At some point or another, everyone experiences stress. Situations or circumstances in our lives become overwhelming, burdensome, or distracting.
We cannot always anticipate or control the circumstances in our lives that trigger stress. However, how we choose to respond to and manage our stress is within our circle of control. When stress is not adequately dealt with, it will begin to impact every aspect of your life.
Physical health is often one of the first areas that is impacted in a state of chronic stress. It can be easy to put taking care of yourself on the backburner. You may find yourself just trying to get through the day and consequently, taking good care of your physical health is neglected.
It can be easy to tell yourself, “I have too many other important things and people to take care of! I’ll get to me and my needs later.” Yet, later never arrives.
However, when your personal needs are neglected for an extended period of time, your ability to effectively address your other responsibilities is depleted.
So, instead of waiting until “later” and hoping you’ll have the time then, read and plan now for increasing resilience the next time you feel stress taking over.
ATTENTION: Four Stress-fighting Areas of Physical Health to Enhance
Sleep
Have you ever found yourself lying in bed at night, kept up by anxious thoughts of what you didn’t accomplish that day or going through your mental to-do list of what you need to accomplish tomorrow? When an individual is living in a state of constant stress, sleep is often impacted, both in quantity and quality.
A lack of sleep will inevitably affect your achievement. Fatigue affects your ability to focus on a task. Unfocused work is unproductive work. It can also make daily tasks and responsibilities feel overwhelming, which increases the chances of giving up altogether on goals that you’ve set for yourself.
If you don’t know how well you are sleeping, a fitness and sleep tracker can help. Whether you choose a smartwatch, smart ring, or a different option will depend on your preferences, needs, and of course, your wallet. Ask friends or read reviews online to see what option works best for you. One thing’s for certain, you will definitely have data to help you know whether you’re getting the quantity and quality sleep you need to be at your best during the day.
Nutrition
Cooking nutritious and wholesome meals, although an excellent choice for your overall health, is time-consuming and takes careful planning. It’s much easier to order a pizza or run through a drive-thru, especially when life’s daily stressors have left you feeling worn out. While these options may work short-term, when they turn into habitual responses, your overall health will inevitably decline.
In addition to making poor food choices, stress also impacts the amount that is eaten. The Mayo Clinic points out that many individuals living in a state of chronic stress find themselves either overeating, which can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease and obesity, or undereating, which can cause nutrient deficiencies and eating disorders.
What we feed our bodies has a direct impact on our energy levels. A lack of good nutrition will lead to a lack of energy needed to accomplish your goals.
If you want to tame the last-minute, just grab what’s convenient habit, start by adding food prep to prep to your weekly “to do” list. It seems wrong to add on more thing in an already busy schedule, but trust me – it’s not as hard as it seems and it makes a huge difference. Articles and tips on simplifying meal planning for busy families can help you get started. Once you’re in the groove, you’ll have less stress from knowing what you’re eating, and being ready to prepare a nutritious meal once you get home.
Water Consumption
Your body runs on water. It’s common knowledge that water is critical for our survival, and yet, too many of us do not come close to drinking enough water each day. We replace this highly important substance with other beverages.
Think about it! When you are feeling run down, tired, and stressed, what is the first drink you reach for? Is it water? For many people, the beverage of choice in these situations is something different. Perhaps you grab a beer or a nice glass of wine, something to unwind and calm yourself down. Or maybe you are running on coffee or soda. You rely on caffeine to get you through the day.
Although delicious and enjoyable, if these are the only things you drink, you are going to have a serious dehydration problem. Our brains rely on water to function properly. According to Dr. Joshua Gowin, dehydration will make it difficult to focus, as well as “impair short term memory function and the recall of long term memory.”
Getting more water is easy. Keep a recyclable bottle or thermos with you filled with water. Not crazy about plain water? Add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice, or add some melon or cucumber slices. Make it easy to grab for water and you’ll find you drink more.
Exercise
Exercise can be difficult to make time for on a good day. Add chronic stress into the mix and it’s often the first thing to be dropped from the schedule. However, making time for exercise is crucial for your overall health, especially in a state of chronic stress.
Exercise is necessary in order to maintain a healthy body. It is helpful in managing weight, blood pressure, and many other important biomarkers. However, the effects of exercise on mental health are especially helpful when dealing with chronic stress. Research shows that those who exercise regularly, “showed significant improvements in anxiety sensitivity.” Consistent exercise can help you manage your daily stressors more effectively.
As with everything else, make exercise easy. If you only have 15 or 20 minutes, you have time for a short walk or jog. Less time than that? You can practice deep breathing, bending and stretching. The best exercise is the one you will do. So, pick something that you like and begin. You’ll be surprised to find that soon you wouldn’t consider missing your exercise time.
In all states of life, but especially if you are dealing with chronic stress, it’s important to take care of your body and avoid neglecting your physical needs. When your body is being cared for properly, your ability to manage your responsibilities and navigate your stressors will improve significantly.
If you have a favorite fitness or health tracking app or device, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below. What do you use? Why do you like it? How have you benefitted?
(Please, no affiliate links or selling here, just honest experiences and recommendations to benefit our social communities.)
