20 Jun How to Reduce Stress in Your Life

Stress is an unavoidable aspect of life. There will always be stressful events and situations that we’ll have to deal with, no matter how hard we try to eliminate stress from our lives. Although these stressful events and situations are out of our control, what we can control is our reaction to them. 

I personally am susceptible to overreacting to stressful situations, and so I decided many years ago to take steps to eliminate as much stress as possible from my life. Below are some things I’ve learned and used over the years to help me deal with stressful situations. Remember that no one is perfect – we are all going to stress out sometimes – but if you stick with these steps you’ll find that stress isn’t going to seem nearly as awful as it was in the past. 

What to Do When You’re Stressed About Something

1. When you find yourself in a stressful situation, stop and evaluate what’s happening to your body.

Notice if your heart rate increases, if you feel your hands sweat, if you feel shaky, if you feel sick to your stomach or dizzy, or any other reaction you’re having. Say out loud to yourself the things that you notice – this will help you remove yourself from the stressful event and evaluate yourself objectively. It basically just stops you in your tracks and keeps you from emotionally spiraling out of control.

2. Take a series of three deep breaths.

Breath deeply in through your nose, hold it for five seconds, then blow it out through your mouth. Repeat this for a total of three breaths. Deep breathing in this manner will help to stimulate the part of your nervous system that calms you down and counteracts the fight or flight response.

3. Now, acknowledge your stress.

You have a right to feel overwhelmed! But remember that you also have a right to feel peaceful, calm and supported. What can you do to make this situation less stressful? If someone is stressing you out, maybe you can talk to them about how you’re feeling and work through it together. If a situation is stressing you out, remove yourself from it for a moment so you can collect yourself, calm down, and revisit the situation with a clear head. 

If you’re stressed about your job, do you need to find a way to not bring your stress home with you? Whatever is stressing you out, find a productive and concrete way to work through it, ask for help if you need it, and come up with a solution. 

Daily Steps to Reduce Stress Regularly

If you start your day off right, take care of yourself, and maintain a sense of balance in your life, stressful situations won’t seem as bad and it will be much easier to work through them when they do arise. Next we’re going to talk about how to prevent stress from taking control of your life. Here are a few things you can do regularly to help prevent stress in your life: 

1. Meditate daily.

A daily meditation practice, especially if you do it first thing in the morning, will help you to maintain a sense of peace and well-being throughout the day. There are so many different ways to meditate! You can sit quietly for a few minutes, ask a specific question and sit in silence while you wait for an answer to come to you, visualize how you’d like your day to go. The options are endless, and you truly only need a few minutes per day for this to be effective.

2. Regular bodywork.

Chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, and craniosacral therapy are just a few different bodywork modalities that can help you to release stress that’s stored in your body. We all hold tension in a specific area (neck, shoulders, lower back) and once it settles in our physical bodies we all need help releasing it. 

Bodywork is the best form of preventative maintenance out there. Consistency is key – for example, if you commit to massage, make sure you’re getting at least one 90-minute session per month. If you commit to chiropractic, follow the guidelines your doctor recommends and stick with it. Whatever route(s) you choose, make sure you’re consistent and follow the recommendations of the professional you see!

3. Practice gratitude.

Spend a few minutes each night to write out a list of three things you’re grateful for. Practicing gratitude is a wonderful way to keep your mind focused on the things that are special and fulfilling about your life.

4. Do things you love.

Make sure you take time for yourself every day, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Whatever it is that you love, you need to prioritize yourself a little bit each day. Doing things that make you happy will naturally reduce the amount of stress you feel when you’re doing things you don’t particularly like.

5. Ask for help.

You can’t do everything yourself, so make sure that you ask for help when you need it. Delegate tasks to others. Speak up when something is bothering you. Ask for help or reach out to a friend or family member. There’s always someone there to listen to you or help you if you need it.

Reduce Your Stress with Chiropractic and Reiki Sessions

We are all exposed to stress in many ways and sometimes we need extra help to release that stress from our bodies. In our experience, chiropractic coupled with energy work like reiki is the best way to accomplish that.

Reach out to us today to see if our in-office chiropractic and reiki sessions are right for you, or learn more about our distance healing package to take the next step in your healing process!