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Stress is the body’s reaction to harmful situations, whether they’re real or perceived.
It affects us emotionally and physically, and chronic stress can impact our health negatively and can contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
Stress is NO Joke.
I believe that one of the biggest contributors to stress is ‘excess’.
I call this the “Too Much Syndrome”:
Too much to do
Too many commitments
Too many possessions
We can be intentional about reducing our stress by choosing to do less, scheduling less and owning less.
When we over-schedule, over-commit and over-buy we cram our life so full of stuff that we don't leave any margin for the things that truly matter to us. Our priorities become all out of whack, leaving us frazzled, anxious and worried about how we will get to everything and how we can control it all.
When that happens, it's time to take a step back and reassess our priorities. The seasons of our lives change, and with it, our priorities. That's the nature of life. But sometimes we can get so fixated on the current season that we forget to keep the main thing, the main thing.
As Christian women, our relationship with Christ is our #1 priority. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, spending time in His Word and in prayer, we allow Him to order our steps. He speaks to the heart and guides us to keep first things first. He knows what's best for you in every season you enter.
My peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Perhaps you need to take a pause and reassess right not. Here is a Bible study to help you reestablish your priorities for the season of life you are in right now. We will never eliminate stress. To live is to experience some kind of stress. It's simply a fact of life.
There are steps you can take to reduce stress and its negative effects.
Prayer Make prayer your default. "When in doubt, pray it out!" God knows you better than you know yourself. Talking to the One who is in charge if it all and laying all your cares at His feet will help you to lighten the load and the burdens you are carrying. He promises to hear you when you call upon Him in prayer, praise and thanksgiving.
Biblical meditation Christian meditation is different from the common worldview of meditation. We aren't emptying our mind and becoming inward focused. No! We are opening our Bible and letting God's Word fill our minds. The Holy Spirit works through the Word to transform our minds from being worldly focused to becoming eternity focused. To meditate means to ponder, pray, muse, speak aloud, contemplate, sing, converse, reflect, study God's Word. It means to 'chew' on the word. Enjoy, savor, taste, consume. Delight in His Word, sister. It will indeed satisfy the desires of your heart.
Progressive muscle relaxation This technique not only helps with stress, but also reduces anxiety, improves your sleep, eases neck and low back pain, improves blood pressure, and helps reduce migraines. - Lying on your back, take 5 slow, deep breaths to relax your entire body. - Inhale and tense/contract each muscle group and hold for 5 seconds. As you exhale, let your muscles fully relax for 10 to 20 seconds before you move on to the next muscle group. - Begin by flexing your feet, then let go. Work your way up through the following muscles, holding, then letting go: calf muscles, move knees in toward each other, squeeze your thigh muscles, clench your hands, tense your arms, squeeze your glutes, contract your abs, inhale and tighten your chest, raise shoulders to ears, press lips together, open mouth wide, close eyes tightly, lift your eyebrows. It's important to tense each muscle group BEFORE relaxing. In doing so you will not only relax the body, but the mind as well.
Deep (diaphragmatic) breathing Place one hand on your belly and one hand on your chest. Breathe in slowly through your nose and let your belly expand, ensuring your chest does not move. Breathe out slowly through slightly parted lips, as though you are whistling. Use your hand to push all of the air out of your belly and repeat the exercise three or more times. This technique helps to slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure and calm the mind.
Take a walk There's just something about nature that is simply good for the soul. Fresh air is revitalizing, and sunshine provides Vitamin D which boosts the mood. Taking a walk and marveling at the wonders of creation helps to put things into perspective. Taking a break for the craziness of life, perhaps even with a friend, can be just what your spirit needs to breathe in peace and exhale stress.
Try herbal teas For thousands of years, people have used herbal teas to improve their health and to simply enjoy. Herbal teas may help reduce stress, anxiety, and may even help you sleep better. Herbal teas contain many different compounds that are anti-inflammatory such as: - antioxidants, which help protect the body from stress - antiviral and antibacterial compounds - herbs that may reduce inflammation - herbs that may reduce the risk of blood clots and high blood pressure I drink a ton of teas from Sipology and love all the benefits!
Incorporate gentle stretching into your day We hold on to stress in the muscles of our body. Our shoulders, back and neck carry the biggest burden. Taking a few minutes several times throughout the day to stretch tense muscles will help alleviate the stress load.
Enjoy aromatherapy Aromatherapy can help soothe the effects of stress, helping to quiet the mind and, as a result, the body. Based on their chemical compositions, scents can trigger the release of different hormones and can affect our entire central and autonomic nervous systems. Essential oils are plant extracts. They are either steamed or pressed to produce the most aromatic compounds. Diffusing a few drops in some water in your home or mixing with a mild carrier oil, such as almond or jojoba, and applying to your skin are just a couple ways to enjoy the effects of aromatherapy. Some oils to try are lavender, lemon, clary sage, geranium, chamomile, bergamot and rose.
Do a hobby Hobbies provide a way for your mind to focus on something other than the cares of the day. How many times have you been focused on something you are doing, like crafting, coloring, crocheting, or sewing, and the time just passed by? Hobbies can give our minds a little 'time out' and the chance to regroup. Plus, it's just plain fun and might even be something we can enjoy doing with others.
Eat nutritious foods When you give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs, it boosts your immune system and helps to defend against the effects of chronic stress. This is such an important part of stress management, and one that is often overlooked. In fact, many times we do the exact opposite and eat foods that work against our immune system, like sugary, salty, and fatty foods. Stress eating anyone?? When we eat lots of fruits, veggies and whole grains, we boost our body's ability to combat stress.
Prioritize exercise I get it. When you get busy the last thing you think about doing is exercising. But exercising is just what the doctor ordered! It releases endorphins - our feel-good friends - that help to boost our mood and relieve stress and anxiety. Start thinking of movement as medicine, because it truly is! And it doesn't have to be a crazy 1-hr sweatfest. In fact, adding in a few 10-minute spurts of movement throughout your day has the same benefits as working out for 30 minutes consecutively. The key is to just get moving! Consider joining us for some low impact stretching and strength buidling.
Express gratitude Gratitude shifts our focus away from our current situation and the things that are not as we would like them to be and turns it to the wonderful blessings God has already provided us. When you flood your mind with thoughts of blessings, and give thanks to God for them, you allow your mind to be renewed on truth and grace. When you find yourself beginning to stress out or if you are in a state of worry, PAUSE AND REFLECT on: - Opportunities you have to learn and grow - Current opportunities you have that you are thankful for - Physical abilities that you take for granted - Something you saw that was beautiful - The people you love - Physical blessings that you use every day in your home - Something someone did for your lately - Your gift of faith and salvation in Jesus What else can you think of? Perhaps you want to write them out daily in a journal. Your list should be endless!
Interact with your social support system God created man, and then said it wasn't good for him to be alone, so He created a helper for Him. Adam and Eve were the first to 'do life together'. We are created to be in community with each other. St. Paul exhorts us to encourage and build each other up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Call a friend. Talk to your spouse. Gather with like-minded women online, like our Faith, Fitness and Fellowship community. Surround yourself with different types of people to help you in the different situations you find yourself. And do not hesitate to reach out to your pastor or counselor to help sort out the feelings and situations that are contributing to your stress.
Even when it feels like life is out of control, you have all of these tools at your disposal to keep stress at bay and get back to being you! What are some things you do to help alleviate stress in your life? Share your tips in the comments.