Most of our hormones follow a monthly cycle, however our stress hormone cortisol rises and falls at set times during every 24 hour period. This can make you feel more stressed out at certain periods of the day. However, there’s good news. Recent research now shows that you can reduce or change this natural stress cycle to help you stay calmer and happier all day long.
When you wake up in the morning your cortisol levels peak about 30 minutes after you get out of bed, especially if you wake up to an alarm clock like most of us do. I know I need a little kick in the pants or oomph to get going in the morning, but if you’re already stressed out from other things, this added stimulus can make you crabby the whole day. So to help reduce the stressful effects of our everyday life here are five science based tips that should help you out.
1.) Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier. When your alarm goes off, hit the snooze then relax into your awakening by thinking how smoothly your day is going to go and then maybe throw in a couple of knee to chest low back stretches before you climb out of the rack. Calming thoughts and light stretches will allow you to calm back down after the initial adrenaline surge hits when your alarm goes off at a blaring volume.
2.) Take your B vitamins when you wake up and try to take them at least 15 minutes before you eat your breakfast. Taking your B complex vitamins early in the morning and on an empty stomach works best, according to Pamela Wartian Smith M.D. M.P.H., author of “What you Must Know About Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & More and Director and Founder of the “Center For Healthy Living and Longevity”
3.) After lunch between 1 and 4 p.m. your body temperature drops along with your energy level. This can make accomplishing things in the afternoon more stressful. So to cure that, take a six minute power nap. German research shows that 6 minutes is the perfect length of time to boost your memory and increase focus for the rest of the day without relying on sugary snacks or caffeinated drinks to give you that temporary boost. Pierce J. Howard, Ph.D., author of “The Owner’s Manual for the Brain” http://www.centacs.com/about/leadership-profiles/ also says that closing your eyes for that short period of time generates the same calming alpha brain waves that you get if you were actually sleeping. Pretty cool evidence that supports the benefits of a power nap.
4.) Your stress hormone cortisol is naturally at its lowest point between 5 and 9 p.m. to prepare your body for sleep. A lot of us don’t go to bed that early and we work against our natural circadian rhythms and do stressful things before bed like watch TV or surf the internet. All that stimulation does nothing for our relaxation response. One way to change that and ensure your body slows down naturally so it can repair and regenerate through a good night’s sleep is to practice meditative or deep breathing before bed. Taking deep diaphragmatic breaths through your nose releases nitric oxide and relaxes the vagus nerve. This in turn slows down your heart rate and blood pressure as well as gives you a renewed feeling of calm.
5.) Drink a cup of organic de-caffeinated green tea about an hour before bed. Research shows that L-theanine an amino acid and phytochemical in tea, naturally reduces stress on the body by acting on the nervous system which will reduce insomnia and make your sleep more efficient.
Hope these five tips will help reduce some of your stress throughout the day. If you have any other tips please post them in the comment section and share them.
The idea of drinking tea is a great one. Not only has tea been shown to reduce stress levels. The simple act of making tea can be soothing. And don’t just drink it before bed. Drink hot cups tea throughout the day. Even replace your coffee with it!
@Your Stressed Life – I do find that drinking and making tea is soothing. Although I still love both the smell and the taste of coffee too. Been really trying to get back to more green tea and organic naturally decaffeinated coffee on occasion.
All your suggestions are spot-on. Like you, I have had times in my life when I let go of good practices and routines and didn’t like the results, nor the time it took to firmly re-establish them. In addition to all your suggestions, I believe that the use of an indoor water fountain can also contribute to stress relief in a way that will fit into our lives in these economically stressful times. My personal experience, others’ feedback and research results all validate the stress reducing effects. When combined with the comprehensive apporach you offer, the synergistic effect is awesome.
Love the fountain suggestion. Thanks!