Unfortunately, it’s not possible for any of us to outrun stress.
If you’re part of a couple, a member of a family, a student, an employee, a business owner, or anyone just living life, you’re bound to experience stress and its unpleasant, sometimes persistent symptoms — which, when not addressed, can significantly disrupt your life.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to mitigate the negative effects of stress on both your mental and physical health.
Dr. Mingliarti Tjahjana and our dedicated team at One Health Medical Care in Reston, Virginia, can provide a stress management plan, including education about things you can do in your everyday life to tame stress.
When you visit One Health Medical Care for your physical check-up, Dr. Tjahjana touches on stress, including how it may be affecting your life — and how you’re managing it. She provides guidance on successful stress reduction and control, so you can live more fully.
Stress that continues to ratchet up and isn’t managed well contributes to concerning health conditions, including:
Living with even one of these conditions is enough to spark worry about what stress is doing to you. Now, let’s talk about how you can take the reins to combat its harmful effects.
We’ve got several ways you can create heightened peace in your life.
Some of the most powerful things you can do to take control over your stress are also some of the most basic: eating well, moving more, and getting enough sleep.
Eating well can do a lot to bring you back into equilibrium. What does a healthy diet look like? Plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins like fish, legumes, and tofu, and healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and seeds are the building blocks.
For example, fermented foods help depression and anxiety, avocados have been shown to lower cortisol levels and support heart health, and high-fiber green vegetables (e.g., spinach, broccoli, kale) ease anxiety and, specifically in women, depression.
While you’re concentrating on good nutrition, it’s equally important to avoid things like coffee or alcohol, and foods high in sugar or artificial sweeteners, flavors, and dyes.
Another important practice that lowers stress is daily exercise. Adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, which amounts to 30 minutes per day, five days a week. This is achievable if you choose activities you enjoy, like bike riding, hiking, swimming, or taking a brisk walk with your dog.
Getting sufficient rest is a significant way to curb stress, as well. Adults should sleep seven to nine hours each night.
Staying grounded helps neutralize stress. One study shows that those who stayed “in the moment” during stressful times were more likely to feel confident about handling stressful situations.
Quiet your mind with these strategies:
Internal work is just as critical to managing the external chaos as making healthy lifestyle choices.
If you think about how you’ll deal with future stress — which we know is inevitable — you’ll be ready for it by practicing the Four Rs:
What does enacting these strategies look like? When a stressful event occurs, you can make things easy on yourself, like getting takeout instead of cooking. Reflect on the situation and write or talk about it with a good friend.
Then, cue up your favorite comedy and watch it while you eat that takeout dinner. Finally, beg off obligations for a bit and do things for yourself, like getting outside or spending time with a friend.
We’re here to help you care for your whole self, and that includes helping you deal with the trials and tribulations that life throws at us, sometimes with no warning at all.
For more help with stress management, call 571-572-9198 to reach One Health Medical Care in Reston, Virginia, today. You can also use our online booking feature to schedule a visit with Dr. Tjahjana at your convenience.
