Stress and anxiety are often the most common experiences in modern life and unfortunately can be very toxic to our minds and bodies. Chronic stress is at epidemic levels across all age groups from young adults to seniors and is the main cause behind so many chronic health conditions. Work, personal relationships, children, finances, pets, almost anything can cause daily stress. When daily stress becomes chronic stress, risk of chronic disease escalates.  Luckily, there are many ways to quickly reduce stress so you can stay in balance physically and emotionally day to day.  The key is to figure out what works best for you and turn them into daily habits. The following is a list of my 12 best stress management tips that you can easily implement into your daily lifestyle.

1. Take Deep Breaths

Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress. Belly breathing is a technique where you fill your belly up with air and then let it out slowly. Take a few minutes to inhale slowly and deeply through your nose and then exhale slowly through your mouth. As you blow the air out, keep your lips slightly open and blow slowly. Deep breathing sends messages to our brains to calm down and relax.

2. Meditate

If you ask an expert on how to better manage stress, the simplest answer is to meditate. Numerous studies have shown that those who meditate a greater sense of wellbeing thus lower stress levels. Meditation releases chemical in the brain that lower stress. There are many forms of meditation available; you just have to find the form that works best for you and just do it.

3. Cuddle

Cuddling, hugging, kissing, and intimate relations all relieve stress. Physical contact releases oxytocin and lowers cortisol levels, which lower blood pressure and heart rate, two symptoms of stress. Humans aren’t the only creatures who cuddle chimpanzees cuddle friends who are stressed as well. And what pet doesn’t like to be stroked by its owner.

4. Use Calming Essential Oils

Burning a scented candle or using essential oils can often help you relax when sitting at home or at work. There are specific scents that are soothing and calming such as bergamot, frankincense, geranium, lavender, neroli, orange, rose, sandalwood, vetiver, and ylang-ylang. Carry a kerchief with drops of your favorite calming scent to smell anytime you need some calm. Or soak in a bath with calming bath salts. Combine essential oils, bath salts and mediation for unplugging and getting deep relaxation. Whatever way you choose, make it a pleasure and it’s easier to make it a habit.

5. Laugh

Think about how difficult it is to feel stressed when you are laughing! One of the top ways to manage stress is to laugh regularly. Laughter relieves muscle tension and your stress response. Try watching funny movies or TV shows, or hanging out with funny friends,or reading and collecting funny comics. Turn your mind to a “comedy station” when you are in a stressful situation and look for the humor in it. As Shakespeare said, “Life is a stage and we are all players”. Look for the humor of the scene on stage and your stress will dissipate.

6. Exercise

One of the best ways to manage stress is through exercise, such as walking, jogging, tai chi, yoga, dancing, anything that gets you moving. Adding physical stress on the body through exercise helps to relieve mental stress. Regular exercise lowers the stress hormones, improves sleep quality, and can greatly build your confidence.  Choose an exercise activity you enjoy and find a partner or group to help you get out and do it regularly. Whether listening to music, being out in nature, socializing with friends, find a way to make exercise a pleasure and it’s easy to make it a habit.

7. Reduce Caffeine Intake

Limit caffeine intake to one cup or two cups at the maximum to avoid being over-exposed to stimulants that can increase anxiety. Everyone has a different caffeine tolerance, but if you notice extra anxiety or jitters then it is time to cut back on the caffeine. While coffee is healthy in moderation, it is not good in excess and is not for everyone.

8. Spend Quality Time with Loved-Ones

Social time with your family and friends is essential to getting through stressful situations. Don’t let stress isolate you because that can make it even worse. Keep in close touch with your friend network. We all receive a sense of self-worth from belonging to a group. It’s part of being Human and is core to our health and survival.

9. Avoid Procrastination

Focus on the top of your priorities and avoid procrastination. When you have a difficult task, it can be easy to avoid it, but then you can end up rushing to meet a deadline. Choose to tackle difficult things first and then reward yourself with pleasurable fun things along the way. Use a daily planner or a to-do list app to help you prioritize your time and focus on what’s important each day. Review your progress each week as ongoing overall life improvement. Also, identify when your mind is the sharpest and your energy is the highest during the course of the day to tackle your top priorities; this will make you more efficient in “getting the job done.”

10. Get Your Vitamins and Minerals

Eat well to get enough vitamins and minerals from food with dense nutrients. Then add supplements for extra support. Several supplements can help relieve stress. The most common include ashwagandha, green tea, kava, lemon balm, Omega-3 fatty acids, and valerian. Some supplements interact with medication, so it is best to consult with a doctor if you currently have a medical condition.

11. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

It’s known that people who get enough sleep have a better chance of achieving emotional well-being. The happiest people get an average of eight hours of sleep night. Be sure to not get less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night. Sleep is necessary to not only manage stress but also to prevent risk of long-term chronic disease. So, make it a daily priority to get 7 hours of sleep.

12. Find Purpose in Daily Pleasure

Make a daily habit to choose something that gives you pleasure each day- whether getting out in Nature, listening to music, reading a book, watching a movie, working on a creative project, playing a favorite sport, cooking a special meal, connecting with friends and family. Think of choosing daily pleasure like choosing daily medicine to help control your stress and your health.

I hope you try a few of these stress management tips. Let me know your best ways to manage stress.

Enjoy and live Well with Zest.

Bev

xo

Written by Bev Hope

The post 12 Best Ways to Manage Daily Stress appeared first on Well with Zest.

I’ve been running off and on for more than 4 decades. Over the years, my running routine has changed from  solo runs, to buddy runs, to group runs! Now every weekend, I see all kinds of running groups at running stores, trail heads, local parks and on running paths.  If you are out on Saturday mornings, you can’t miss seeing groups running together. Look for a tight knot of runners that bounds along as a pack, usually smiling or laughing even while they’re breaking a sweat. It makes sense, says an article in Women’s Running — spending time with friends is fun, and running can be too… so why wouldn’t you do both at the same time?

Some people are naturally attracted to joining running groups, but others shy away and avoid them. There are plenty of reasons people avoid running groups: the start time doesn’t work, the meeting place is inconvenient, the concern that nobody could possibly be as slow as you are, or you won’t know anyone, or you might get hurt trying to keep up just so you won’t be embarrassed. But reflecting back, there are far more benefits from running in a group than running alone.

Group vs. Solo Running

For all the turtle runners out there, take heart: no matter who you are, somebody else out there runs/walks/runs a mile at the same pace you do (or slower), and most groups have standing commitments to make sure every runner has at least one partner. I know because I was in one of those groups. Thankfully, I had lots of partners in my slower group. There were so many of us that our nickname was the “Thundering Herd”.

It’s thanks to that large “Thundering Herd” running group that I went from not believing to totally believing I could actually run a Half Marathon! I thought….’if all of these people can do it, then certainly I can too’.  But what was so amazing is that I experienced deeper change running with the “Thundering Herd”. I went from not only believing I could run a Half Marathon to exceeding my goal and completing a Full Marathon!

Joining a training group changed my life and my belief in what I was capable of doing as I aged. Group running was one of the most empowering choices I made. Better late than never because now I continue to run and train for long distance running goals and empower others to do the same too! I’ll never go back to solo running.

The Benefits Running Together 

Running (along with other forms of regular, steady aerobic exercise) is like a fountain of youth. Exercise is an essential component of staying fit as we age. When dealing with chronic health conditions, proper exercise helps keep them under control. Running releases stress, a major exacerbating trigger to most chronic diseases.  Natural body chemicals called endorphins are released when running. They help relax the body, enhance a sense of well-being, and reduce or eliminate muscle aches and pain.

Running also helps clear ‘cobwebs’ in your in head, so you feel refreshed and energized. It can even be a cancer preventative and a remedy even for major depressive disorders, according to studies in The Journal of Nutrition and Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.  Movement is scientifically proven to be medicine for the body.

Motivating Accountability Partners

Despite the many health benefits of running, the hardest part of running is keeping up your motivation to stick with it! It’s especially challenging if you’re dealing with some form of a chronic health condition at the same time. It’s easy to give in, roll over and not get up to go on a run when you are training alone.

But when running in a group, it’s like having a whole team of accountability partners. It’s invaluable having other runners with you who know what you’re going through and can pick you up on the hard days. Running partners are a great inspiration when times get tough, especially when the weather is yucky. Then comes the joy of smooth, no-pain runs on beautiful clear sunny days with the same friends. The journey through “thick and thin” together is what gives group running a new level of meaning.

Running Groups and Training for Goals

Training for a goal, whether a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon or Marathon, is something that takes dedication and discipline. To get trained for long distance goals in a way that is empowering for your mind and your body, rather than breaking you down, takes steady effort. You don’t decide to do it once — you decide to do it over and over again, each week of training as you walk out the door to do your run.

I’ve found that when you run in a group you are stronger individually and stronger as a group. The benefits of group running actually increase over time as you train for a goal. Having friends on the same journey can motivate you in unique ways. You may find you have a friendly competition going with the granny of the group — “If she can do it, I can do it!”. Then you’ll find you’ve created a bond with another runner who matches your pace. You may push her on to a new personal best on a fast day. Her encouragement may keep your tired legs in motion on that long run after a long hard work week.

The most important motivator and benefit of being in a group is having fun together. Getting out the door and spending time with friends can lift your mood and improve your health. What better reason to get out there and run!

Start a Running Group for Health, Fun, and Empowerment!

I’m a follower and advocate of the Jeff Galloway Run-Walk-Run method that I learned in the Raleigh Galloway Training Group. When I moved to Fort Worth, I felt lost without my “Thundering Herd” running group. I went back to solo running on the treadmill and felt more drudge than joy in my running. So, after a couple of years, I decided to start a Galloway Training Group in Fort Worth and got certified to be a Program Director. Now I am enjoying meeting, connecting and bonding with like-minded run-walk-runners and helping empower others to achieve and exceed their goals like I did using the Jeff Galloway Run-Walk-Run training method.

Can’t find a running group nearby for group training? Think about starting your own. The benefits of joining a running group may even compound when you’re in a leadership role. You’ll find your desire to stay in a group for the long run is stronger if you’re helping others to achieve their goals with each new mile. Helping transform others is one of the most transforming things you can do for yourself. When your aerobic routine becomes more about bonding with the group and getting the most out of life than forcing your feet through another step, you’re getting far more than the physical benefits out of running. You’ve found the joy of running and are doing something worthwhile and meaningful. Run-walk-running in a group is a way of life for me.

Keep moving and live Well with Zest!

Bev xo

Written by Bev Hope

The post Benefits of Training with a Running Group appeared first on Well with Zest.