5 easy ways to de-stress throughout the day

Keeping up with the hustle and bustle of modern life can be exhausting and stressful at the best of times. Stress leads to burnout, depression, and causes many of today’s common diseases. So it’s important to get on top of stress before it gets on top of you.

As a nutritional health coach, I help people manage their stress more effectively so they don’t feel overwhelmed or out of control in their day-to-day lives. Here I’ve put together 5 easy ways to de-stress throughout the day to help you relax.

Eat wholefoods

It always starts with food. Why? Because wholefoods support stable blood sugar, balanced moods, consistent energy, and a calm mind. Eating plenty of vegetables, some fruits, grass-fed meat, fish, whole grains, legumes, and quality fats like grass-fed butter, coconut oil, avocado, nuts and seeds, will support optimal body function. Essential nutrients found in wholefoods support an appropriate stress response. Also, by sticking to one cup of coffee a day you will be ensuring your adrenal glands don’t secrete excess cortisol, which increases stress immensely.

Breathing

Breathing by using your diaphragm has a powerful impact on your autonomic nervous system. By breathing in and expanding your diaphragm for three counts, then contracting your diaphragm as you exhale for three counts, you are communicating with your nervous system that you are safe. This causes a surge of calm through your body and manages cortisol levels effectively. In contrast, many people who feel stressed and busy end up breathing with short, sharp breaths. This has the reverse response on the nervous system, increasing the levels of stress experienced by the body.

Movement

Research shows that movement has the direct opposite physical response to stress. If you notice yourself feeling more and more stressed throughout the day, I suggest you prioritise your health and set aside 20 minutes in the afternoon to get up and walk around the neighbourhood, whether you work in the city or out in the country. Many clients have found that this not only helps them to de-stress, but it improves their digestion if done immediately after lunch.

Self-talk

The things we tell ourselves internally have a dramatic effect of how stressed we feel, or how calm we feel. When we use words like ‘exhausted,’ ‘stressed,’ ‘super busy,’ to describe our circumstances, research shows that we will start to feel and act in this way. Alternatively, if we choose to rephrase how we talk or think about our busy lives and instead use phrases like ‘busy, but on-top-of-things, ‘busy for a time, but it will pass,’ we will notice that our bodies won’t have such a stressed response. I always encourage clients to take control of their circumstances by owning their self-talk around it, instead of letting an experience control them. This is a very empowering way to live in all spheres of life.

Herbal tea

This last point sounds slightly basic, but science shows that certain herbs have a natural calming effect on the body. Unlike coffee and black tea (which increase the production of the stress hormone cortisol), herbal teas have a wonderful relaxing effect on us. The best teas that I have found to do this include chamomile, peppermint, and nettle. Try drinking these in between meals to increase hydration and relax your body and mind.