Hillsboro Area Hospital issued the following announcement on April 29.
What is Stress?
Stress is something that looks different for everyone. You might ask yourself “how do I get rid of it?” But because stress is how the brain and body respond to any demand, there is no way to “cure” stress. However, through research and evidence, there are many ways that you can reduce stress!
Five tips to help cope with stress to keep us healthy:
#1: Relaxation Techniques which include deep breathing and the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Deep Breathing can help when you feel stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, etc. This technique advises us to take 5-10 BIG, DEEP breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth. When doing this, make sure to purse your lips when you exhale. This action tells your body to relax. It may help you slow down if you count to 4.
Try it following this Exercise:
Inhale through the nose - 1, 2, 3, 4
Exhale through the mouth - 1, 2, 3, 4
Repeat 5-10 times or as needed
The 5-4-3-2-1 Method technique allows you to stop what you’re doing and bring you back to reality. Sometimes work can pile up and cause you to become overwhelmed. This method helps you focus on your surroundings and brings you back to your center.
Try this exercise by identifying the following:
5 things you SEE
4 things you HEAR
3 things you FEEL
2 things you SMELL
1 thing you TASTE
#2: Learn to manage your time. A very important tip to help manage your time is to Write. Things. Down. to help keep you organized.
#3: Track your daily routine by keeping a journal with you (or download an app) and keep track of how long it takes you to do your daily tasks and figure out where you might be wasting too much time. Once your schedule is written down, you will be able to tell where you can add some time and shave some time. Doing this will also allow you to set accurate and achievable time limits for certain things. Maybe you’re always running late for work. Track your morning routine and you might find that waking up 5 minutes earlier and setting limits on your getting ready time will help you walk out the door sooner!
#4: Set limits and boundaries to avoid taking on too much. It is OKAY to say no. Setting boundaries is very important when dealing with mental health. It is okay to say “no, I can’t work late tonight. I have to spend time with my kids.” This does not make you a bad employee. Taking on more than you can handle is a common flaw that people have. There is no denying that it is hard to say no. However, it is so important to know your limits. Biting off more than you can chew can pile on stress. Tip: Make an appointment with yourself. It works wonders.
#5: Get enough sleep! Just like drinking water, sleep can make a huge difference in your life. If you think about it as a cycle, sleep is the core of a lot of people’s stress levels. We often get caught in this cycle: Getting poor sleep, waking up groggy, having little motivation throughout the day because you’re tired, coming home to kids, animals, household chores, etc. and getting grumpy because you just want to relax, and stress, irritability, anxiety are produced, Repeat.
For now, I want you to all focus on how you’re sleeping. Try to make sure you’re getting enough sleep by going to bed earlier, drinking water, and setting the room to a comfortable temperature.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Hillsboro Area Hospital
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