Key Strategies for Managing Stress
Stress can have a great impact on your overall health. It’s important to find ways to manage stressors, so that you can live a healthy and well-balanced life. Symptoms of stress may include headaches, sleep problems, irritability and frustration, lack of motivation or focus, exercising less, and/or drug and alcohol misuse. Some strategies for managing stress:
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Regular – and any – exercise is a great way to start managing your stress in a healthy way. It may be helpful to get a friend on board so that you can motivate each other.
DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY: If you have some free time, even a few spare minutes, do something that you enjoy. Read a couple pages of a book, go for a walk, create some art, listen to music, or find something else that you want to do.
EAT WELL: Healthy eating contributes to your body feeling better overall. Maintain a healthy diet by incorporating all of the food groups in your daily meals. A well-nourished body can handle stress more effectively.
SPEAK TO YOUR PROVIDER: You can also speak with your primary care provider or a mental health therapist about more ways you can manage your stress.
The Laborers’ Support Network and HMC HealthWorks are great resources for stress management. Visit https://hmc.personaladvantage.com/ (user name: MALAB) to find out more about affordable options for reducing symptoms of stress.