3 Ways To De-Stress In 2022

After some rough years, it’s time to prioritize your health and mental well-being. – Strokes affecting younger people – those under the age of 50 –are on a steep incline.

People all over the world are succumbing to strokes, heart attacks, and other fatal or debilitating conditions at far younger ages than in the past; and stress is a major contributor.

Stress makes the heart work overtime. It increases fat and sugar levels in your blood – a major reason clots form and travel to the brain or heart, causing a stroke or a heart attack. Stress makes us less worried about health and more interested in instant relief, which for many means unhealthy behaviors, such as too much drinking, smoking, excess eating, and or forgoing exercise.

Those with short tempers are even more affected by stress – and every time one succumbs to anger, both blood pressure and heart rate go up… which raises risk factors for all kinds of health problems.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

It’s been a stressful couple of years. The pandemic has brought lockdowns, economic uncertainty, new work challenges, strains in relationships, additional family responsibilities, and much more. There does seem to be light at the end of the tunnel, which is a relief. However, for millions of stressed-out people around the world, as we enter 2022, self-care and a focus on health – both physical and mental – need to become priority concerns.

We need to “chill,” as some might put it. –But relaxing is easier said than done. Hopefully, the next three suggestions will aid you in finding a bit of peace in the new year as we move from survival mode to a resilient recovery.

First on the list are solutions from nature. Heath food supplements such as a liquid mix of high-quality traditional mushrooms and premium pharmaceutical-grade CBD from UK firm cannabotech.com can provide soothing, natural chemical combos that strengthen the endocannabinoid and immune systems, meaning better sleep, fresher-looking skin, reduced muscle fatigue and joint pain, etc.

These health supplements are regulated and have been scientifically assessed – with research proving the links between better overall health and strengthening the endocannabinoid system. And boosting the immune system needs no explanation: it’s our first line of defense and the stronger such defenses are the less likely we are to fall ill.

Our second way to de-stress won’t cost you a thing. It’s called “cognitive reframing,” and if that strikes you as an odd term, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. Another way to describe cognitive reframing could be “assessing situations from a different angle.”

One wellness site puts it thus: “…imagine looking through the frame of a camera lens. The picture seen through the lens can be changed to a view that is closer or further away. By slightly changing what is seen in the camera, the picture is both viewed and experienced differently.”

As a hypothetical, let’s say you get a speeding ticket. The whole process of getting a ticket is distressing and stressful. Reframe it, however, and it can become a ‘blessing in disguise.’ “Maybe I do have to pay a rather large fine, and the points on my license aren’t welcome… but no one got hurt, and this will make me think twice about my diving speeds, which may well prevent me from hurting others or myself in the future.” –Even if it seems a bit simplistic, re-framing the above hypothetical would make an individual feel somewhat better, no?

Finally, another less-than-revelatory de-stressing idea for the coming year: Listen to more music! Many reportedly said they “didn’t feel like it” while stuck amid masks, vaccines, and social distancing. Instead, too many spent too many hours watching television.

But music is an ancient stress reliever that has an enthusiastic nod from the modern scientific community. The best part about music is that there are no rules. If you enjoy classical composers, listen to them. If dubstep is your preference, that works too. If you like the sounds of nature, enjoy an audible thunderstorm or the howls of Arctic winds.

Music makes most of us feel happy, and the tempo of happiness is up to you. For best results in using music as a tool for relaxation, however, research indicates music that plays at roughly 60 beats per minute is best for helping the brain synchronize alpha brainwaves with the beat. But don’t worry –there’s a long catalog to choose from. Plenty of pop is around 60bpm: Beyonce’s Flaws and All, Britney Spears’ Inside Out, and Andrew Strong’s Mustang Sally, to name a few.

We’ve all had a hard go of it these last couple of years. It’s time to recharge. It’s time to focus on your needs – you deserve it. Getting the proper nutrients and health food supplements into your body, re-examining and reframing how you process stressful situations… and making time for music will go a long way towards a more peaceful year and a happier you.