5 + 1 Ways To Defeat Stress
Unusually high stress can be a killer. If you let it persist, eventually it will kill your performance, and over time, maybe even take you out of the game, permanently! Over years of coaching stressed-out professionals I have learned a few things. I’ve learned how busy people best manage their own stress without losing momentum in their high-speed work. Here are the five best habits to develop (or re-engage) in order to maintain both velocity and vitality.
Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sleep, and Supplements
First, you need to master your five key daily health habits. I call them The NEWSS: Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sleep, and Supplements. These are the first five weapons in your stress-fighting arsenal. You should try to maintain some discipline in all five at all times. Usually, the first thing I learn about a client who reports a spike in their stress level is that they let at least a couple of these habits “slip” in her zeal to drive her business. Hey, it happens to all of us! But if your stress is unusually high, look for slippage in The NEWSS, and fix that first.
How’s your diet?
If you’re living on snacks and coffee, bingo. You are robbing your body of the fuel it needs to fight stress. Immediately cut out the “junk,” especially processed foods, sweet treats, and cut way back on (or eliminate) caffeine and alcohol. Learn more about proper nutrition here.
Are you getting enough exercise?
This is also one of the first things busy people let slip. It doesn’t take long (even a month or two) before you run a risk of losing your “edge.” Increase your exercise at least three mornings a week, getting your heart rate up to the appropriate target for at least 20 minutes each day. If you don’t already know it, calculate your target heart rate by subtracting your age from 220, and then shooting for 60-80% of that figure.
Water: it’s a no-brainer.
Get a half-liter water bottle and devise some system for yourself to make sure you’re filling and draining it four to six times a day.
Are you sleeping normally?
If your stress is unusual, chances are your sleep pattern has changed, too. Sometimes that’s related to your diet, or intake of caffeine or alcohol, so making a change in your nutritional health habits will often improve your sleep as well. Shoot for at least seven hours per night, and a minimum of eight hours is better.
Are you taking your vitamins?
Maybe, in your rush to accomplish your business goals, you’ve started to forget your vitamins. You can’t get everything your body needs from the typical western diet these days, so make sure you’re taking at least one good multi-nutrient supplement. If you’re only going to take one supplement, I recommend a liquid nutraceutical formulated to be easily absorbed by your body’s cells.
The + 1 “habit” is breathing.
My stressed-out clients have generally had excellent luck with daily breathing exercises that really help their bodies relax and fight back against the stress monster.
A basic breathing exercise is simple to do:
- Find a quiet spot,
- Sit up straight,
- Close your eyes,
- Start with one big cleansing breath.
Then breathe slowly for about three minutes (minimum), and try not to think about anything but your breathing. A good trick is to silently count the (approximate) seconds in your head, and inhaling for about four seconds and exhaling for about eight. That slows your breathing down to five breaths a minute, so once you’ve counted 15 cycles, you’re done.
It may sound like that’s really slow breathing, but once you try it, you’ll find you can go even more slowly… five seconds in and ten seconds out might be even more comfortable for you. Do 15-20 cycles, keeping yourself from thinking about all the things that are stressing you out, and you might be amazed at the changes in your body.
By the way, the best time to do your breathing exercise, if you can, is just before lunch. You want to give your body a real chance to recharge, so don’t do it right after eating a meal, because your body will be working on digesting that food.
Conclusion
Finally, if you’re really stressed out, think about doing a cleanse. You can buy a good cleanse-in-a-box at a health food store, or order one online. Most of these feature some combinations of fasting, supplements, shakes, and/or juices to help your body clean itself out. Today I’m finishing up a nine-day cleanse, and the difference in my energy is astounding (to say nothing of the several vacation pounds I’ve lost).
Note how these health habits interrelate:
Do a cleanse, and you’ll lose weight, which will help your workouts. Good nutrition supports good sleep, as does the relaxation you get from breathing exercises. Drinking plenty of water, especially with your supplements, makes it easier to avoid the coffee and the wine.
Stress is natural… it kept our ancestors one step ahead of the predator, and keeps us moving through the jungle of our modern lives. But too much stress can wreck your body – and your business. The good news, of course, is that you can fight the stress monster with a few simple changes in your health habits. And you can win.
