 behaviors can prolong the effects of psychological stress, according to 2018 research published in Anxiety, Stress, and Coping. If you can’t easily escape your stress mentally or turn off the self-defeating thoughts in your head, distract yourself with physical exercise or upbeat music.
On the other end of the attention spectrum, completely ignoring whatever is stressing you out is not in your best interest either. Attempting to put it out of your mind won’t make the stress go away. On the contrary, you’ll only make the stress worse. Allow yourself to confront the problem, no matter how uncomfortable that may be, and develop a plan of action to find a solution. If it still seems like too big a task, enlist the help of someone you trust or a counselor.
Talking with friends
When pals discuss their problems, they can experience negative consequences, especially if the conversation becomes gossipy, leads to competition, and involves third-parties, according to 2019 research published in Frontiers of Psychology. Instead, experts recommend talking about a problem once, then shifting your focus to possible solutions.
Going it alone
While you want to avoid stressful relationships, isolating yourself can also have negative consequences, says Rodriguez. “We are social beings and staying connected to others is critical,” he says. This, of course, is one of the major challenges of this time, due to social distancing. That’s why reaching out to people who are most supportive and dear to you by phone, text, FaceTime, Zoom, email, or whatever technology works for you, can be reassuring. Plus, here’s how to keep loneliness and isolation from harming your health.
Trying to do too much at once can increase your stress levels and make your brain slow down, and—here’s the key—most people are much better at doing one thing at time, according to a 2019 report in the medical journal Cerebrum. It’s better and less stressful to focus and get the job done right. (Here are more causes of stress you didn’t know you had.)
Most of us could admittedly use more zzzs, but spending too much time in bed can make you lethargic, slow down your metabolism, and even increase your risk for dementia, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Most people need between seven to nine hours a night, but you may need a little more or less sleep to keep stress in check and feel your best.
Eating comfort food
Digging into the mac-and-cheese or grabbing a jumbo Snickers isn’t a healthy way to combat stress, but many of us continue to do it, aiming for a quick mood boost or energy lift. But when you scarf down food and your stress hormones are raging, these chemicals can actually tamper with digestion. Unfortunately, the calories you eat then are more likely to be stored as fat than used for energy. Instead, opt for one of the 14 best foods to eat when you’re stressed. And learn how to get a handle on emotional eating.
You’ve probably indulged in a glass of pinot noir or chardonnay after a rough day at the office, which isn’t a big deal—unless that one glass turns into three or more. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, men and women who report high levels of stress tend to drink more, and men are more likely to turn to alcohol for stress relief than women. Additionally, heavy drinking—defined as binge drinking (having four drinks for women and five drinks for men in around two hours) on five or more days in a month—can shift the body’s hormone balance and change the way our bodies react to stress. A heavy drinker will likely experience more anxiety over stressful situations that someone who drinks moderately.
Hanging out on social media
It’s a habitual reward for many: Turn in a work project or finish a task around the house, spend 10 minutes scrolling the social media site to relax. But if your friends gravitate toward complain-y, negative-type posts, their outlook may make your own stressed-out feelings worse. Other research in the American Journal of Health Behavior finds that the association between social media use and stress may 