If you are someone who wakes up in the middle of the night worrying about an unsent email or an upcoming presentation, good news because you are not alone. A recent poll by the American Psychological Association revealed that the anxiety levels of Americans increase every single year, with millennials being the group with the highest levels of anxiousness.
When someone undergoes mental or physical stress, their brain goes through both chemical and physical changes that impact its overall functioning. During moments of high stress, chemicals in the brain such as neurotransmitters dopamine and epinephrine rise, which causes larger amounts of stress on the person. “Fight-or-flight” hormones like adrenaline are then released which cause physical changes within the body, namely: rapid heart rate, increasing blood pressure, and an overall weakened immune system. If left unattended, chronic stress can develop into more serious health problems.
Knowing all of this, it is then very important to let go of all that pent-up frustration within yourself and find an effective outlet to decompress. For the sake of your mental and physical health, here are the things you should do.
Improves overall health
When you set aside an hour a day to let the stress out from work or education, you are giving yourself the chance to get yourself in check. When your mind is in the right place, your physical self will follow. Try physical outlets such as meditation or yoga, which offer self-reflective opportunities that make you be one with yourself and your mental space. By strengthening your mental capacity, you will be more motivated to work into your body.
Decrease of impatience, anger, and irritability
Because you are not living on auto-pilot and are diligently practising the act of self-care, you have more time to tap into your emotional space. Maybe you will discover hidden concerns or overlooked pain from years ago, which you are only looking into now because you choose to. There are exercises you can do to release all the emotional burden years of suppression forced you into, like getting a massage from a certified massage therapist in your area has been proven to be a spiritual experience.
Less sick days, more productivity
When you are in a good place, both mentally and physically, this will reflect on the quality of your work. If you worry less over non-essential matters and more time towards being the best version of yourself, the rest will follow. Sometimes taking a mental health day is just as valid as calling in sick because of an actual disease. Taking a break from the stressful environment will serve you better when you get back as opposed to if you continuously worked producing sub-par results because of over-exhaustion.
While it is hard to find time to carry out a self-care routine for yourself amidst all the other more pressing matters, it is high time you put yourself on top of the list and remember you are just as human as everyone else. Unwind from your troubles at least once a week and you will see amazing results, personally and professionally.
