3 Simple Hacks to Eliminate Stress
Do you know why decluttering and decorating our surroundings with ornaments, flowers, and plants makes a significant difference in our happiness level?
It’s a quite simple hack. A well-organized and nicely decorated room sends a message to our brain that everything is fine and that we are safe. The same goes for taking the time to slow down and enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning in a peaceful manner, without rushing.
In order to eliminate stress from our life, we need to understand how it appears in our bodies in the first place. Let’s dig deeper for simple science factors behind all these, shall we?
In short, our brain runs in two ways, the Autonomic Nervous System which controls our heartbeat, temperature, breathing, etc. The other one is the Somatic Nervous System that we can control like walking, talking, and eating.
Which one of these do you think is responsible for our stress levels?
Right. The Autonomic one, since its major task is to keep us alive. However, it also consists of The Gut, Sympathetic, and Parasympathetic Nervous systems that do different jobs.
With more than 100 million nerve cells, The Gut, which is also known as our second brain, operates independently from the brain. It’s where our gut feelings are coming from. Let’s listen to them more often, they won’t lie.
The sympathetic nervous system keeps us alert with stressors, while the parasympathetic one signals organs to relax our muscles and wind down.
Stressors like danger and loud sounds signal the sympathetic nervous system to increase stress hormone levels like adrenaline and cortisol in our body to sharpen our vision and increase our heart rate to pump more blood to our legs.
Imagine the emergency scenario in an office, where every single work stops once the siren goes off. Our body acts the same way. Having consistent stress is not fair to our body.
Nevertheless, a bit of stress is what we need to wake up, do our job, or stay cautious. However, the continuous stressors caused by modern-day circumstances like continuous notifications, hustle culture, and noise pollution, aren’t in our favor. They wear us down.
Now that we know what causes stress, let’s focus on 3 hacks to eliminate it.
1. Assure your sympathetic system that everything is fine and you are safe. Know that it will be searching for stressors to keep you alert. Divert your focus on positive things. Switch on your gratitude mode when negativity kicks in. Everyone has something to be happy for. Count your blessings.
2. Slow down and decrease excess noise by turning off notifications for some time. Wake up a little early and have your morning coffee without a rush. Make sure you wake up to a well-organized and decorated house. This trick will relax your mind and boost your happiness for the day.
3. Give break times during the day. Take off your shoes, stretch your legs on a sofa like you are the most chill person in the world, or stand up to stretch your arms, massage your shoulders. When you have the physical signs of positive emotions in your body, you will start to feel them. For example, smiling and raising your hands will instantly make you feel good.
Surrounding yourself with people you love and objects that make you happy can be the most efficient way to reduce stress. It’s important to keep your body and mind rested, as this can help you control your Sympathetic nervous system and activate the Parasympathetic one more often. These simple hacks can boost your happiness and energy, improving the quality of your life.
Thank you for reading and I hope it helps you observe your stressors to get rid of them. Is there any hack you would like to add?
I’d love to read your comments and have a safe space for mindful discussion.
I write to ‘shrink’ the issues on this life journey where spirituality and mindfulness introspect with overall well-being.
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