Why Some Stress May Actually Be Good for You
We often think stress is a bad thing, but research has shown that some amount of stress isn’t just good for you, it’s necessary to keep you motivated and to help you achieve your goals. The trick is to learn how to manage your response to day-to-day stressors in a healthy and productive manner.
Think of stress like a wave, which ebbs and flows naturally. A small amount of stress is natural, as long as you can help it ebb away before it becomes a tsunami.
Fight, Flight or Freeze
We’re hard-wired to identify and respond to stressors with a fight, flight, or freeze response. This is where stress management comes in.
Hormones and the Stress Response
Our bodies can misinterpret or overreact to stressors, such as producing too much adrenaline or cortisol before a public speaking event.
Managing Your Response to Stress
Fortunately, we can train our bodies to let go of stress. The key is nipping it in the bud when it’s still manageable and before it becomes chronic.
1. Practice Deep Breathing
When we’re stressed, we automatically start taking shorter, shallower breaths. Deliberately focusing on long, deep breaths can reset your nervous system and prevent stress from escalating.
2. Be Present
Worrying about the past or future can trigger unnecessary stress. A simple trick: focus on what your five senses are experiencing in the present, and you’ll break out of the stress cycle.
3. Engage in Mindful Movement
The operative word here is ‘mindful.’ Instead of rehashing your bad day in your head while you workout, try being mindful of your breath, your body’s movement, and the scenery around you.
4. Try NextEvo
CBD and Ashwagandha are plant-based remedies proven to help people manage their stress response. NextEvo’s science-backed CBD and Stress Reset Ashwagandha offer better absorption, for better stress management. Want to learn more? Read our full blog post.
