5 tips on dealing with stress

1. Avoid cigarettes, caffeine, and alcohol

Drinking coffee or having cigarettes will only increase your stress as both are stimulants. Alcohol is a depressant only when taken in large quantities, in smaller quantities it also acts as a stimulant. Swap your coffee and wine for herbal teas, or diluted fruit drinks – and remember to drink plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated.

2. Exercise

Stress increases the levels of adrenaline and cortisol in your body. Millennia ago this would help drive our “fight or flight” response and protect us in dangerous situations, today these stress hormones aren’t actually helpful. Exercising gives them somewhere to go, and restores your body to a calmer, more relaxed state.

3. Maximise relaxation before going to sleep

Everybody knows how important sleep is, and how lack of sleep will put stress on your body, while being stressed will interrupt your sleep. Aim to be as relaxed as possible before going to bed. Don’t rely on medication, but instead try meditating or reading. Avoid caffeine or alcohol too close to bedtime and don’t do any mentally demanding work beforehand, give your brain a chance to calm down.

4. Talk to someone if you’re feeling overwhelmed

Just sitting down and talking to a friend or a professional about what’s making you stressed can release a lot of built-up tension. Talking things through can help you see situations more clearly and plot a way through your problems.

5. Keep a stress diary

Every time you’re feeling stressed or anxious write it down and give it a rating out of 10 (1 being not stressful and 10 being very). This simple tool can help you identify what situations are causing you to be stressed and how effective you are at managing them. It can help you avoid these situations in the future or develop better coping mechanisms.

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