By: Lucy Brown
Not Scientifically Reviewed by Dr. Eeks
Stress levels have been steadily rising in recent years, and with an increase in global uncertainty, that doesn’t look like it’s going to change anytime soon.
As such, it’s important for individuals to take a proactive approach to managing their own stress levels. While there are some elements of stress that are beyond one’s control, there are also plenty of ways to keep them in check.
What’s more, many of those strategies are relatively straightforward, with no massive time or energy investment required. Below, we’ve put together some of the most effective strategies for keeping stress levels in check, which, when put all together, can have a powerful impact.
Spend Time In Nature
Of all the causes of stress, one of the most overlooked reasons is the relative disconnect from nature that we experience compared with our ancestors. While there are advantages to living in cities, the lights, sound, and lack of green space can do a number on stress levels.
Studies have repeatedly shown that spending time in nature can do wonders for stress levels, and it doesn’t require that the person spend much time there before the benefits set in. Even spending 15 minutes in nature can have an impact, while spending two hours in nature a week has been shown to have a significant impact on symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Try Relaxation Activities
We tend to think of stress in terms of something that we have. But it can be more effective to think of it as something that we do. Spending time in traffic, hectic work, and taking care of other responsibilities throughout the day is stressful.
You can’t remove those things from your to-do list, but what you can do is incorporate relaxing activities into your day/week, which can serve as an antidote to rising stress levels. Things like yoga, meditation, reiki healing, and grounding have all been reported to have anti-stress properties. They also tend to be a case of ‘the more you put in, the more you get out’ — make them a fundamental part of your lifestyle, and it’s likely that before long, you’ll feel a lot more relaxed.
Work It Out
It should come as no surprise that exercise is good for reducing stress levels. After all, it’s good for most things. What’s good about exercise is that it can have an immediate effect. Simply going for a 20-minute run can be enough to dispel any stressful energy you may be carrying. Combine it with a cold shower when you get back, and you’ll likely feel energized and stress-free.
Digital Fasting
Smartphones have their advantages, but, like with cities, they’re not exactly relaxing. With screen time rising across the board, now can be a good time to review how much time you’re spending looking at your device and working to minimize that time. Reducing screentime even a little bit can open up more time for doing valuable tasks and make it easier to sleep well, which can also be crucial for managing stress levels.