11 Ways to Reduce Stress

Chronically elevated cortisol levels can lead to a number of issues for your hormones, clear skin, energy, mood, and weight. These reasons give us all the more reasons to reduce our stress. We can do this in a number of ways. Often we already know what we need to do, but we lack the motivation and drive to make changes in our lifestyles to reduce stress. Research shows that by engaging our prefrontal cortex (the frontal lobe), we can respond better to stress and even reduce it. So the secret is to just get the ball rolling with one of these eleven ways to reduce stress.

11 Ways to Reduce Stress

Mindfulness and Meditation -

Mindfulness and Mediation are distinct processes that can be integrated throughout the day or scheduled into your morning or evening rituals. The research supporting mindfulness and meditation show activation of the prefrontal cortex, allowing you to reduce impulsivity, mindless activity, and reduce stress. As we are mindful of our thoughts with acceptance and grace, we create a space to transform those thoughts into a more desirable reality. 

Reduce your Commitments-

In our society, it is expected that we are productive and efficient. This can often lead to burnout, overwhelm, and overextending your time. To help, I use a variation of the Action Priority matrix to help reduce my commitments or at least prioritize them.

Stabilize your Blood Sugar by Eating more Healthy Fats-

Chronic stress can be produced just by eating a donut or drinking your Starbucks drink. By reducing sugar and increasing healthy fats, your blood sugar will be more balanced and you will have far fewer cravings, energy crashes, irritability, and impulsivity.

To successfully start this habit, use mindfulness and slow down in times of stress. Ask yourself before you indulge, “Am I hungry, or am I just stressed?” As you start to get familiar with your eating patterns and pitfalls, you can start to support yourself by preparing for your afternoon craving with a healthy avocado snack or raw nuts. 

Reduce Food Allergens/Sensitivities-

Food sensitivities can actually provoke irritability, fatigue, and anxiety which may contribute to how stress accumulates in your lifestyle. Find out about your food sensitivities using a gut-healing nutrition protocol is the best way to reduce stress and improve your response to stress.

Exercise -

Research shows that exercise increases your prefrontal cortex and helps reduce stress. So how do we start doing it? One supportive shift for my clients is to start thinking of exercise as play. Remember when you were a kid and you constantly were moving?

We can bring play and movement into our days by making a commitment to go out of our way to walk upstairs, squat next to our colleague, do 10 push-ups, hang on a swing set, jog to the mailbox, or some other creative movement that fits into your normal routines. For example, instead of parking right next to the grocery store entrance, park further away so you have to walk more. 

Art-

Regardless if you are making art by painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, etc. the benefits of visual art production improve your frontal cortex connectivity with the rest of the brain. This means that resiliency (stress resistance) increases as you are more creative.

Psychotherapy-

Working towards less stress in your life can often bring up emotional and relational conflicts that can be supported by working with a psychotherapist. I personally have gained from several modalities in the psychotherapy field such as EMDR, narrative therapy, somatic, equine, art, and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). This study highlights the benefits of psychotherapy, in general, to help activate the prefrontal cortex which aids in emotional regulation. 

Prioritize Sleep-

Sleep is where healing, detoxification, and memory and emotional regulation occurs. Lack of sleep has become an accepted state in our society so we must actively commit to improve it and stay consistent. One recommendation is to literally make a calendar appointment with sleep or set an alarm to get to bed before midnight. It’s essential to make your bedroom cave-like, with no light exposure. If you struggle with getting to sleep, try taking a hot bath with magnesium/Epsom salts 2 hours before your bedtime. 

Nature-

Getting exposure to nature has beneficial health outcomes like better communication among families. Just 10 minutes of walking outside where there are foliage and sunlight can engage your prefrontal cortex. 

Do Something You Love with Someone You Love-

Humans are communal beings. In our society polarization and conflict are creating more distance, loneliness, and isolation between individuals which causes more stress on the body. To combat this stress, create quality time with friends and family and strangers. Share more positive affirmations with people as they are contagious. Lastly, avoid distractions like business and technology if you can by making a verbal agreement with friends when you are getting together.

Reduce Technology Exposure-

Exposure to technology exposes us to a constant stream of stress invoking advertisements, media, news, and negativity.  Blue light exposure and EMF waves can also stress out your cells. Start by giving yourself at least 20 minutes of peace before getting on your phone or other technology after you wake up. Then give yourself 1 hour of no screen time before you go to bed. This helps relax your nervous system so you get better sleep too!

Taking time for these 11 ways to reduce stress can improve your acne. Stress and acne are antagonizing. Often people are stressed about their skin or other health conditions which feed into more acne, hormone, gut, and energy problems. To stop this downward spiral effect just pick one of these ways to turn your stress into a productive healer.