Let’s talk about stress, and more specifically the management of stress!

I’ve experienced high levels of stress during May and June for the last 8 years (as a total coincidence). As a result, these months have typically been a time where I’ve struggled to maintain consistency with my workouts, food and self-care. I would wake feeling unrefreshed, have low energy throughout the day, and choose convenience foods over ones that make me feel good long-term. My energy predominantly came from coffee, my relaxation was short-term focused and at times my self-care would tip over into self-indulgence! 

This is the first year since 2012 that nothing remarkable is expected to happen during May or June, yet my body and emotions are responding as if I’m experiencing high stress again. I’m tired despite sleeping, struggling to maintain my usual workouts and I’m craving foods I wouldn’t normally want. It’s almost as if my body has learned to expect the stress and is physically responding; almost like the Anniversary Effect but for stress. 

But this year I have the time and space to actively combat this and I thought this is probably pretty darn relatable for a lot of people, especially at the moment. So here’s what I’m doing, and the approaches I’m utilising to reduce my stress:

1. Reduce caffeine

I love a strong black coffee in the morning, so much so that I could easily chug 4 mugs of the stuff before I’ve even left the house. Unfortunately for me though, during times of stress this contributes to me feeling tired, restless and totally burnt-out. Caffeine, whether from coffee or other sources, not only raises cortisol levels (aka the ‘stress hormone’) but can actually inhibit the absorption of other hormones that help to keep the body calm (adenosine) and can temporarily boost others giving you energy but leaving you fatigued once the effects wear off (adrenaline).

 If you have the ability to cut coffee out altogether, the go for it! Instead, I’m simply halving my intake over the next few months and substituting with decaf. This way, I’ll still get some of the benefits that come from drinking coffee and won’t be fighting the energy slump that would come with going cold turkey, which would be counterproductive for me right now. 

2. Swap out heavy lifting/intense exercise for some active recovery, stretching, foam rolling and banded workouts

Too often in the past, despite showing signs of stress and fatigue, I’ve ploughed on with my heavy lifting because (a) I love it and (b) I didn’t want stress to impact another area of my life. Although short periods of stress can actually be beneficial for performance, anything more chronic can have detrimental effects because exercise also increases cortisol! Now, whilst it’s healthy for your cortisol to raise in response to exercise, it’s not ideal when you’re already producing too much of the stuff. Cortisol is catabolic and as a result too much of it can inhibit protein synthesis, making it harder for your body to build muscle. It can also increase recovery time and leave you more prone to injury. 

Movement is really important though, so don’t simply stop all forms of exercise. Instead try swapping out your intense/heavy lifting sessions for active recovery (walking, swimming, light cycling), stretching, foam rolling and banded work. If you really can’t let go of your lifting sessions though, at the very least programme in a deload for a few weeks. You’ll really feel the benefits.

3. Engage in active relaxation 

This is a biggy! During times of stress and fatigue we tend to reach for passive relaxation. By this I mean watching back to back episodes on Netflix, aimlessly scrolling through social media, having a few drinks to help you relax, getting take-outs etc. In moderation, each of these things have their place, but you’ll tend to find that you don’t often feel refreshed from them. This is because although physically you’re not doing much, you’re not actually unwinding mentally. Introduce some active relaxation such as reading a book, calling a friend, going for a long walk, having a bath, doing a puzzle - whatever your thing might be find it and engage in it. You’ll feel more refreshed and rejuvenated after. A good rule to go by is active relaxation rarely involves a screen!   

4. Prep and batch cook

The increased cortisol caused by stress can leave us reaching for ‘junk food’, relying on take outs and eating larger portions than normal. Rather than focusing on trying to not eat this type of food or feeling bad for eating it, I’m focusing on the other areas of this blog to help reduce my stress, which will in turn reduce cortisol and therefore cravings. A good compromise is focusing on getting enough veg and fibre each day rather than ‘banning’ yourself from eating ‘junk’. Try chopping up a big batch of salad at the beginning of the week and leaving it in your fridge, then you can dish it up with each meal to get your veggies in. Fancy pizza, go for it, but have a portion of that prepped salad with it!

Another great option is to have really easy to cook food in stock. I try and reduce my use of foods with unnecessary packaging, but if having microwave rice to hand will mean I’m more likely to have an actual meal instead of a family size bag of Doritos for dinner (zero judgement placed upon the food type here btw; it’s an actual experience and my energy was obviously even worse the next day), then I’m going to make allowances for myself. The trick is to make it so easy to make a meal that it doesn’t feel like a big deal. If there’s a day you have more time and energy, cook up a big batch and save it to be reheated at a later date when your energy is lower.

5. Start a night-time routine

We often set an alarm to wake us up at certain times in the morning, but most people tend to go to bed at different times each night. Generally speaking, and specifically when feeling stressed, having a set time to wind down and go to sleep can be really beneficial for preparing your body for sleep and as a result balancing your energy. Although it may be difficult at first, over time your body will get used to winding down at the same time each night. Agree a set time with yourself to start the process, and stick to it! Research has shown that consistent good sleep is more important than those weekend lie ins to catch up on sleep.

6. Create a morning routine

Alongside having a good night-time routine, a structured morning routine with space built in can really set you up for the day. When feeling tired from stress it can be tempting to sleep for as long as possible and get up at the last minute, but this often backfires when we end up rushing around and panicking to make it out of the house on time, which increases cortisol levels further (queue the cycle of feeling more stressed). Try building in a morning routine which specifically gives you time to sit, be still, and reflect on how you’re feeling and what you have coming up for the day. I really recommend the ‘5 Minute Journal’ for this time, which is a daily journal with structured questions and exercises aimed at focusing you for the day ahead.

It can be difficult to refrain from worrying about things coming up and what you need to get done during this time though, so I try to make the time as relaxing as possible by getting up, putting some music on, getting a coffee and ensuring I follow the same routine each day. If I still find it too hard to focus because I’m worrying, I simply jot down what I’m worried about and add new items to my ‘one thing a day list’ (see below) to be picked up at a later time.  

A good morning routine is possibly even more important for those who are working from home full time during the pandemic. Waking up, rolling out of bed to sit at your desk and start work will only exacerbate feelings of tiredness.

7. The one thing a day list

It’s really easy to feel overwhelmed when feeling stressed, and prioritising can feel difficult if not impossible. Stress can actually leave you with a feeling of ‘brain fog’, and so it makes sense that thinking clearly and prioritising is hard. My top tip (which hopefully works for you as much as it does for me) is to do just one thing a day. Write everything down that you need to do in one list, no matter how small or mundane, and start with the easy stuff first until you build momentum. The goal is to simply do just one thing each day from that list. It might seem like this approach isn’t enough to get on top of things, but before you know it you’ll have completed maybe 30 things off your list in a month. Compare that to procrastination that can come with feeling overwhelmed, and 30 things starts to feel pretty significant!

The above covers the main habits and behaviours I engage in to manage and reduce my stress. There are of course other recommendations for reducing stress, such as limiting alcohol consumption, getting enough water and meditation. These are all well researched and are effective in their own way. People also often recommend making a relaxation box, but this isn’t something I’ve personally tried.

Oh, and one last thing! This content is intended as a helpful guide to managing stress and is in no ways meant as a substitute for medical advice. If you’re struggling, please seek professional assistance! 

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