It’s not unusual to feel stressed these days – just ask literally anyone. But that doesn’t mean you HAVE TO feel stressed.
“People go non-stop all the time, and they think that’s just their everyday life,” says Cooper University Health Care family medicine physician Kang Han, DO. “You’re gonna need to take a step back and look at your life and realize you’re not giving your body a break. Stress can manifest into some serious issues.”
If left unchecked, stress won’t just be something that makes you worried about life or work or kids or *fill in the blank here.* It can actually lead to medical issues including headaches, fatigue, mood changes, stomach issues and change in sex drive, says Dr. Han.
It’s important to take steps to manage that stress, and luckily, Dr. Han has a number of tips to help.
Put sleep first
When it comes to sleep, it’s not as simple as getting the recommended number of hours. If you really want to help manage your stress, you also have to get good quality sleep.
“There are 4 sleep cycles, and you need to hit all of them,” Dr. Han says. “Always have a set bedtime, and keep your bedroom just for sleeping and having sex – you shouldn’t be eating, reading, working or anything like that in bed. Try not to fall asleep on the couch and get a weird four hours here and four hours there. And try to stick to that schedule on the weekends.”
Water & exercise
To quote Elle Woods – exercise gives us endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. Sure, that’s about not murdering your husband, but those happy endorphins will also help you feel less stressed, says Dr. Han. “I always tell my patients I don’t expect them to become a bodybuilder, but just get your heart rate up a little bit, a little bit of sweat and a bit out of breath, that’s a good spot to be in.”
And remember, while staying hydrated goes hand-in-hand with workouts, you need to make sure you’re drinking enough water even when you’re not working out.
Talk to someone
It can be hard to deal with stress all by yourself, but you don’t have to. Finding a therapist to help you talk through things can make a huge difference, says Dr. Han. Sometimes that also means taking medications, like SSRIs, to help with anxiety, but it’s still important to stick with your therapist.
“The medications are a second aid, not a complete solution,” she says. “With a therapist, you can develop coping mechanisms that really help manage your stress and anxiety levels.
