Making lifestyle changes can be difficult. The process might be slower or harder than we would like. Life can also be stressful, making it harder to prioritise lasting changes.
Stress is a normal and natural reaction. A little bit of stress can be helpful at times. The stress response developed to keep us safe from danger. However, many of the challenges we face in the modern world are not life threatening.
Stress and our lifestyle
We might have family, money or health worries. We might feel like we have little control over the things we are worried about. Unfortunately, our bodies react to any challenges with the same stress response.
Sometimes this stress response will prompt us to tackle challenges in our life and will feel helpful. Sometimes though, if we are limited in what we can do about a stressor, it might feel unpleasant and unhelpful.
- What does feeling stressed look like to you?
- What causes you to feel stressed?
- Is it always an unpleasant thing?
Unfortunately, we cannot avoid stress. It is an essential part of life. However, we can learn techniques to manage stress. The first step is noticing signs that you are feeling stressed.
Recognising stress
We can experience stress without even realising it. The way people tend to know they are feeling stressed is by paying attention to their physical symptoms, thoughts and behaviour.
Below are a few examples of symptoms that might come with stress.
Physical Symptoms:
- Feeling sick
- Going to the toilet a lot
- Headaches
- Tense neck and shoulders
- Sweating
Thoughts:
- Worrying
- Racing thoughts
- Difficulties concentrating
- Being self-critical
Behaviours:
- Being less patient or more short-tempered with others
- Withdrawing from people
- Going to bed
- Overeating
Can you relate to any of these markers of stress? Remember that all these stress responses can have an effect on each other.
Managing stress
How do we manage stress once we notice it is affecting our bodies and behaviour? The answer to that will be different for everybody.
If stress gives rise to self-critical thoughts, have a look back at ways to ‘think differently’ as discussed in Session 3. Try to do something from your activity list discussed in Session 3. Think about possible soothing activities you can add to this list to try when feeling stressed.
Relaxation and self-soothing
- Think about how often you take the time each day to relax.
Is it less than you thought? - What things do you do to self-sooth?
If you are struggling to come up with anything, speak to others and start making your own list of possible relaxation activities.
Life can be busy. Finding time for ourselves can be tricky. However, there are so many benefits to relaxation. It can help us:
- cope better with life
- improve our concentration
- reduce disordered eating
Also consider:
- Silvercloud – free NHS programme ‘Space for Stress’ (NHS Inform)
Sleep
Feeling relaxed is also important when trying to get a good night’s sleep. Stress can cause problems with getting to sleep. Poor sleep can then become another source of stress in our lives.
Sleep is the foundation of:
- Mental wellbeing (such as mood, memory and concentration)
- Physical health (such as immune system and cell repair)
- Performance of all kinds
How much sleep we need can vary. It is recommended the average adult gets between 7 and 9 hours sleep every night.
There are a number of ways that sleep can influence our food-related habits. Tiredness can lead to a seemingly endless hunger. We may crave high sugar items. It can lead us to eat convenience foods, fast food and takeaways.
- Appetite balancing chemicals: A double-edged sword!
- Leptin gives us a feeling of fullness. This decreases when you have poor sleep
- Ghrelin gives us a feeling of hunger. This increases with poor sleep
- High calorie foods: Lack of sleep can cause our bodies to seek reward and energy from high calorie and rich, sugary foods
- Napping: If too frequent or for too long, this can lead to an irregular meal pattern
- Unhealthy lifestyle choices: Lack of sleep can lead to issues around making health-related decisions, such as poor meal planning and organisation.
Therefore, having a good nights’ sleep is important to developing a healthier lifestyle, both mentally and physically.
If you are someone who struggles with sleep, you might now be asking “How can I start to improve my sleep?” Start by making small changes. We’ve got some ideas below.
Top tips for supporting slumbersome sleep
- Avoid using electronic devices before bed
The artificial light from our phone screens can trick our brain into thinking it is still daytime. Also, the things we do on our phones (e.g. checking social media) do not usually help us to wind down. Try not to look at your phone or laptop screen at least an hour before bed. If you have to, try adjusting the screen settings to be more bedtime friendly. - Keep daytime naps short
Napping does not make up for a poor nights’ sleep. If you are tired, a short nap of 20-30 minutes in the early afternoon may help to improve mood, alertness and performance. - Ensure adequate exposure to natural light
Being outside in the sunlight during the day, as well as darkness at night, helps to maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle. - Regular physical activity
Being active helps improve the quantity and quality of our sleep. It can help us sleep more deeply and feel more refreshed. If we are active too close to bedtime it may be a barrier to getting to sleep. Try to avoid exercise in the two hours before bedtime if you have a problem getting to sleep. - Having a pleasant bedtime environment & establishing a routine
Make your bed and bedroom a pleasant, relaxing environment to promote a good nights’ sleep. A slight temperature drop facilitates sleep. Try to keep your bedroom temperature between 16°C and 19°C. A regular nightly routine helps the body recognise that it is bedtime. This could include taking a warm shower or bath, reading a book, or light stretches. - Avoid alcohol close to bedtime (as well as stimulants like caffeine and nicotine, and heavy food)
Although alcohol might help us fall asleep faster, it prevents many of the usual benefits of sleep. Other stimulants like coffee and nicotine can keep us awake. Heavy or rich foods, fatty or fried meals, spicy dishes, citrus fruits, and carbonated drinks can trigger indigestion for some people. When this occurs close to bedtime, it can lead to heartburn that may disrupt sleep.
Also consider:
- Yoga nidra – plenty of examples on YouTube (5, 10, 20 and 30 minutes)
- Insight Timer
- Silvercloud – Free NHS programme Space for Sleep
- Useful apps such as Sleepio, Calm and Headspace