I’m sure most of you are familiar with the anxious feeling that comes along with a big event. Whether it’s an important presentation, the moments leading up to a stressful talk with a friend, or nervousness about an upcoming medical appointment, any moment can be anxiety-inducing. The range of what may cause a tense feeling or how it presents can vastly range from person to person, but no matter big or small, these feelings are valid. In my case, feelings of anxiety can result in butterflies in my stomach or shaky hands, but this is different for everyone I surround myself with.
Firstly, what actually is stress? The American Psychological Association defines stress as “a normal reaction to everyday pressures” that “contributes directly to psychological and physiological disorder[s]”. Stress can “become unhealthy when it upsets your day-to-day functioning”. This may appear in a multitude of ways, with physical symptoms being common, such as:
- Dry mouth and trouble swallowing
- Hair loss
- Upset stomach
- Muscle aches and pains
- Jaw, ear, or head pain
- Lightheadedness and dizziness
- Lack of sexual desire
However, stress may not always have such an immediate or obvious impact. For example, some individuals have chronic stress, which Yale Medicine defines as “a consistent sense of feeling pressured and overwhelmed over a long period of time.” This can lead to change in mood, and is also associated with anxiety and depression. Therefore, it is not always easy to immediately tell if someone is experiencing long-term stress, with the odd feeling in our stomach not being the only way that stress can present in our bodies.
Listed below are a few of many available tips on how to reduce feelings of stress. As stress can have longer effects that we might not be aware of while we are in the thick of a stressful situation, it is good to try and practise these tips consistently.
Be active: Taking time to start (or restart!) Practising a sport you enjoy or walking the dog in the morning and evening can really contribute to clearing our mind. Exercise is important, but it is equally vital to keep in mind that everything should be done in moderation, as over-exercising can contribute to additional stresses.
Take control: Stress can often come along with feeling helpless and unsure of what you can do in a situation. If you are facing a stressful situation, simply breaking down the elements of your life that are making you feel this way can be a realistic way of taking control. This can help you to conceptualise a plan of action that can make for a clearer path towards less stressful times. For example, splitting stresses up into categories such as family, work, and social life and then creating a plan for each of these avenues can help. Although it isn’t always possible to get rid of the things that are stressing you out, changing our mindset to focus on what we can control can help to reduce negative feelings.
Connect with people: As humans, we naturally crave social interaction. Reaching out to friends, family, or colleagues can help us to realise that others around us are experiencing similar difficulties. Arranging a specific time for your friends or family to get together each week can allow us to have an event to look forward to. To make new social connections, finding different activities you may be interested in can help to find people with similar likes and dislikes. For example, volunteering or taking a class that looks interesting to you.
Try to prioritise time for yourself: Schedules can become busy, so allotting some time to do small things that you enjoy is extremely important. This can be done by setting aside just one hour a day to not engage with work-related activities and do a hobby you enjoy. Whether this is watching your favourite TV show or playing a sport you love, it can help to reduce pent up feelings of stress.
Challenge yourself: It is difficult to actually pick up a new hobby or decide to make time to do the things you enjoy, so setting a realistic goal for yourself can help to prioritise some activities you love. For example, sitting down at the start of each week and making a list of what you would like to try and complete for the week. This can even be something small, like going on a walk through your neighbourhood.
Watch out for things that give temporary relief: Drinking alcohol, caffeine, or smoking to relieve feelings of stress may feel good in the moment, but it can often increase issues in the future. For example, you may physically feel worse after a night of drinking or when experiencing caffeine withdrawal. The same goes for social media, with there being negative impacts of spending too much time scrolling. Limiting the amount of time we spend engaging in these activities can be good for our mental health. For example, trying to put your phone down 30 minutes before you go to bed each night.
Work smarter, not harder: Being realistic with your goals can help to reduce feelings of stress in the long run. It is important to not put too much on our plates, if we can control it, in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed. This can be accomplished by starting with the most difficult task you have for a day, so that as the day goes on, more manageable and approachable tasks are left.
While these tips may not get rid of the issues that are causing stress in your daily life, practising small steps each day such as those listed above can help to manage how negatively any challenges are affecting us.
To meet with a professional psychologist or counsellor, call The Other Clinic at 8809 0659 or email us hello@theotherclinic.sg.
References:
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Stress. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress
Kaiser Permanente May 13. (2022, May 13). Kaiser Permanente. https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/healtharticle.7-ways-stress-affects-body
National Health Service. (n.d.). 10 stress busters. NHS choices. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/tips-to-reduce-stress/