How are you doing? We have been on a long, arduous journey in the past 20+ months, haven’t we?
And the research bears this out.
Today, after looking at some surveys, I will give you 25 Practical Ways to Lower Your Stress Today!
Here are the sobering numbers
Here is a look at two separate polls that demonstrate what you already know.
According to a 2020 KFF tracking poll, about four in ten U.S. adults reported anxiety and depressive disorder symptoms during the pandemic, up significantly from one in ten in a 2019 poll by the same organization. This poll also found that many adults reported specific negative impacts on their mental health and well-being, such as difficulty sleeping (36%) or eating (32%), increase in alcohol consumption or substance abuse (12%), and worsening chronic conditions (12%) due to worry and stress over the coronavirus.1
The KFF survey, which was based on a 2020 Heath Pulse survey, shows the symptomology decreased by age:
Adults 18-24 56.2%
Adults 25-49 48.9%
Adults 50-64 39.1%
Adults 65+ 29.3%[1]
A more recent survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, taken from May 26 through June 7, 2021, revealed that nearly three out of ten adults in the U.S. (28.8%) reported anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms in the past seven days. However, the percentage is almost 60% for those with a disability.
The survey shows that 20.6% of U.S. adults took prescription medication for mental health, and 9.5% received counseling or therapy in the last four weeks.[2]
While we cannot make all anxiety and stress go away, we can do some practical things to Reduce Stress, Resist anxiety, and Build Resilience.
With that in mind, here are 25 Practical Ways to Lower Your Stress Today!
With that in mind, here are 25 Practical Ways to Lower Your Stress Today!
- Quit whining and try smiling.
- Remember the lyrics to your favorite song. One of my favorite walking songs is Coldplay’s, The Adventure of a Lifetime.
- Unwind online. Two helpful spots are Abide.com (Faith-based), Calm.com, and Headspace.com.
- Remember, it’s not about you.
- Hold your partner’s hand for ten minutes, with no expectations of anything else.
- Pray and meditate. You could start with the 23rd Psalm.
- Get rid of your grungy shower curtain.
- Admit you were wrong and tell the person you hurt.
- Shake it off. Have you ever watched athletes limber up their arms, legs, and head? Research shows that “shaking it off” actually helps release stress.
- Grab a cup of coffee with some friends.
- Forgive someone who hurt you. But, unfortunately, the only one who pays the price of unforgiveness is you.
- Go to church.
- Water a plant.
- Find a great view and savor it.
- Get a massage.
- Use the nooks and crannies of the day to refresh yourself with a little bit of mindfulness.
- Add ten minutes to your Estimated Time of Arrival. Then, go ahead and drum on your steering wheel or dashboard. A study in Advances in Mind-Body Medicine showed that group drumming alleviated stress. A drum solo may bring similar benefits.
- Hold your tongue. When you want to answer someone quickly, slow down. The Bible says that God gave you two ears and one mouth. Apply liberally.
- Focus on the good in a situation. Robert Allen, a bestselling author, says, “No thought lives in your head rent-free.” You always have the power to choose your thoughts. However, if you decide to focus on negative, non-productive thoughts, it will cost you time, money, health, opportunity, and happiness.
- Get a massage.
- Walk barefoot in the park. Just watch out for dog flops.
- Write a gratitude letter. This can take one of two forms. First, sit down with a pen and paper (no keyboarding) and begin to work on a list of things you are grateful for. Be creative. Second, think of two people you are thankful for, a spouse, friend, mentor, or parent, and write them a gratitude letter. Let them know what impact they have had in your life.
- Get out of Debt Denial. Research shows that getting realistic about your financial situation can lower your stress.
- Drop the butts. If you still smoke, quit.
- Try Silence. Sometimes, during my walks, I just walk with nothing plugged in my ear.
Make sure you check out my websites;
Counseling and Worklife Consulting www.johnthurman.info
Small Business and Agency Training and Consultation www.rsint-llc.com for Resilient Solutions International, LLC
And finally, a little bit of ancient wisdom:
Here is a bit of Ancient Wisdom
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
John Thurman
316 Osuna Road NE, Building # 2
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505-343-2011
[1] “Mental Health – Household Pulse Survey – Covid-19.” CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 20, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/mental-health.htm.
[2] “Latest Mental Health Data from Household Pulse Survey.” NCHStats. National Center For Health Statistics, June 16, 2021. https://nchstats.com/2021/06/16/latest-mental-health-data-from-household-pulse-survey/.
By: John Thurman, M.Div., M.A., LPCC, CCRS
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