10 TIPS TO REDUCE STRESS

Stress doesn’t always have to be a negative thing, but often times it’s to do with changes in behavior and poor decision making. In this blog, we share with you a few tips on how to manage & relieve stress to help you feel better and improve your physical and mental health.

MAKE A LIST

Writing out a list is a useful tool to help you visualize and understand what it is that’s stressing you out. Seeing these stressors written down on paper can help you focus on one thing at a time and allow you to feel more in control.

EXERCISE


Exercising is important to help clear your mind and relieve mental stress while working on your physical form. When you exercise, you are left feeling better due to your stress hormones being lowered (cortisol) and your body releasing endorphins thus improving your mood. Our Crunch gyms are designed around you with incredible facilities including tons of equipment, rows of cardio, heart-pumping classes & world-class. Fitting in a workout a few days during the week will help you feel more confident & get much better sleep, leaving you a little less stressed.

GET A GOOD SLEEP


Getting a good night's sleep helps to calm your mind and body, stabilizes your mood and helps with cognitive function. If you are not sleeping enough, your body doesn’t have time to restore & relax, so it’s vital to get enough rest to feel energized the next day.

CHANGE YOUR DIET HABITS


Believe it or not, food affects your mood. When you eat foods that are higher in nutrients, your body receives its essential vitamins to keep you fuelled, energized and alert. When you eat foods that are higher in sugar, have little dietary fiber and contain a high amount of saturated fats, you tend to feel more sluggish & tried. Being mindful of your diet can determine how much energy & concentration you’ll have throughout the day, generally leaving you in a more positive state.

REDUCE CAFFEINE


Consuming lots of caffeine can make you feel jittery and anxious. Typically, caffeine can be found in tea, coffee, and energy drinks. Substituting non-caffeinated beverages like water, fresh juices & herbal teas can help you feel more relaxed and in control of your thoughts & actions.

MEDITATE


Meditating helps to reduce mental and physical stress. When you take time to wind down & be one with your thoughts, you generally feel better about yourself & have a clearer understanding of what you need to do in order to combat your stressors. At Crunch, we offer a variety of classes like yoga & stretch that include a meditation component to help you wind down.

SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY


Spending time with your loved ones can lead you to feel more positive and to feel apart of a social network. It’s good to talk about what’s making you stressed as you will often find that you’re not alone! Maybe going for a coffee or training with a friend can allow you to destress. Crunch allows their members to bring a mate to train for free! It’s quite common that people feel stressed about the same things – we just don’t verbalize it.

THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS


When you continue to focus on the negative thoughts in your head, you’ll find the intensity and language will increase. To reduce this, it’s best to change your negative thoughts into a positive or neutral thought. By simply changing the language of how you think about these thoughts, will help you feel less anxious and stressed.


For example “I can’t do this exercise” can be changed to “I find this exercise challenging” or “I hate this” can be turned into “I would much prefer”. It’s easier said than done, but with practice, you will find yourself combating these thoughts positively and their negative power will become muted.

MAKE YOURSELF A PRIORITY


It’s important to take time out for yourself, do something you love! You will feel re-energized & fulfilled in what you did for yourself & will feel happier overall. Practicing self-care will help you to reduce stress and feel more positive. Make sure there’s a balance between friends, family & alone time.

SEEK PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT ON YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY


If you feel that you’re unable to manage your thoughts or need professional health assistance, contact your local GP or health community center.