Hi y’all! Lauren Fox here again! Today I wanted to talk about some ways you can live a more stress-free life. It might take a little practice, but I bet each of you can find little ways to improve your quality of life in the day-to-day busyness! Stress comes from everywhere… work, relationships, responsibilities, trying to do it all like the hard-working woman you are… it just gets to be too much! So, what can we do?
A Little About Cortisol
Before we jump into some solutions, I want to talk about cortisol. Some of you may know what it is and others might not. Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. It helps control mood and fear. I recently found out that my body’s cortisol levels were super high… and it was due to stress and actually working out too much! I’ve actually lost weight since I’ve stopped teaching 4 classes a day. When stress or danger has passed and you are back to normal, your body should respond by decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure, among other body functions. Basically, you should calm down. But when there’s a constant state of stress, your body’s cortisol level can get really out of whack. That’s what happened to me. I had too much going on for too long. My body needed a reset and a break. So, know that stress isn’t just an emotional event—it’s a physical and biological one, too!
Managing Stress
There are little changes you can make that can help manage and reduce stress levels! I know this one is a no-brainer, but exercise really is one of the best ways to relieve stress!! That’s why I got hooked and have kept doing it all these years! Try one of my On Demand classes www.laurenfoxondemand.com and see how you feel… you can do it whenever, wherever! It’s all on your schedule. Another thing you can do to help with stress is to take a break from the cause. If you know what it is that’s causing you so much anxiety, take a step back. You’re allowed to take a breather! If you can’t pull yourself away in the moment, carve out some time to relax later. You need times where your brain isn’t caught up on whatever is that’s causing you stress. Make room in your schedule for a breather… even 5 minutes a day where you don’t have to think about it. Try short meditation, deep breaths in, slow and steady and out, slow and steady. Try spending more time with people you love… quality time with my family and friends can be highly effective in reducing stress levels. It’s okay to find ways to distract yourself from stress!
Getting Rid of Stress
If the stress is too much and you aren’t able to manage it at all, it might be time to take it out altogether. Get rid of it if you can! Obviously, this won’t work in all circumstances, but it will for some! If there’s a mess in your house that’s driving you crazy, clean it up! If it’s a warning light on your car, go take it to get serviced! If it’s a culmination of a lot of little things all at once, tackle them one at a time. We were not meant to do everything all at once. Simplify where you can and build some momentum! Living a life with less stress might take some work, but with practice, you can get there. I know you can! We all deserve a break now and then, so give yourself one. Take a little credit for everything you’re already doing. Stress isn’t worth the time or effort it often consumes… let’s cut it loose!!
Check out my new classes at https://www.laurenfoxondemand.com!
Lauren
Get Fit, Foxy and Fabulous, at Home or Away,
on YOUR schedule, on Any Device!