Stress is one of the leading culprits behind weight gain, insomnia, depression and fatigue. Under stress, our bodies change chemically, which can affect our hormone levels and the way we function. Here are five quick tips to reduce your stress and live healthier today.

1. Exercise

One of the healthiest ways to relieve mental stress is to take on some physical stress. Physical exercise is one of the best mental stress releases. When you put stress on your body during exercise, you give yourself a chance to clear your head and burn off excess energy, and afterwards you put yourself in a rest and recovery state.

Also, it’s no secret that physical exercise releases endorphins, the happy chemicals that can improve your mood and block pain receptors. So next time you find that your head is swimming and your cortisol levels (stress hormones) are high, go for a walk, bike ride or swim. The more stress you put your body through, the more mental stress you will relieve.

Note: your exercise program should first be approved by your physician.

2. Don’t procrastinate

One of the leading causes of stress can be feeling overwhelmed with work. When you’re overwhelmed, sometimes the mountain seems too steep to climb. It’s human nature to want to put off the hardest, longest tasks, but when we put something off, the stress of that task remains and builds.

When there’s a task at hand, it’s best to tackle it. Once you complete a task, you’ll feel like a weight has been lifted. You’ll feel confident and enjoy a good endorphin boost. A key to setting yourself up for success is not to bite off more than you can chew. Learn to say no to things you can’t take on, delegate, and write it down.

3. Spend time with friends and family

Everyone needs a sense of belonging, whether to a group of friends or through strong family ties; it’s in our nature. Sometimes, feeling a sense of community is one of the best ways to relieve stress. The feeling that you’re not going through something alone can help your mental state greatly.

Your brain even releases endorphins when you feel accepted or part of a group. We call it the warm and fuzzies.

4. Practice yoga or meditation

Mastering meditation would be the ultimate solution to stress reduction. Though meditation can take people years to master, the ability to consciously clear the mind would be an asset to your personal stress reduction.

Not into meditation? Try yoga. Yoga is a good mix of physical and mental exercise. There’s the stretching and strength side of yoga, which on its own is a perfect physical outlet for your stress. But there’s also the mind-body connection that is part of any yoga practice. The act of breathing and focusing on your body is a sort of meditation in and of itself. Breathing helps your body release stress hormones on a cellular level, and it also helps you consciously focus on your body. Taking your mind off the day-to-day and focusing on your body is about as good a stress reliever as you’ll find.

5. Write it down

Oftentimes, stress is caused by negative thoughts: worries, anxieties and so on. Get them out of your head and onto the page. Writing down the things you’re stressed about is the best way to release them. You don’t have to hold onto those thoughts anymore, because you already wrote them down. It’s almost magic how well this exercise works.

This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Members can call the office with questions about their own care.