Be your own stress coach to become a more healthy version of yourself!
Everyone is likely to experience some sort of stress within their lifetime. Yet some experience a much worse version of it than others. It all depends on how you deal with situations to how badly you experience stress. No two people are the same. Unfortunately, stress doesn’t just affect us emotionally. It also affects us physically too and can leave us feeling drained.
How Can Stress Affect You Physically?
The first step in knowing how to be your own stress coach is knowing how it can affect you physically. Knowing what to look out for so you know what to do if it rears its ugly head!
Here are the 4 main ways stress can affect you physically…
Wrinkles
Wrinkles are a natural part of life, and everyone gets them as they grow older. However, some people gain some wrinkles through stress and can cause premature ageing of the skin. There are often other factors included like a poor diet and smoking, but stress can contribute massively to your wrinkles.
If they’re something you’re self conscious about, drink more water. Moisturise often and opt for a cream that can help fill out any wrinkles.
Hair Loss Or Greying
Another symptom of ageing that can affect anyone if they’re feeling particularly stressed out. Both of these things will happen to many of us later in life, but if you’re losing hair at a young age with no hereditary reason to, then it might be time to look at the stress levels in your life.
Take time to yourself and make sure that you’re talking through any worries you have so that you can get things off your mind. If hair loss is something that’s bothering you, there are hair loss treatments available. If you’re greying, hair dye is widely sold in many stores so consider dying your hair.
Weight Gain Or Loss
A perfect example of how stress affects people differently is weight gain or loss. Some people turn to food for comfort when they are feeling particularly stressed, yet some people lose their appetite altogether and end up losing a noticeable amount of weight.
Whichever end of the spectrum you’re on, be sure to keep an eye on any gains or losses, especially if they’re unintentional. Visit your GP for help and advice on how you can combat your stress levels and keep yourself at a healthy weight.
Insomnia
Being unable to fall asleep, or unable to stay asleep for a long period of time can be another key sign that someone is stressed out. Dark circles around the eyes and bloodshot eyes are a key sign. If you’re struggling to sleep, be sure to remove any distractions from your bedroom, and make sure that you’re treating yourself to long warm baths with lavender to help you fall asleep.
Some people say that writing down any bad feelings or thoughts can help them fall asleep, so try that the next time you’re struggling.
How To Be Your Own Stress Coach
So now you know how it can affect you, how do you become your own stress coach to combat it altogether? The first thing you need to do is to take a look at your life and work out what your stress triggers are. Perhaps you have a stressful home life with lots of kids to juggle, or a stressful job. Perhaps you’re about to move house and that’s what causing you to feel this way.
Once you’ve worked out what your triggers are you’re half way there! Now you know what triggers you when it comes to stress and anxiety you need to put things in place to overcome these feelings if and when they occur.
Think about the things that calm you, make you feel safe, relaxed and at ease. Perhaps exercise is your way to relax, or reading a book, talking to someone…etc.
For example, if you know that your job makes you feel stressed and anxious, perhaps you could consider changing your job? If not, however, there could possibly be ways to make it less stressful. What is it about the job that makes you feel that way? The people you work with, the commute, long hours…etc. If it’s the commute, could you perhaps get a lift with someone else going that way?
The best way to be your own stress coach is to acknowledge these feelings of unrest and work out what de-stresses you and if there is anything you can do to stop these feelings coming in the first place.
Do you think you could become your own stress coach?
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