Stress – we are all feeling it and it’s not going away any time soon.  So, if we can’t get rid of it then we must find ways to manage it.

A 2015 study by the Australian Psychological Society on Stress and Wellbeing (link here) stated that a whopping 49% of those surveyed said that financial problems were the main cause of their high stress levels.  Over the last 5 years, financial issues continues to rank number 1 followed closely by family issues.

Not surprisingly younger people (18-25) have consistently reported lower wellbeing levels than older Australians with 61% of Australian reporting that they have significant levels of distress or above normal level of anxiety.  I am finding the same trends in my clinics.

The problem with this is that long term stress can have such a debilitating effect on our physical health as well as our mental health.  Things like, headaches, acne, high blood pressure, fatigue, pain, depression and anxiety are just a few examples of how the body responds to long term stress.

As we become more educated on health and wellbeing many of us now recognise that we have the power to change the way we respond to stress.  So for example I use a technique in my clinic called “stop and replace” which enables my clients to change their negative emotions into positive emotions by using the power of hypnosis thus reducing the stress response.

But taking ownership for your own health and wellbeing isn’t always that simple.  Many opt for a visit to the doctor when they are not feeling up to scratch and leave with a quick and easy fix of anti-depressants or sleep medication.  This will work wonders to supress or mask the symptoms but will do little to deal with the reason the problem exists and therein lies the problem.

So this blog is about empowering you to take back control by using some simple stress management techniques that have worked for me over the years.  Here are my top 5 easy and full proof ways to lower your stress levels.

 

  1. Moving – it is one of the most effective ways of reducing stress.  Most of us know how much better we feel after going for a walk, run or participating in sport.  Research shows that doing something in the morning before you eat has the greatest impact on your body than at any other time.  Be aware that if you have low blood sugar you may need to have eat something first  The key to this is planning, schedule the activity into your calendar, make a date with yourself.  For me, if I don’t plan it, it doesn’t happen!
  2. Body Fuel – It is said “You are what you eat” and from my view point I would say, absolutely. But honestly you do not have to be a rocket scientist to realise that if you live on a fast food diet or eat excessive amounts of any food then you are not going to feel great.  There is so much confusing information out there that it can be hard to know if you are doing the right thing. But as a simple example, if you start by eating a diet high in vegetables, small amounts of protein and reduce your preservative intake then you are well on your way to improving your health.  Quite simply the foods that help reduce stress are those foods that are good for our bodies.  If you are not sure what these are then talk to a Nutritionist or Naturopath
  3. Sleep – loved this quote “Without sleep, we are like tall 2 years olds”. Those with kids know what I mean!  When we struggle to get a good nights’ sleep our stress inducing hormones have a field day.  There are many reasons why you might suffer from a sleepless night and it’s not always a quick fix.  However if lack of sleep is impacting negatively on your life do yourself and those around you a favour and get some help.  Some drug free options are Hypnotherapy, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Acupuncture.
  4. Laugh out Loud – Recently I went to meet my sister in Sri Lanka and we had the best week ever.  Why, because rather than respond in a negative way to all the things that went wrong, and believe me there were many, we chose to laugh our way through them.  The more we laughed the less stressed we felt and began to take things more in our stride.  In our stress driven world we don’t laugh often enough, long enough or hard enough so take the tip and loosen up.  Choose to see the funny side of a situation and then notice what that does to your stress levels.  So get together with friends and have a night of laughs, watch more comedy and hang around with people who make you laugh or who lift your spirits.
  5. Find Your Purpose – This is something that many people struggle with particularly those in the 50 plus age group. However, I’m constantly surprised by how many younger people seek help for feeling lost, with no direction, passion, focus or drive.  Imagine how feeling like this for a long period of time could impact your stress levels.   Sometimes it’s about taking that step outside of your comfort zone and trying something new or finding ways to challenge yourself.  Some people just need help finding clarity or their individual “raison d’etre” and often working with a Mind Coach/Hypnotherapist will guide you toward understanding and finally resolution.