You’ve gone for a run, meditated, and had a long soak in a hot bath … and you’re still feeling stressed! When your usual wind-down methods aren’t working, take a look at these new ways to help manage and reduce stress in your life.
1. Change the way you think about stress
Research has suggested that our perception of stress might affect its impact on our health. In a recent study, people who reported having high levels of stress and who believed stress had a large impact on their health had a 43% increased risk of death. However, those who experienced a lot of stress but did not perceive its effects as negative were among the study participants with the lowest risk of death.
Want to know more? Check out this TED2013 Talk from health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, who explores the idea that the harmful effects of stress may be a consequence of our perception that it is bad for our health.
2. Help thy neighbour
Helping others may significantly reduce stress-related mortality. This was the conclusion of a study that asked participants to report stressful events they’d experienced in the previous year, and also how much they’d helped other people over that same period. The researchers found that although every major stress event increases an individual’s risk of death by 30%, this increase was erased for those who reported high rates of helping other people.
So join the kindness revolution at the Wake Up Project or check out the positions on Volunteering Australia and long may you live, stress free!
3. Take your dog to the office
We acknowledge that an office with a ‘dogs allowed’ policy is probably going to be pretty relaxed in the first place, but this practice is something more workplaces might like to consider.
Research shows that dogs in the workplace may help buffer work stress, and make the job more satisfying for non-dog owners too...until someone steps in doggie doo!
4. See some stand-up comedy
As the famous Reader’s Digest column says, ‘laughter is the best medicine’, and it seems doctors agree. The Mayo Clinic recommends a good belly laugh to help stimulate your organs, activate your stress response and soothe tension in the short term, and over the long term to improve immunity, relieve pain and improve your mood. Read more on the Blackmores website in Is laughter good for you?
5. Wear a massage vest
When you don’t have time to nip off for a remedial massage, simply throw on the ‘massage vest’ and experience the soothing of touch of tiny motors as you go about your day. It won’t get you onto any ‘best dressed’ lists – but maybe the ‘least stressed’?
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