Flatten the Stress Curve
The Stress Curve; we can probably all agree that the past few weeks have been somewhat stressful. We will all feel, react and process events differently, but in our bodies stress is registered exactly as that. Stress. Whether it is good or bad, the excitement and nervousness of a new job or opportunity, or the US election with days of vote counting and recounting, or increased pandemic restrictions, the body knows stress as one entity.
Rather than focusing on all that is occurring in 2020, let’s take a look at what we can actively do for ourselves to assist in managing stress.
- Develop healthy sleep habits. While this could truly be a year’s worth of posts on it’s own, it is important to start somewhere, with manageable changes to support improvements in sleep where possible.
Anxiety Canada has a great simple resource of the top sleep tips and the page includes a link you can click to download your own tracking sheet. We highly recommend using a tracking form while getting started to increase your accountability.
https://www.anxietycanada.com/sites/default/files/SleepHygiene.pdf
- Use proven stress management techniques such as guided meditations or breathing exercises. Rest and relaxation are not actually restorative if while you sit, rest, ‘relax’ your mind is attempting to solve or work through the world’s challenges. We hear you, it’s loud in there sometimes! Try using a guided meditation listening to someone else offer relaxing thoughts.
Some of our favourite free apps for this include: Insight Timer, Calm App (more purchases often required), Oak App, or videos on youtube.
Flattening the Stress Curve…..
- Exercise, keep those healthy habits going and even with the increased darkness make an effort to still get outside. Aim for 30 minutes a day outside, this can be walking, running, biking, or maybe just time where you listen to one of those guided meditations mentioned above!
Start with goals that you can maintain, if they sound a bit easy – GREAT! Start there, afterall right now there is no need to increase pressure or stress. Other helpful tips for staying accountable include:
- Telling and involving friends or family, even if we can’t complete them together, you can certainly have a little friendly competition or a group of supporters to complete daily meditations, get to sleep by a certain time, or to get outside a bit each day!
- Making it fun and rewarding! Pick something you enjoy as a reward for sticking to your goals and after 10, 20 or 30 days, treat yourself!
- Track it – as mentioned above track your progress and your goals, one day it will feel like second nature!
Stay well,
Katrina and Jenny
Pacific Pine Running Co.
www.pacificpinerunningco.com
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