How peace of mind helps you get better health.
Having a positive mood has a cascading effect in improving physical health, including getting better numbers. This article explores how to get peace of mind and experience better health.
We left off in the series by explaining how exercise helps improve health numbers by improving triglyceride, blood pressure, and blood sugar numbers.
As a bonus benefit, endorphins (feel good hormones) are released during and after exercise.
But, what more can we do to elevate our mood and keep our state of mind positive?
First, we'll explore healthy stress vs unhealthy stress.
What is healthy stress?
Essentially, stress is a protective mechanism. Stress is the body’s reaction to a threat, whether that threat is actual or perceived. The body is programmed for survival. This programming is difficult to overcome with willpower alone.
For example, in a life-threatening situation, the stress response is vital. The release of hormones such as epinephrine (adrenaline), nor-epinephrine, and cortisol are critical to aid your body to respond. Over time, these hormones are metabolized and eliminated.
In chronic unhealthy stress, the cycle is activated over and over leading to health problems, including abnormal health numbers. Examples of the detrimental effects of chronic stress include high blood pressure, damage to arteries, and alteration in appetite and sleep patterns.
We've all heard about the detrimental effects of stress and may have experienced chronic stress. But until you experience the absence of stress, it’s hard to understand just how much chronic stress affects your health. We’re often too busy and distracted to pay attention to the connection of stress with symptoms that seem to come out of nowhere.
How to decrease the effects of unhealthy stress.
Previous articles in this series covered two of the three most beneficial ways to decrease the ill-effects of chronic stress: sleep and exercise.
Stress negatively affects all of our body's systems, but getting good sleep, a moderate amount of exercise, and healthy social relationships are strategies that will help you lessen the impact (APA).
In this article we’ll go deeper into stress-reduction including key ways to reduce stress. Keep in mind that having a supportive social network will amplify the results.
But, with so many external stressors facing us daily, how can stress be reduced?
Many perceived threats in our lives are magnified by our state of mind. While the threats can be serious, like job loss, debt, or homelessness, much of our lived experience of stress stems from our daily habits. As such, these habits can be modified to decrease stress.
When you approach each day from a state of calm, the difference physically, mentally, and emotionally is distinctive. You might be amazed at the variety of symptoms that clear up, including getting better numbers.
Today, I want to help you get peace of mind with a mindset-reset.
Are you ready for a mindset reset?
Mastering your mindset and developing new habits to de-stress will go a long way in getting better numbers. Here’s a couple ways stress affects your health numbers:
- Stress is a strong contributor to increased blood pressure and blood sugar numbers. Chronic, long-term stress may “increase the risk for hypertension, heart attack, or stroke” (American Psychological Association, 2024).
- Stress can often lead to overeating or choosing foods that are not healthy for you. These choices move you toward weight gain and negatively impact your cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar.
Stress can derail the best of intentions to work on getting better numbers. However, reducing stress and reaching your health goals is easier than you might think.
5 key ways to reduce stress
Try these tips to avoid derailing your intention of making healthy choices. Add in one or more of these healthy habits, take note of your stress level in your journal, and keep track of your health numbers.
- Choose to begin your day with a few moments of silence. Instead of going straight to your phone and checking email or social media, take a few minutes to just bask in the quietness of the early morning. As a result, you'll start the day centered and balanced. You’ll be more likely to care for your body in healthy ways.
- When you find yourself in a negative or stressful mind-loop, turn your negative thoughts around. Most of the time, our negative thoughts are just what we’re conditioned to go to first, and when we train our brains to seek possible solutions, true change happens.
- Identify with your strengths and take positive action. Get support, if desired, and start building your confidence. Talk it out, find a partner to walk with, or enjoy silence together!
- If you notice you are veering off course, self-correct instead of throwing in the towel and giving up. It's helpful to set your environment up the night before (or for the upcoming week) to make healthy choices easily.
- When practical, change your environment for a bit (go for a walk or to a park, for example). A change in scenery, is an accessible way to separate yourself from your stress. Too often we keep ourselves busy with distractions, never really unwind, or allow ourselves to fully relax.
Try these actions to get started:
- Be consciously aware of your thoughts throughout the day.
- What are the thoughts that keep you feeling stressed?
- Ask yourself, is it possible to take positive action to reduce stress? Do you need to ask for help?
- What are the stressors in your life today? List them in your journal and see for yourself what positive action you could take today or this week. Writing them down may give you some objectivity when deciding action steps.
- Read the Mindset Reset Guide (link to access below)
***Note: If you're experiencing severe burnout or stress, don't hesitate to ask for help. There are many professional options available that you can take advantage of through your work, community, or online.
Next up, Get in Rhythm with Nature:
Get a Mindset Reset!
In the midst of trying times, the powerful tips in this guide will equip you with the tools you need to reduce stress levels and improve your quality of life.
Inside the guide you'll find 3 breathing techniques to instantly unwind, relax, and energize along with more tips to de-stress, soothe your spirit, and rediscover your focus.