Are you in your golden years and struggling with stress? If you are, you are not alone. Stress is a common issue that many mature adults face. Unfortunately, just like the saying “stress is the cause of all disease”, being stressed can be detrimental to your health in numerous ways. And stress can be caused by a combination of physical, chemical, and emotional stressors that you may or may not even be aware of. Thankfully, there are many ways you can reduce stress. Hence, read on to find out about the 5 ways to reduce stress.
Identify Your Sources of Stress
The easiest way to reduce stress is to figure out what exactly makes you stressed. After all, if you know where your stress comes from, you can find ways to get rid of the source of stress. So how can you identify what makes you stressed? You can write it down, talk to someone about it, or think about what you did during your day to figure out what is causing you to feel stressed. Next, you can come up with solutions together with your loved ones. Alternatively, read on to see what are other ways you can do to reduce your identified stress point.
Practice Mindfulness
One of the key ways of dealing with stress is to cultivate a sense of mindfulness or to practice mindfulness. After all, quieting a busy mind and becoming more aware of the current moment can allow you to be less engrossed in the past and less concerned about the future. Thus, allowing you to enjoy “the now” and at the same time, noticing and embracing your emotions and ideas. Hence, meditating, living in the moment, or creating a journal are some of the many ways you can practice mindfulness and reduce stress. In fact, according to science, practicing mindfulness can also rewire and strengthen you against stress.
Laugh Regularly
One of the simplest methods for dealing with stress? Have a good chuckle. After all, laughter is the best medicine – even for dealing with stress. Having a good sense of humor can help you relax and cope with stress. In addition, smiling and laughing can also bring about many physical and psychological benefits. Thus, why not try laughing more in your life to battle with your stress?
Exercise
Apart from the usual physical benefits of exercise, did you also know that exercising can reduce your stress? This is because stress usually originates from poor brain health, and exercising can help to improve your brain health. Thus, combatting your stress levels. In fact, research from the University of Illinois shows how regular aerobic exercise, even if it is mild, helps to enhance your general cognitive health. Did you also know that exercise spurs the production of new brain cells, and boosts your general mood, which can help to reduce stress? Thus, go on a short walk when you are feeling stressed. Alternatively, simply engage in your usual exercise plan to combat your stress level.
