The Stress Less Tool Box: Managing Stress Mindfully

How are you feeling?

The times are very shifty at the moment. Mutable and fluctuating. It seems that this is echoed in our moods and state of minds. People are feeling unsettled, unsure, anxious and stressed.

Change is inevitable. And to some degree, so is stress. Stress doesn’t have to be completely negative though, it can harness the motivation within people to do great things. Yale research suggests that we need to shift our mindset on stress to see it as a challenge, not as a threat.

We also know that stress can mess with our wellbeing, our hormones, our sleep patterns and our moods. So how can we feel more stable and less affected by stress? Try this triple M toolbox of tips: Mindfulness. Music. Movement.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness exercises aim to release the tension that stress creates in the body. Just for a moment, get out of your head and step into your body.

• Consciously take some deep breaths, science tells us that this activates the rest and relaxation response in our body.
• Notice any tension around your jaw, let it slack and let the tip of your tongue rest gently on the roof of your mouth.
• Shrug your shoulders up and down, and roll them forward and back a few times.
• Stretch your neck gently by dropping your left ear toward your left shoulder, and then repeat on the right. Hold each side for 3 deep breaths.

Repeat as needed during the day.

Music

Music can dramatically affect our mood. The soothing power of music can be a very effective tool in stress management.

Research has shown that calming, slow, classical or gentle music can affect our physiological functions, reducing levels of stress hormones, slowing the heart and pulse rate and decreasing blood pressure.

Music is also great for anxiety and stress because it distracts our minds and absorbs our attention from overthinking.

The kind of music you use to shift your moods is entirely personal, but generally a chill playlist is best for feeling more relaxed. We’ve put a In The Zen Zone playlist up on Spotify. Great to use in the car to feel calm in traffic, perfect to bliss out to in the bath, or just have it on in the background at home.

Movement

Everyone knows this one! Don’t they? Exercise. Move your body. It gets us out of our head and back into our body and it releases endorphins. Endorphins make us happy. Do some Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra to further release tension in the body, to embrace a passive and slower state and to help with deep relaxation.