Physical Ways to Reduce Stress When You Can’t Sit Quietly
/Sometimes it’s hard to sit still and think rationally when you’re stressed out. Here are some physical ways to reduce stress when you can’t sit quietly.
Stress has always been a part of our lives and may feel even more prominent after day-to-day stresses.
You’re trying to do all the things in a very chaotic world.
You’re balancing family, friends, ailing parents, work, home, and self, or at least trying. And it’s stressful. VERY stressful.
You know meditation and processing your thoughts is helpful, but sometimes you’re just so overwhelmed that you can’t get out of your head and you need to move your body.
That’s why I want to share some ways to physically relieve stress when you can’t sit still.
The Impact of Stress On Health
First, I should probably remind you of why we don’t want a lot of stress in our lives.
You know it doesn’t feel good in your body but do you know what too much stress can do to your system?
Let’s just say it’s not doing you any favors.
When you’re stressed, cortisol is released in the body. This can be a good thing.
Cortisol allows you to respond to a potential life-threatening stressor, say, a bear coming up behind you.
Cortisol helps kick you into high gear so you can run from the bear.
While we don’t have many bears to run from anymore, we do have smaller and more regular daily moments that we perceive as stressful and therefore, cortisol can often stay elevated.
When our cortisol is regularly elevated, and we stay in this fight-or-flight, ready-to-run mode, our appetite is stimulated.
So increased stress can lead to increased eating, and it’s not the healthy kind. You crave fatty, processed carbs so you can get a quick hit of energy that sadly, will send your blood sugar right back down and ready for a nap afterward.
Connecting the dots, stress can lead to weight gain. Bummer, I know.
Excess cortisol can also lead to high blood pressure, trouble with sleep, low energy, bad moods, and possibly even diabetes.
Got it? Too much stress is not good for your health so what to do?
Mindful Stress Reduction Practices
No doubt, you’ve heard me talk about ways to reduce stress many times. It’s a topic I speak about a lot, given how many people experience it on a regular basis, present company included!
A few of my favorite stress reduction techniques that I’ve covered here on Tasting Page include:
Practicing being grateful for what you have
I’m still a huge fan of all of the above to relieve stress.
But sometimes the stress and anxiety can be so big and painful that you simply can’t sit still. You can’t get quiet. You can’t go within or rationally break it down. Know what I mean?
When my brain is too noisy or I’m too rattled, I need a different type of stress reliever. Something a little stronger.
I need to do something physical to release the stress.
Physical Stress Reduction Techniques
When I’m not able to release stress naturally from the inside, I work from the outside.
Sometimes I can be so triggered that I need a more physical approach to stress reduction.
That helps me get from my head into my body where the stress is currently residing.
Simply moving into the body can provide a release.
Once released, I can revisit the stressor later with a fresh mind and clearer thinking.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the best physical stress relievers.
Not only does it help to burn off some of the excess cortisol floating around the body, but it also can stimulate endorphins, a feel-good hormone. That’s a win-win.
Movement can range from a run to a walk to gardening or a spontaneous dance party, one of my personal faves since you get some good music pumped in there too.
Yoga is also a wonderful low-impact exercise to reduce stress. It combines breath and movement for the perfect one-two punch.
The point is to get out of spinning in your head and into your body.
Forward Fold
If you don’t feel like exercising, a simple forward fold can help relieve stress.
Placing your head below your heart can reduce cortisol.
This easy movement can take you from the harried fight-or-flight mode to a more soothing rest and digest calm.
Deep Breathing
Think of deep breathing as exercise for your insides.
It also has been shown to have relaxing benefits.
Deep breathing triggers your parasympathetic nervous system so you take things down a notch.
I love doing a squeeze and release breath when I’m really anxious.
As you breathe in, tense your body, hold for a beat, and then release your breath along with your body.
Repeat a few times for full-body relaxation.
Hug
A simple hug can have profound effects on the mind and body.
Human contact is a great stress reducer.
A long hug brings on oxytocin and some feel-good vibes for connecting with another.
If you don’t have anyone to hug, go hug a tree which will give you a bonus of being in the quiet energy of nature.
Play With Your Pet
If you have a pet, you probably already know how they’re great stress relievers.
When you find yourself all wound up, go throw the ball with your pet or simply give them a good pet.
Those happy endorphins will flow and your heart rate will drop as your pet also enjoys the extra attention.
Massage
Stress often gets lodged in our shoulders or elsewhere throughout the body.
Releasing the physical tension in our body can do a lot to relax us.
Even if you’re not able to get a massage, you can rub your own shoulders, breathing into the tension.
You can also grab a tennis ball and use it under your feet or between you and the wall to work out knots in your back to get more relaxed.
Clean
Put your pent-up energy to good use by channeling it into some deep cleaning.
Next time you’re feeling stressed, wipe down the refrigerator, clean the pantry, wash dishes, vacuum, or dust.
Not only will you be releasing some cortisol but you’ll also get the benefits of a cleaner house.
Laugh
The last thing you probably feel like doing when you’re super stressed out is laughing but it can actually be a great physical release from stress.
Turn on your favorite comedian’s standup show or podcast and indulge in some deep belly laughter which has been shown to reduce cortisol levels while also making you feel good.
If you’re not able to access anything funny, laugh anyway. Even if your laugh is forced, you’ll still get similar results as you would doing the real thing.
