Stress is all around us and some people suffer the ill effects of it more than others. While many people understand stress to be bad it doesn’t always have to be that way. There are good and bad types of stress. Bad stress is often referred to as “dis” stress while good stress is called eustress. You need a balance of the two in order to maintain a productive and happy life.

It’s common knowledge that stress is bad for our health and often workers in high pressure jobs suffer the most. When asked, many adults feel overwhelmed and unable to cope when they’re at work and an office environment tends to increase this type of pressure.

Continuous levels of stress have been linked with conditions such as anxiety, depression, insomnia and even heart disease. Too much stress can leave you feeling lethargic, slow and unproductive at work.

We going to look at some simple but effective strategies that will help to combat stress. Some are simple and some require a little bit of effort and practice. Let’s start with arguably the most important factor:

Sleep. Sleep is such a key component to overall health but it is extremely important for helping you to deal with stress. Getting 6-8 hours of deep, refreshing sleep is key to coping with the day to day stresses of life. Make every effort to make sleep a high priority in your life particularly at times of great stress.

Diet. The key to nutrition is to maintain blood sugar levels and therefore energy throughout the day. Eat balanced meals which contain a mixture of lean proteins, healthy fats and low glycemic carbohydrates. A good example would be a tuna salad followed up with some berries or an apple.

Exercise. Many people understand that exercise is good for your stress levels. The release of endorphins and adrenaline when you train can leave you feeling calm and invigorated and ready to take on the day. Try and fit some exercise into each day even if it’s just brisk walking in your lunch hour. Obviously, running, circuit training or martial arts are great ways to blow off some steam. While yoga and Pilates can be a gentler way of unwinding after a tough day at the office.

Progressive muscle relaxation. This is a simple but effective stress release exercise. First, you systematically tense each muscle area one by one. Start at your feet and work your way up. When you release the tension from each muscle you feel the areas loosen up. This process relaxes you completely and it can be used in conjunction with deep diaphragmatic breathing and/or visualization.

Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing. When you breathe from your diaphragm you access the parasympathetic side of your autonomic nervous system. This side is responsible for the rest and digest side of your nervous system and many people find deep belly breathing both calming and soothing. Simply place your hands on your stomach and ensure that your belly goes out when you deeply breathe in. The stomach expanding is a sure sign that your diaphragm is contracting. Five to ten minutes, a few times each day, is a good way to get the benefits of this relaxing practice.

Visualisation. This is a powerful and easy technique which can be done anywhere, including at your desk. Simply sit quietly with your eyes closed and picture in your head relaxing sights and sounds. This can easily be used in tandem with the deep diaphragmatic breathing discussed earlier. Pick a relaxing vision and focus on everything associated with it. For example, you could picture a deserted beach and listen to the relaxing sound of the waves on the beach. You could also imagine the feel of the sand and even the warmth of the sun as you lie there. Five to ten minutes of effective visualization can help you calm and replenish ahead of any bouts of stress you may encounter.

So there you have it, some quick and effective tips to help you cope with every day stresses at the office. Pick one or two of these techniques and apply them to your lifestyle today and watch that tension slip away.

For more information on any of these topics please consult with some of our clients listed below. They are located across our numerous London locations:

Halo Wellness - https://www.halowellness.space

Fitness With Grace - https://www.fitnessgrace.co.uk

Clinical Massage London - https://www.clinicalmassagelondon.com

Plant Hub London - https://www.plantclub.uk

Tottenham Hale Osteopaths - https://tottenhamhaleosteopaths.com

Tips to Reduce Stress in the Office