Reduce stress in everyday life:
The best tips
Stress is not always stress: whether stress comes from work, from too many obligations in your leisure time or from difficulties in interpersonal relationships - your body and mind react differently to stress. There is also “positive” stress that is fun and provides more energy than it demands. Some people are even more productive under stress.
However, negative stress can cause long-term health damage, which is why it is important to free yourself from stressful situations and to reduce stress factors. Below you will find the best tips for being less stressed in your everyday life.
Due to evolution, stress puts your body on high alert. It triggers certain processes in the body, like increasing your heartbeat, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. What in the beginning creates more energy and more efficiency - which in a stressful situation, i.e., can be quite good - harbors problems in the long term. If the concentration of stress hormones remains at a high level over a long period of time and the body is in an constant state of alert, it has negative effects on the metabolism and digestive organs, promotes inflammatory processes and weakens the immune system. Anyone who does not counter stress effectively runs the risk of contracting serious illnesses. Initially, this usually manifests itself in tension, especially in the head and neck, but also in your back. Stomach pain or irritation of the intestines occur, sleep and eating disorders or even depression can be the result. Therefore: Stress is allowed, but it also has to stop - balance, relaxation, recovery and switching off are important.
A distinction can be made between short-term and long-term reduction of stress. In the short term, it's about relieving stressful situations and leaving them behind. Long-term anti-stress measures, on the other hand, generally serve to achieve a better balance between stress and recovery - only this will help you avoid serious consequences. Exercising outside, playing sports and relaxing reduce stress sustainably - which variant works better depends on the individual. It is therefore important that you find your personal balance, in which you successfully switch off, recover, ventilate, exhaust yourself and find yourself again.
In the following you will find a few simple tips with which you can counter negative stress quickly and efficiently - and which can easily be put into practice.
Tip 1: Digital detox
One of the main factors for stress today is of a digital nature: flooding, omnipresence, complexity - the digitization of our lives causes an increase in stress levels for both young and old. This was shown by a study carried out by the University of Augsburg and the Fraunhofer Institute. Flooding and omnipresence can be combated very efficiently by yourself through a digital detox. The term has established itself for deliberately taking time off from smartphones, the internet, and more - so, put away your cell phone and leave the computer off more frequently and instead devote time to yourself, your loved ones or a good book.
But be careful: Consciously set a time limit for your time out or you will get the feeling that something is missing, which can turn into stress.
Tip 2: Change your perspective
Stress generally has a negative connotation. However, the body has set up its function in such a way that the alertness that we are put into when we feel stressed awakens our survival instinct - so it does have a very positive effect. Make use of this and use the released energy to cope with your tasks. Your ability to concentrate, your creativity and your attention increase as the stress level increases. This is also scientifically proven: results of a study by Stanford University show that the more positively the stress factor is viewed, the less the cortisol levels in the body rise. So it is easier to withdraw from a stressful situation - and ultimately healthier for you and your body.
Tip 3: Smile
Its not just a phrase: laughter is healthy! And can reduce stress: Smiling sends a positive signal to our brain - it makes us more efficient, increases creativity, we learn more easily. Therefore: smile! Think of something beautiful that you have experienced, of something that you are particularly looking forward to or that you have been happy about in the past. Look at yourself in the mirror and smile at yourself, or smile at the people you meet on the street. The happiness hormones released in the process help to reduce stress in the long term and thus counteract it efficiently.
Tip 4: Breathe
A pause button that you want to press from time to time: Consciously take ten deep breaths twice a day - try not to think of tomorrow, later, yesterday, experiences, the past or the future, but rather concentrate on the here and now. What noises do you hear? What smells do you perceive? How does the environment you are in feel? These breaths are like a short pause for your mind and brain - they help your thoughts to get air and to rearrange itself.
Tip 5: Sing
The regulation of automatic processes in our body - such as our breathing, heartbeat and digestion - lies in the autonomic nervous system. In this, two opponents ensure that these processes run optimally, namely the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system. While the former becomes active when we are under stress and pressure, the second provides the counterbalance by calming and relaxing. The deep inhalation and exhalation that takes place is exactly what activates it: your pulse slows down, your blood pressure drops, your body relaxes - and the stress level drops.
Tip 6: Wellness sessions at home
A wellness session can work wonders when it comes to reducing stress. Excursions to a spa with a mud bath, massage, facial treatments and fango packs are not entirely necessary. Of course, they absolutely have their justification and provide desirable effects, but can usually not always be implemented in your day-to-day between your work and private life. It is possible though to have a wellness experience in your own four walls. For example, I give the advice of not seeing my recommended mornings and evenings care routines as a necessary evil, but instead as my care time - and not just for the skin, but for your own well-being.
Anyone who takes care of themselves in their morning routine, consciously makes themselves aware of this time and uses it for themselves - be it for reflecting, for mindfulness exercises or simply to ponder - will start the day consciously and relaxed. Anyone who uses their evening routine after a strenuous day for their care as well as for reflecting on the day, letting go of the stress and clearing their head, has the chance to go to bed more exuberant and tidier and can expect to get a restful sleep.
NICOLAS OPTEKAMP
Nicolas Optekamp knows the fast-paced world of social media very well: In his work as a consultant, he is not unfamiliar with the exciting developments, but also with the stress. Nicolas, however, skillfully counteracts this - sports offer him the perfect balance: Since the fitness trainer license and participation in several sailing world championships are far from enough for him, Nicolas also regularly lets of steam on the golf course. In addition to fun and relaxation, he always finds new challenges and his personal balance here. As a guest author, he gives tips and ideas on how to reduce stress in everyday life.
