Top techniques to manage stress

We all experience stress – it’s a normal part of our everyday lives. The World Health Organisation defines stress as “Any sort of change (aka a stressor) which causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. Stress is your body’s response to anything that requires action or attention.” 

We can experience stress acutely or chronically. Acute stress is a short-lived physiological or psychological reaction to a stressor, and it can make us more resilient. Chronic stress, however, has a negative impact on our health – it can cause fatigue, depression, hypertension, and a weakened immune system. 

It can also lead to weight gain. When we’re stressed our bodies’ cortisol (stress hormone) levels increase, but if they don’t go back to normal this can lead to increased appetite, reduced muscle mass (so you burn less calories at rest), and a slower metabolism which can all lead to weight gain and difficulty losing weight.

In this article we’ll look at how to identify stress, and ways to manage acute stress. 

What are the causes of stress?

There are various different types of stressors: 

Environmental (noise, crowds, living conditions) 

Occupational (work, deadlines, studying) 

Financial (bills, debt)

Social (relationship problems, time demands, dwindling social batteries)

Physiological (illness, poor nutrition, sleep disturbance)

Changes to routine (moving, travelling, change to job)

How do we know if we’re stressed? 

The following symptoms can help you identify when you’re stressed. Tick the symptoms you’ve experienced to a significant degree over the past month, then calculate the total number to find out your stress level.

Number of symptoms checked                                          Stress level

0-7                                                                                         Low 

8-14                                                                                       Moderate

15-21                                                                                     High

22+                                                                                        Very High

It may be useful to keep a record of your symptoms to help you identify which stressors affect you the most as you develop ways to deal with them.

How to manage acute stress

Breathing 

Box breathing is a technique that helps you to take slower, deeper breaths. It can be a fast and effective way to help your brain and body reach a more relaxed state. All you have to do is breathe in for four seconds, hold the breath for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, and then wait four seconds before breathing in again. Try to repeat this three times. 

Relaxation techniques

Take a five minute break and find a space where you won’t get disturbed or listen to some relaxing music using earphones. Close your eyes and ground your feet on the floor. Focus on making your breath slower and deeper. Clench your toes for five seconds, release them and note how this feels. Repeat this technique with your fingers. Take a moment to scan your body for tension and try to release it, for example if your shoulders are tense and hunched up pull them back and down, opening your chest. Take a few more deep breaths or go for a short walk before returning to your work.

Exercise 

Establishing a regular exercise routine can help you manage stress. A systematic review of nearly 900 studies showed that light to moderate exercise was the most beneficial type for stress reduction. High-intensity exercise can trigger a stress response, so it’s better to focus on low-intensity exercises like stretching, yoga or pilates.

You now have some techniques to help you deal with acute stress, in the next article we’ll show you how to manage the causes of chronic stress using the four A’s: Avoid, Alter, Adapt, Accept