April is „Stress Awareness Month“. And yes, we are all stressed. But what can we do about it, and is stress always bad for you? More about that below…
In a recent study published end of 2021, the German health insurance company “Techniker Krankenkasse” found that 2 in 3 people feel stressed at some levels (64% of Germans!). Compared to 2013, an increase of 30% in subjectively perceived stress.
Of course, the pandemic was an important contributing factor for rising stress levels. Almost half of all people answered that their lives have become more stressful in the past two years. We all had to adapt and get used to this new reality with a lot less security in every aspect of life.
However, according to this study, our stress factor #1 is: work. Followed by high expectations towards ourselves, sick loved ones, relationship conflicts, constantly being available digitally and even leisure time activities (a phenomenon that even has a name in German: “Freizeitstress”…seriously?!!).
Feeling stressed for long periods of time can have negative impacts on your body and your mind including back pain, stomach pain, feeling exhausted, having trouble sleeping, headaches and even depression.
In my line of work, I frequently encounter people, especially in leading positions, who are not even realizing how stressed they really are. I was the same. During my time as a Retail Director in the cosmetics sector, working 70-80 hours a week, at one point my mother asked me: “Where did my radiant, happy daughter go?”. 😳
That’s when I became aware of my stress level and how it had changed me as a person. 💡
It can be tricky to notice what is causing you to stress because it’s different for everyone. And here comes the kicker: not all stress is negative! In fact, there are different types of stress, namely distress and eustress, as defined by Hans Selye. Whereas distress will make you feel depleted and overwhelmed, eustress is actually a great motivator and can improve your performance.
The difference is often a question of our mindset.
Do you see the cause of your stress as a challenge or a threat? Developing a #growthmindset can help you to reframe your distress into eustress. It’s all about celebrating every step, learning from mistakes and enjoying the process instead of focussing exclusively on the outcome.
But what can you do if you feel distressed right NOW? 💥
One answer is: breathe. And I mean that in the most sincere way. Focused breathing can help us to cope with negative stress and get out of the “fight-flight-freeze”-mode. A simple but effective breathing exercise that I like to practice is the 4-7-8-method by Dr. Andrew Weil.
Here is how it works: Inhale through your nose for a (mental) count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 7 and breathe out on a count of 8. Repeat up to 3 more times. 😮💨
It’s a WIN-WIN-WIN! Here is the 3-in-1 benefit to it:
By counting, you are regulating your breath and shifting your focus from your „monkey mind“ towards counting.
Counting also activates your prefrontal cortex, the „CEO of our brain“ helping you to calm down and
By exhaling double the amount, you are activating the vagus nerve, hence our parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for relaxing us. This is why the most important part of this technique is doubling the exhalation. So if you cannot at first hold your breath for 7 counts, then at least make sure to exhaaaaale for a loooong time!!
This method can also help you when you are encountering sleeping issues. Try it out when you catch your thoughts spinning in circles!
Are you feeling more relaxed already? 🤗
#mindset #mindfulness #stressawarenessmonth #stressmanagement #bekindtoyourself #attitude