9 Effective Ways to Reduce Stress

From COVID-19 concerns to job-related stress to juggling career and family, it’s no wonder so many people are stressed out these days. As a chiropractic office, naturally, we recommend getting adjusted as an effective way to address stress. Here are some other great ways to destress:

Exercise is one of the best ways to decrease stress. Just moving your body daily can do wonders to reduce stress. You don’t have to be an avid CrossFitter doing high-intensity workouts to get the benefits. Just going for a brisk walk is an easy and low-impact way to fit some physical activity and fitness into your day. As a matter of fact, we would recommend against doing any high intensity training if you’re feeling overly stressed.

There are certain supplements that can relax the body and reduce stress. These include GABA, magnesium, chamomile and valerian root. These can help relax the nervous system and may also help you sleep soundly.

While it’s tempting to consume several cups of coffee daily to make it through your day, caffeine can cause anxiety. Too much caffeine, particularly if consumed after 12 p.m., also can leave you lying awake at night. We shouldn’t need caffeine to get through the day. If you can’t give it up then reducing your intake during the day is ideal. Also, instead of coffee try switching to green tea or matcha, which contain L-Theanine.

It’s easy to take things for granted, whether it’s your family, your job or your health. One of the most empowering ways to relieve stress is gratitude journaling. By putting our thoughts down on paper we can be mindful of all of the things we have to be thankful for-which is good for the mood!

Isolation can be stressful and even lead to depression. Getting together with others, whether it’s for a meal, to work out or to laugh over a rom-com, is good for your health and can help keep stress at bay.

We recommend a good breathing exercise-box breathing-that’s an effective way to relax the body and mind. To do it, you inhale for four seconds, hold it for four seconds, exhale for eight seconds then hold that for four seconds and repeat. Doing that breathing for a few minutes will bring you out of that sympathetic stress response more back to that parasympathetic rest response.