April is Stress Awareness month and we all know what it’s like to feel stressed, but it’s not easy to describe exactly what stress means. When we say things like “this is stressful” or “I’m stressed”, we usually talk about situations that put pressure on us – for example, times where we have lots to do and think about, or don’t have much control over what happens.

What is Stress?

When we feel stressed, we often find it hard to sleep or eat well, and poor diet and lack of sleep can affect our physical health, which, in turn can make us feel more stressed emotionally.

Why We Experience It

The issue is that when we feel anxious, our bodies release hormones called cortisol and adrenaline, the body’s automatic way of responding to a threat, sometimes called the “fight or flight” response. If you’re often stressed, then you’re probably producing high levels of these hormones, which can make you feel physically unwell and could affect your health in the longer term.

What to Do to Bust It

When stress becomes overwhelming, or it’s chronic, it can seriously affect your well-being. That’s why it’s important to have effective stress relievers that can calm your mind and your body.

1. Aromatherapy

Relaxing smells decrease stress hormones and make you feel energized, they also help shift your mood into more positive mode.

2. Try some meditation

At least, give it a go, even if you are very busy or are not sure if meditation is beneficial. There is huge amount of meditation apps on the market, also, lots of the apps are free.

3. Get moving

Start exercising, even if it is only a short stroll outside your office, or a brisk walk in the park.

4. Develop a positive self-talk habit

Praise yourself for every achievement however small it is.

5.  Practice yoga

The benefits of yoga are immeasurable. Practicing yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility, brings in more energy and brighter moods, helps you relax, which, in turn, helps you sleep better, which, in the end, helps you manage your stress level.

6. Do something you really enjoy

Allow yourself some time to do something you’ve always wanted but postponed it because there were more important things to do.

It could be anything from gardening, learning to draw or playing a musical instrument to quilting and doing embroidery or writing a poem or a novel.

If you aren’t into drawing or painting, consider colouring in a colouring book. Recently, colouring books for adults have risen in popularity; colouring can be a great stress reliever, can be done anywhere, anytime and doesn’t cost lots.

This are some suggestions for managing life’s inevitable ups and downs. There are many other tools to help keep stress at a manageable level. All you need to do is to experiment and find out for yourself which works better for you.