3 Stress Reducing Techniques That You Can Incorporate Right Now

Did you know that 77% of people in the U.S. regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress?

Stress can come from a variety of sources: work, money, relationships, and the list goes on. As marketers in our industry, where caring for seniors, caregivers and their families is of the utmost importance, stress comes with the territory.

We've pulled together stress reducing techniques that you can incorporate right now. Consider trying them whenever you're feeling burnt out or sharing them with a caregiver.

Breathe

Breathe in… breathe out… One of the simplest ways to relieve stress is breathing. WebMD outlines five different breathing techniques that can help with stress:

Deep Breathing
Breath Focus
Equal Time for Breathing in and Breathing Out
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Modified Lion’s Breath

Through conscious breathing you’re able to shift and release negative energy from your body versus storing it, which is vital in preventing physical ailments that often manifests from stored-up energy, according to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. So, the next time you're feeling burnt out, remember to just breathe.

Physical Exercise

There are countless studies that show the health benefits of exercising and how it improves your overall mind and body. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, it’s recommended for adults (18-64) to do at least 150-300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75-150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. The recommendation is the same for adults 65+ who have good fitness and no chronic conditions.

Examples of moderate-intensity activities include:

Walking briskly
Recreational swimming
Bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour
Active forms of yoga (ex: Vinyasa, power yoga)
Ballroom or line dancing
Exercise classes (ex: water aerobics)

Examples of vigorous-intensity activities include:

Jogging or running
Swimming laps
Bicycling faster than 10 miles per hour
Jumping rope
Hiking
Exercise classes (ex: vigorous step aerobics, kickboxing)

Meditation

The practice of meditating has been around for thousands of years and can be a quick way to bring your stress level down. According to Healthline, meditation not only helps reduce stress, but also:

Controls anxiety
Promotes emotional health
Enhances self-awareness
Lengthens attention span
Improves sleep
Helps control pain
And more

Setting aside just a few minutes every day is all you need. To help get you started, listen to these guided meditations from HelpGuide.

At the end of the day, feeling stressed out is a normal part of life. Though you can't control when stress decides to knock on your door, you can control how you handle it. And luckily for us, we’re part of an industry full of individuals that love to help each other out. So, if you have a stress relief tip you'd like to share with your fellow senior care colleagues, post it in our Facebook and LinkedIn groups.