5 Ways to Manage Your Stress

By Madison Reynolds, LCMHCA

Stress can affect a wide range of the human population and can cause physical, emotional or psychological strain in the body. Experiencing stress for long periods of time is not good for your overall health and stress management should be considered in a timely manner. However, you are not alone and there is help! I have provided 5 quick and easy steps to help you manage spiking stress levels.

1- Mind and Body: Being connected to your mind and body can improve your mental and physical functioning creating more effective ways to tackle stress. When experiencing stress, signals go off in the body to warn you and this is probably the best time to take a break or re-evaluate the stressful activation in order to tackle the stressful event in a more efficient way. Being connected to your mind and body can help you manage stress in healthier ways as well.

2- Support System: Having a support system is important when undergoing stressful events. Support systems are others you can rely on to care for your emotional and physical well being as well as confide in when things become difficult. Having a strong support system on the days that are more stressful can be very beneficial for your well-being and mental health.

3- Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness is a great way to decrease and manage stress. Mindfulness is a continuous act of being in the present moment physically and mentally. Some mindful grounding techniques to help bring you back into your body, calm your nervous system along with decreasing stress are breathwork and meditation. Some great apps to assist in these areas are headspace and the headspace series on Netflix!

4- Eat and Sleep Well: Eating and sleeping well can have a huge impact on your overall health. If you are eating and sleeping poorly it can be more difficult to manage daily tasks effectively, creating heightened stress levels. Eating healthy can assist with mental clarity and getting enough of the recommended hours of sleep can improve brain functioning throughout the day.

5- Talk to a Professional: Talking to a therapist can be another way to decrease stress. Therapy is also a beneficial way for you to develop tools to assist with stress management when stressful situations arise outside of sessions. If you don't have someone and are a NC resident, book your first session with me today! See contact info below.

Madison Reynolds, LCMHCA

Patterson Psych Group, PLLC

madison.pattpsych@gmail.com