Remembering to Take Care of Yourself When You’re Stressed

by Rain June

Stress is something that everyone experiences, regardless of age. But while it can be positive at times, it can be detrimental to your health when it’s chronic. Across the world, Americans are among the most stressed-out populations. In fact, according to data curated by The American Institute of Stress, over half of the American population experiences stress during the day—20% higher than the world average of 35%.

This statistic is particularly alarming, given that stress has adverse effects on one’s mental and physical health, as well as one’s relationships with others. And while it’s normal to feel stressed at times, you still want to mitigate it as a way of self-care. Here are some small things you can do to make sure the stress of whatever you’re going through doesn’t overwhelm you.

Get enough sleep.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but getting enough sleep is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Medical News Today notes that getting the proper amount of rest can do wonders in reducing stress. You don’t have to sleep for an absurd amount of time—just the expert-recommended 7 to 9 hours is enough. Make time for sleep whenever you can—you’ll thank yourself for it.

Treat yourself.

It’s important to give in to your indulgences once in a while. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean gorging yourself on chocolate and ice cream. Instead, you can look at making some healthy treats at home that you can snack on whenever you find yourself with some downtime. Consider making some delicious, healthy overnight oats with some rolled oats, milk, peanut butter, and chia seeds in a mason jar. Consuming chia seeds, in particular, is one way of taking care of yourself, too, thanks to their healthy components. Pretty Me’s discussion of the benefits of chia seeds highlights how these tiny black seeds are packed with mineral content, as well as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. By making quick snacks you can pick up whenever you want something indulgent, you won’t feel like you’re depriving yourself of the good things in life while caring for yourself.

Practice mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the practice that anchors you to the present moment. Healthline notes that doing this helps combat the anxiety-inducing effects of negative thinking, which is often linked to stress. Now, there are many methods for increasing mindfulness, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, yoga, and meditation. You may want to look into each technique to see which one works best for you.

Plan ahead.

Sometimes, you inflict stress on yourself by failing to plan ahead, especially when you know you have a multitude of things to accomplish. As mentioned in a previous GOOD post, you should do things today that tomorrow’s you will be grateful for, and that so happens to be fighting stress before it even starts. You would be doing yourself a favor if you plan things rather than just letting them happen. When you plan your day, your week, your life, you’ll find that your stress is minimized. This is because when you have a clear idea of what your day or month looks like in advance, you can prevent unpleasant surprises. So how about putting that planner and journal to good use?

Rain June knows just what it’s like to let stress run your life. Between juggling her responsibilities at work as an accounts manager and her responsibilities at home as a mom, she would often find herself stretched too thin. However, since taking control of her life and making time to appreciate the good things, she’s gotten back on track and is now happier than ever. Now she aims to help others struggling with stress overcome this everyday reality.