How to Release Stress
So many of us are afraid of stress. We don't want to get too stressed or go through something stressful in life. And this is understandable. Too much stress can leave us feeling overwhelmed, anxious and down. Yet - experiencing stress is actually very normal and an inevitable part of life. We will all get stressed sometimes. The important thing isn't whether we experience stress or not but whether we are able to release that stress in a healthy way - so that we aren't suppressing it or holding onto it.
When we experience stress, our body and brains believe that we are in danger or that there is a threat present. This threat may (in historic times) have been a lion or other predator, but in the modern world is often our thoughts about things like money, work or relationships. In the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, doctors Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski suggest that we can complete the "stress cycle" by doing something that tells our body and brain and body that, after facing a threat, we are now safe. The types of activities that can help complete this stress cycle for us and tell our bodies and brains that we are safe, include:
Physical activity: a short burst of physical activity can communicate to the brain and body that you have escaped from the danger or threat and help you to release stress (you've now run away from that predator).
Laughter: laughing is a great way of discharging emotions and releasing some of the stress that you've been holding on to.
Crying: we live in a society that is very afraid of tears but crying is actually a great way to rebalance our emotions, release stress and lower cortisol levels.
Physical affection: a hug from a friend, a kiss from your partner or some time snuggling with your pet can all help you to release stress and re-regulate how you are feeling.
Breathing exercises: deep breathing can help shift your body's physiology into a more relaxed mode and help you to release stress in the process, often relaxation techniques like meditation and hypnotherapy can achieve the same effect too.
Creativity: doing something creative like painting or singing can help you to move through stress that you've experienced.
All of these activities signal to both our brain and our body that we are no longer in danger and that it is okay to just relax. It can be helpful to take some time to reflect on what you typically do after you've experienced something stressful or when you're feeling overwhelmed. Do you tend to turn to some unhelpful coping mechanisms like alcohol, drugs, food, shopping or gambling or do you use one of the six activities above to complete the stress cycle?
If we don't take time to regularly release stress and to re-regulate our body, we can end up chronically stressed and feeling like we can't cope. You may have experienced that feeling of overwhelm or meltdown that happens when your partner says the wrong thing, your kids whining just becomes too much or your boss hands you another task to complete. Often it isn't that one thing that has caused the meltdown, but the build up of all of the stressors in your life. By releasing stress regularly, you can prevent yourself from getting to that place of complete overwhelm.
What are you going to do today to release some of the stress that you may have been holding on to?
If you would like some support to manage stress and to stop turning to food to cope with life's ups and downs, please reach out to us at info@thefoodtherapyclinic.com to find out more about how we can support you.
“There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” ―Henry Kissinger
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