By Gabriella Meditz
Most of us college students can attest to the fact that stress is genuinely reaching epidemic proportions in today’s world. Many of us perpetually feel ill-equipped to balance school, health, family, friends, work, money, etc. Over 80% of doctors’ visits in the U.S. are stress-related. Contrary to popular belief, our quality of life and health is primarily influenced by how well we can adapt and relate to our daily stressors. Excessive stress affects all aspects of our lives. It not only takes a toll on our physical bodies but also suppresses our creative instincts and strips joy from our lives. Life is scarcely worth living without qualities such as good physical health, creativity, and joy. Dissolving stress is achievable, but it does require a considerable commitment to making healthy lifestyle choices that will create balance in our lives. Here are a few techniques to help eliminate stress, increase energy, and create emotional balance!
Gratitude Journaling:
Gratitude Journaling is a great way to be aware of things in your life that you are most grateful for. This journaling practice can help boost positive moods in yourself and in
the lives of those around you! Try to take five minutes a week to acknowledge and write down the things you appreciate the most. Share this gratitude with others!
Mindfulness Meditation:
Mindfulness meditation is a mental training practice that can be helpful in stressful situations. It brings you and your thoughts to the present and focuses on your emotions, sensations, and thoughts you’re experiencing in “the now” so that you can acknowledge and accept these feelings without judgment.
Kendra Cherry’s article “What Is Mindfulness Meditation?” gives a great overview of this technique and gives tips on the different ways to engage in meditation.
Deep Abdominal Breathing:
Deep abdominal breathing increases the oxygen supply to your brain and promotes a feeling of calmness. Deep breathing helps activate the body’s relaxation response. Research shows that abdominal breathing for 20 to 30 minutes daily reduces anxiety and stress levels. Here is a quick breathing exercise to try on your own:
-Find a comfortable position (you may stand, lay down, or sit down)
-Place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. Keep your shoulders relaxed. Inhale deeply and slowly through your nose. Your abdomen should expand, and your chest should rise very little.
-Exhale slowly through your mouth. As you blow air out, purse your lips slightly, but keep your jaw relaxed.
-Repeat this exercise for 10 minutes.
Nutrition:
You must eat a diet high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and low glycemic carbohydrates to live a healthy life, both physically and mentally. The standard American diet is high in processed foods, sugar, trans fats, and saturated fats, which are all linked to depression, anxiety, and increased stress. Poor adaptability to stress is often a sign that your brain is starving for nutrients not supplied by the standard American diet. Change your diet to nutrient-rich foods, and your mind and body will reward you!
Aromatherapy:
Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils to improve the health of the mind, body, and spirit. It can enhance both your physical and emotional health. Many studies prove that it can decrease anxiety and improve sleep. You can utilize scented candles, diffusers, essential oils, aromatic spritzers, inhalers, bathing salts, and body creams/oils to practice aromatherapy. Some scents that help induce calming effects are rose, bergamot, sandalwood, orange blossom, and lavender.
Yoga:
Yoga is a form of meditation that involves putting your body into a various of poses in combination with deep breathing to induce mental clarity, physical strength, flexibility, and increased energy. There are many different forms of yoga, so finding what works best for you is best! I highly recommend combining yoga with sitting meditation, as they work synergistically to induce deep states of relaxation.
Listening to Soothing Music:
Listening to music can be a highly effective stress reducer. Soothing music can slow your heart rate, lower blood pressure, and decrease levels of stress hormones. Music can be introduced into a variety of your daily activities. Listen to music while you do chores, in the car, shower, at the gym, or on a walk, or even when you get ready for the day. Adding music to your day is a small effort that can reduce the amount of stress you experience each day!
While not all of these techniques will work for everyone, there might be one or a combination that will help you dissolve stress in your life! Try a few of these methods and determine what relieves your stress!