Stress can have a huge impact on your life and the lives of those around you, so it’s important to deal with it head-on where possible. One of the first things you should do if you are feeling stressed is to try and figure out where the root of the problem lies and deal with it from there.
Stress is very common, but once you find ways to manage it, you will find it far easier to cope with and will know what to do if it happens again. Here are 3 things that can help reduce stress levels.
A Good Night’s Sleep
Lack of sleep can play a huge part when it comes to increased stress levels. It’s suggested that the average adult need somewhere between 7 and 9 hours of sleep to function at their optimum. This does, of course, vary from person to person, but if you aren’t getting enough sleep, then you may notice an increase in your stress levels. Small issues can become big problems when you are tired. You may become more irritable and shorter tempered, and it can also affect your ability to focus and concentrate.
If this is causing an issue for you, try and develop a regular sleeping pattern. Have a warm bath before bed, or read a book for a few hours to help you drift off. A night of quality sleep will help you to more successfully manage the stressors that day to day life can bring.
Essential oils
Inhaling or applying essential oils to the skin is known to alleviate various issues, including stress. Scents such as lavender, rose, and chamomile, to name but a few, are reported to be particularly successful in this area.
If you prefer not to put oil directly on your skin, diffuser jewelry is a great alternative. Diffuser bracelets, for example, are made from porous lava beads that easily absorb the essential oils and slowly release the scent throughout the day. According to Kumi, an essential oil specialist based in Utah, lava stone is a very calming stone, which is also very useful in helping to relieve anger, so it may also help to relieve any stress that you are dealing with.
A Trouble Shared is a Trouble Halved
Talking to others about how you feel can do wonders to reduce your stress levels as well as aiding your overall mental health. If something specific is troubling you or you don’t feel you are coping as well as you should, talk to someone. Regardless of whether it’s a family member, friend, or mere acquaintance, you may find that opening up and getting it out there does wonders and makes the situation easier to deal with.
If your stress is work-related, speak to your line manager and establish whether anything can be done to assist. Perhaps your workload is getting too much to cope with and you need an extra pair of hands to help, or maybe a change of systems and procedures could do the trick to make things more manageable. There are usually solutions to work-related stress, so don’t be frightened to speak up.
