Combat your stress during Stress Awareness Month.
It’s a fact: stress can make us sick. While stress is a natural part of life, chronic stress can be detrimental to our mental and physical health. April is National Stress Awareness Month – a time to reflect on constructive methods to ease that pesky state where fear and anxiety rule our minds and wreak havoc on our bodies. To help you get a handle on stress this month, check out our top tips.
Take a breather.
Ever notice yourself responding to a frustrating situation with a deep sigh? A deep breath from your abdomen can stimulate the nervous system, resulting in a sense of relaxation. In stressful situations, take a minute, or a few minutes if you can, to breathe mindfully. Deep breathing can be a simple but very effective tool to help calm your mind and refresh your perspective.
Get enough sleep.
When stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest. It’s important to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. If you can, unwind before bed by limiting TV/phone use in the bedroom, avoiding caffeine in the afternoon, and relaxing before going to bed.
Exercise daily.
Exercising can help you feel good and maintain your health. Exercising decreases stress hormones and increases endorphins, which are often referred to as the body’s ‘feel-good chemicals.’ Aim to find a workout that you love to do and commit to it, whether it’s taking up yoga, hitting the gym, or running in the fresh air.
Think positive.
Maintain the effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. One way to do this is to envision the results that you want rather than thinking about the results of which you’re afraid. Another approach is to practice positive affirmations such as, ‘I can do this,’ and ‘I can overcome this obstacle.’
Embrace mistakes.
Trying to live mistake-free is only setting yourself up for disaster. Putting pressure on yourself isn’t going to help you lead a stress-free life. Instead of getting stressed because things are going wrong, choose to embrace the mistakes and mishaps and learn from them. Perfectionism is impossible and not human, anyway.
These are some of the things you can do to take better care of your heart this month. Want another way to make your health a priority? Then make sure you have the right health insurance coverage to address all your needs. To find the best policy for you, contact the experts at Donald Weiss Insurance Services. Our dedicated team is ready to assist you with all your coverage needs.