One of the most underrated ways you can boost your fitness success is through stress management.
Finding the balance between stress and rest provides your body with the resilience it needs to increase your strength and fitness levels.
Here are five different ways to reduce stress to help you find balance.
1) Move Daily
While it may be tempting to sit around and watch TV when you’re stressed, it’s often not the best solution. Instead, try gentle movement. Simply walking around the block, going for a bike ride, or hiking in nature goes a long way to reducing stress.
For the best results, unplug from electronic devices. While these devices are a great way to keep in touch with the world, all of their notifications and sound alerts can create stress.
2) Find Your Rhythm
One of the best ways to reduce stress in your life is to create a consistent schedule. Following a schedule creates a rhythm for your body. A rhythm helps your body prepare for the day’s tasks because it knows what to expect. Next time you feel stressed, get back on a strict schedule and see if you can notice the difference.
3) Breathe
When you’re stressed, you often start holding your breath or taking shallow breaths. Taking intentional deep breaths is a great way to reduce stress. Throughout the day, stop and take time to breathe. Focus on taking belly breaths and filling up your lungs. Deep inhales and exhales will turn on your parasympathetic nervous system, signaling that it’s time to rest and digest.
4) Morning Sync
Before the chaos of the day sets in, take a morning sync with yourself. Spend 5 minutes with no phone or computer and think about your priorities for the day. You can also do this morning sync with a journal and write down what you want to accomplish for the day and other thoughts that are on your mind.
5) Bedtime Wind Down
The fifth way you can reduce stress is to create a bedtime wind-down routine. A wind-down routine is a process that signals to your body that it is time to get ready to go to sleep. Create an approach that works for you and then follow it night after night. We recommend that you include turning off your phone 30-60 minutes before you go to sleep. This will help you relax and get ready to transition to sleep.
The Best Stress Management Plan
Stress management is highly personal. What works well for you might not work for your neighbor. To reap the benefits of stress management, take some time and try some of these 5 steps and see what works best for you.
Struggling to develop your own stress management plan? Send us a message today, and we’ll share details on how you can work with your very own coach who will help you find the best way to destress.