Stanisland Magazine

De-stressing tips are usually vague and ambiguous; here’s a blueprint to get you started.

With so much information floating around on the internet — most of it pithy and lazily vague — aside from a few pointers for the uninitiated, which are few and far between, the advice is strikingly hazy. While pointers are unsurprisingly ubiquitous, clear direction on how to apply them is like finding Bigfoot. So, here’s a quick guide to implementing several de-stressing techniques.

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Breathing & Meditation

Yep, as obvious as it sounds, breathing is one of the best ways to lower cortisol levels and de-stress. Just a short session of three minutes of focused breathing can drastically lower your heart rate and reduce cortisol levels. However, the advice you likely hear is instructions on how to do it, not the best way to do it. So, here are a few methods to keep things consistent.

Walking

With a deliberate focus on inhaling and exhaling (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, and exhale for 6–8), walking is a great way to carry this out, as you’re also able to focus on both the exercise and pair it with an activity. If you miss a repetition, you’re still engaged in an activity that will boost your dopamine.

Mindful Social Movement

Yep, you heard it, this also has added benefits. As with walking, you’re doubling up on your activity endurance, with the added benefit of blending into society like a fly on the wall. Find a decent spot, grab a chamomile tea, and pair it with your breathing.

Close Your Eyes

If you prefer a still approach, closing your eyes has an added benefit. Chances are, if you practice deep breath work, you’ve either experienced this directly or passively. After a short while, you’ll begin to see colours materialise, called phosphenes, a phenomenon where the brain interprets both pressure and electrical charges as light. Their slow ebb and flow might induce a state of relaxation and might even inspire creativity.

Put Your Phone Down

While it’s obvious, there’s no two ways about it — reducing screen time can reduce stress. Constant scrolling with no aim makes the activity redundant. Think about it: if this is all a person does, it says a lot about one’s life. If this is you, just stop it. You’ll thank yourself later and begin to consciously use your devices.

So, how can you get over these regrettably bad habits? It’s kind of like a drug, you’ll have withdrawal symptoms, and it takes time. Here are a few options to fight it:

1. Keep your phone on loud, and leave it in another room
2. Buy a feature phone: Nokia, HMD, Motorola, Punkt, or a Light phone, etc
3. Use a watch to reduce the need to check it

A Research-Driven Reason to Cut Down

Aside from the obvious, studies show that frequent use of social media can seriously impair mental health. Research by the University for Continuing Education Krems and Danube Private University (Austria) showed that with 2 – 4 hours of screen time, mental health declines. 111 out of 125 healthy students, mostly female, around 22 years of age, showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms, stress, and sleep quality when screen time was reduced.

Stop Arguing

This applies mainly to strangers on the internet, but real life too — so stop negatively engaging with people on the internet. However, since your phone is in your pocket 100% of the time, the former applies mostly. Arguing, debating, whatever you want to call it, rarely results in agreement but instead escalates until you feel anxiety driven, heart beating feeling your chest. No one wants that, and neither do you.

Sleep

Removing the distraction of a smartphone can lead to a healthier relationship with sleep. Yes, yes, blue light, blah blah blah, but it’s true: devices can heavily disrupt your sleep, even if you’re able to wind down successfully. Disrupt your bond with your cellphone — it can aid in managing stress and sleep. Further mitigations can help augment your downtime, such as reading (obviously), talking to your partner or a friend, journalling, or drinking calming teas such as chamomile (a mild tranquillizer).

Physical Exercise

If you’ve been physically inactive for a long time, you probably find it difficult to get moving. If this is you, start small by taking a brisk walk and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

If you still need motivation, pair your walk with a task, pick up lunch or take a phone call outside, whatever gets you out of the house or office. This is especially important if you work at a desk; you can prompt yourself to do this by pinning up reminders, looking out the window or even asking an accountability partner to throw reminders of what you may become.

Daily sunlight exposure through a brief 5–10 minute walk can boost your mood and lower stress, as you’re not just exercising but passively socialising — something we all need and crave without saying.

Eating to De-Stress

Certain foods can reduce cortisol, the hormone linked to high stress. The Mediterranean diet, a staple of the region commonly consumed by people in the region between the 1950s – 1990s). Common foods associated with the med diet includes fish, nuts, yogurts, vegetables, fruits and more. But what kind of foods? Here’s a breakdown of which food groups can aid your body to heal:

Fruits

• Oranges
• Kiwis
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Apples
• Bananas
• Cherries
• Pineapple
• Avocados (that’s right, it’s a fruit!)

Vegetables

• Spinach
• Kale
• Brussels sprouts
• Bell peppers (red, yellow, orange)
• Sweet potatoes
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Cucumbers

Nuts & Seeds

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Cashews
• Pistachios
• Pecans
• Brazil nuts
• Hazelnuts

Dairy & Fermented

• Yogurt

Grains

• Oats

Protein & Fatty Fish

• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Sardines

Beverages & Chocolate

• Water (mandatory)
• Coconut Water
• Warm milk
• Tea: Chamomile, Green, Peppermint, Rooibos
• Dark chocolate (with or without nuts)

Main Takeaway

In the past 20 years, the world has shifted enormously. A smartphone is almost a necessity for daily life. However, you own it, not the other way around. To reduce stress, you have to curate your time and value it more. That also goes for your health, which indirectly supports lower cortisol levels: eating well, moving more, reading, talking to friends or relatives, and journalling are all good ways to improve your life — but only you can support it in a way that works for you. Hate walking? Walk with a friend. Hate sitting still to breathe? Walk and breathe, meditate — but just make sure you sleep at home.