain and worry. You become present and don’t think about the future or the past.
When you practise mindful breathing, you pay attention to the sensation of the breath coming in and out of your body. This simply means noticing the breath, and how and where you feel it in the body, without trying to change it.
There are many mindful breathing exercises online that you can follow. Taking these deep, slow breaths can help calm the nervous system and reduce stress – and it only takes a few minutes every day.
3. Make sure you get enough sleep
When you get a good night’s sleep, your body naturally reduces the levels of cortisol and other stress hormones. This can help you to stay calmer and react less strongly to negative situations.
Tips for improving your sleep include:
- Have a regular routine (sometimes called “sleep hygiene”) – try and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.
- Create a good sleep environment – it’s normally easier to sleep when it’s quiet, dark and cool. Silencing your phone, using blackout blinds or curtains, and wearing earplugs can all help.
- Relax in the run-up to bedtime – avoid electronic devices at least an hour before bed, as your phone or tablet emits blue light that stops sleep. Consider reading or listening to a podcast instead.
Most people need around seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night.
4. Regulate the noise levels in your environment
How loud is your day-to-day environment?
Loud noise can trigger a stress response, make it hard to think, and take you away from being mindful. So, regulating the noise level can help you to lower your stress levels.
If loud noise is unavoidable – perhaps because it comes from traffic, or someone in your home or office – try wearing earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.
Alternatively, try playing soothing music. This can elicit a relaxation response and can be powerful for healing.
5. Eat a balanced diet
Eating a nutritious and balanced diet can stabilise your blood sugar levels and mood.
Comfort foods, like a bowl of warm porridge or wholegrain bread, boost levels of the calming brain chemical serotonin. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as salmon and tuna, can prevent surges in stress hormones and may help protect against heart disease and depression.
Also, remember to eat regularly. Small, regular meals can help you maintain energy levels and mood while decreasing tiredness and irritability.
6. Improve your time management
Deadlines and workload can be stressful. So, better organising your tasks is a simple daily way to reduce the stress you feel.
Many people like to write a to-do list at the start of every day. There are also apps such as Todoist that can help you to organise and prioritise tasks.
Procrastination can also be stressful. Think about:
- Breaking up large tasks – if you know that you won’t be able to focus on a project for three hours, break it up into smaller blocks. It’s easier to face an unpleasant task if the time you are giving it is brief.
- Creating short-term deadlines – these can ingrain a habit of meeting deadlines and force you to get things done.
- Avoiding perfectionism – if you demand perfection, you might not even begin a task because you’re worried it won’t be perfect. Giving yourself enough time to do your best will reduce stress.
Learning how to manage your time, activities, and commitments can make your life easier, less stressful, and more meaningful.
7. Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake
Everyday substances like caffeine and alcohol, when consumed in excess, can exacerbate underlying mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
While caffeine in moderation can help to brighten your mood, too much can affect issues such as your sleep quality. You might also notice a rise in body temperature, dehydration, dizziness, a faster heartbeat, nausea, or irritability.
Similarly, alcohol can help you fall asleep but often reduces the quality of your sleep, so you aren’t getting the deep rest your brain needs.
Reducing your alcohol and caffeine intake daily is a good way to reduce your stress levels.
8. Spend time in nature
Spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. Growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors, or being around animals can have lots of positive effects.
Mental health charity Mind reports that spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. You could:
- Go for a short walk every day – this may also improve your physical health
- Take up a hobby such as gardening
- Volunteer for a local conservation cause
- Sit in the garden for a few minutes each evening.
The Mental Health Foundation reports that people who are more connected with nature are usually happier in life and more likely to report feeling their lives are worthwhile.
9. Practise gratitude
Take a moment each day to reflect on the things you are grateful for. This mindful practice can shift your focus from the things that are stressing you to the positive aspects of your life, improving your overall outlook.
You could consider starting a gratitude journal, where you spend a few minutes every day writing down those things you are grateful for.
10. Reach out for help
While huge strides have been made in encouraging people to discuss their mental health, it remains a taboo subject for many people.
Remember that it is OK to ask a friend or family member, or a mental health professional, to listen to your concerns or to make time for a chat if you’re feeling stressed. Social contact can help you feel less isolated and more resilient to deal with any issues you face.
As the old saying goes, “A problem shared is a problem halved”. Relieving a burden will help reduce stress.
Get in touch
Stress can affect your relationship with money, while financial concerns can also have an impact on your mental health.
If you want to take control of your financial health, speak to us now. Please contact us on info@janesmithfinancial.com or call 01234 713131.
Please note
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
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