We know that stress is part of being human. But thankfully, there are many techniques we can use to cope with — and empower ourselves against — stress.
It’s important to add stress-relieving coping mechanisms to our toolkit, so we can begin to build our tolerance for stressful situations, and calm ourselves down in times of distress.
TIPP includes four different mind and body tools for when life gets stressy... Here's a visual
Temperature
Cold temperatures are believed to slow the body’s heart rate and induce a calming response. Try stepping outside on a cold day, holding an ice cube to your cheeks, or splashing your face with cold water; notice if you feel your heart rate slowing or if you feel more relaxed.
This quick state change triggers our mammalian diving reflex, and our body responds as if we’ve jumped into a frozen lake. Our parasympathetic nervous system (which is responsible for the “rest and digest” response) kicks in. As a result, our heart rate drops, and the stress hormones stop pumping.
Intense Exercise
Our body tracks all of the stress and trauma we experience, and over time, they add up. This can result in pent-up negative energy in the body. Physical exertion, even if it’s only for a few minutes, can move that stagnant, negative energy out of our bodies.
We know that exercise releases endorphins and dopamine, which help counteract the stress hormones in our bodies. Make that work for you!
Paced Breathing
Focusing on our breathing allows us to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Key points: Breathe into your belly and make your exhales longer than your inhales. Try counting to four as you breathe in and then to six as you breathe out. Repeat this five times or until you begin to feel calmer.
Paired Muscle Relaxation
Tense all or one of your muscles while inhaling, and slowly release them as you exhale. For example, clench your fists, curl your toes, and flex your abs at the same time you are taking a big inhale. And when you exhale, slowly unclench your fists, uncurl your toes, and relax your abs.
You can do this globally (throughout your entire body) or locally (one muscle at a time), beginning with your feet.
Stress can be out of our control, but we can control how we deal with it. A good way to apply tools like TIPP into our everyday lives is to imagine using them first.
For example: I know that the morning routine with my children can be stressful for me so I might imagine where I could go and how I could potentially apply some of the above… It may be paired muscle relaxation while preparing lunchboxes if I’m honest!
Workability for your everyday life is what we are here for.
Go you good thing :)
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