Scientific research has shown that stress has a negative impact on the brain, nerves, muscles, joints, heart, digestive and reproductive system and can lead to a variety of physiological disorders and diseases in the body. Whether you are a parent, a student or a career professional, chances are you’ve encountered stress. When we’re stressed out, over-extended and exhausted we only half show up for our lives. We are built to withstand some stress, but chronic stress can be damaging not only to ourselves, but in other aspects of our lives, our families and our careers.
While you’re settling into your New Year’s resolutions, make yourself a priority in 2023, by following these five tips for a healthier, happier you.
#1: Be Gentle with Yourself
Try not to overload yourself with unreasonable goals. While life will always give us some sort of stress, you can always make conscious decisions to treat yourself with kindness. When you are faced with situations or experiences that may cause you stress – try to avoid worrying or burdening yourself with thoughts that cause unnecessary pressure, instead shape the quality of your thoughts towards positive thinking. When life becomes hectic, try making an itemized list and prioritize tasks by importance. Decide which items on your list don’t absolutely need to be done today, or even, at all. Can some items be reprioritized for a later date, delegated to coworkers, friends or your family? Take a step back and look at where you can ask for help, or how you may simply rethink how to accomplish your tasks.
#2: Make Sure you Get Enough Rest
We all know the benefits of a good night’s sleep. When we are exhausted, stress and anxiety levels tend to rise. Conversely, when we are well rested, we react and handle stressful situations effectively. Having trouble sleeping? Try these sleep hygiene tips to produce a restful night of sleep:
• Create a ritual before bed each night that will give your body cues that it is time to unwind from the day. Prepare a cup of tea at a certain time. Read a chapter in a book while diffusing your favorite custom mix of essential oils. Take a bath. Practice a nighttime skin care ritual. Listen to a meditation app before going to sleep.
• Get to bed earlier. The later we go to bed, the less restful your sleep will be. For the deepest, most restful sleep, try hitting the pillow before 11:00 p.m.
• Avoid screen time, or any digital distractions, as a rule of thumb at least one hour before bed. Artificial lights (especially from cell phones, iPads and computers) keeps the mind alert, confuses the brain, affects our circadian rhythm, and suppresses our body’s natural melatonin secretion, a hormone that promotes deep, restorative sleep. Too much screen time affects the REM sleep stage, the sleep cycle tied to your creative and problem-solving skills and memory retrieval. Create healthy boundaries from digital distractions before bed for a restful night of sleep.
#3: Eat a Diet Rich in Fruits & Vegetables
When we are well-nourished with wholesome foods we feel better, we are less stressed, we feel stronger, and we have more consistent energy. In addition, those who are well-fed with nutritious balanced food are less likely to overindulge in sugar and alcohol, and this is an important factor when we are trying to de-stress. Refined sugars found in food as well as in alcohol lead to a rapid spike in our blood sugar levels. In turn, blood sugar levels takes a precipitous nose-dive, leaving us feeling jittery and anxious, exhausted and drained.
#4: Get Moving
Regular exercise boosts our strength, energy and mood. Research shows that people who regularly exercise, and then stop, within a week, report that they feel depressed and fatigued. To start incorporating movement into your life right away, try parking in a spot that is the absolute furthest from the store, take the stairs rather than the elevator, and dedicate a part of your lunch break to a quick walk. When you’re ready to try incorporating more vigorous exercise, try a class that looks interesting to you – if you don’t like running, try a spin class. If you used to love to dance but don’t go out much anymore, try a Zumba class. Your body will thank you, and your stress level will be reduced.
#5: Take Extra Down Time to Focus on Your Self Care
If we really want to accomplish things efficiently and use our time to its best advantage, we must take time to restore, replenish and renew. Even just five minutes of closing your eyes, sitting quietly, taking slow deep breaths, while concentrating only on the sound of your own breath, has an amazing and immediate effect on the way we feel.
We often tend to forget our self care, telling ourselves that we don’t have enough time to properly nurture ourselves or that self care is a luxury that we can’t afford. Whether it be massage, acupuncture, trips to the chiropractor, bettering our sleep hygiene, taking time to simply breathe or creating a yoga practice, trust that when you take care of yourself, the problems you were so worried about become less of a burden.
Franesa Pyle is the owner and founder of Botanicals Spa, a nature-inspired wellness spa located in Saratoga Springs. She is the creator behind organic skin care brands; Spa City Organics and Apothic Timeless Skincare. Ms. Pyle lives in Saratoga Springs with her husband Dr. Bert W. Pyle, III, and their two children. She loves all things health and self care related, spending time in nature, gardening, hobby farming, and DIY crafting.
