Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the body’s immune system becomes dysregulated causing it to attack its own healthy cells, tissues, and organs. There are over 100 known autoimmune diseases and now recent studies are showing the possible link between stress and autoimmunity.
So , could stress be the cause of your autoimmune disease?
One study from Ljudmila Stojanovich states, “It is presumed that the stress-triggered neuroendocrine hormones lead to immune dysregulation, which ultimately results in autoimmune diseases, by altering or amplifying cytokine production.”
Knowing that stress can lead to the dysregulation of our immune system it is important to learn how to manage your stress levels, so the challenges of day-to-day life don’t take a toll on your health. There are many ways you can manage your stress. The key is to identify personal stressors and make a plan of healthy ways to handle them. You can’t control day-to-day stress but you can control how you deal with it! In today’s post I’m going to cover how I cope with stress.
Take care of yourself
Taking care of your mental and physical needs is a baseline necessity. Make it a priority to get enough sleep, keep up with your self-care, nourish your body with healthy meals, take time for yourself, get outside, and take a deep breath. Meeting baseline needs will look a little different for everyone but it just comes down to taking care of yourself with your “bare minimums”.
Exercise
Exercising is a great and healthy way of relieving stress. Just 30 minutes a day can keep stress levels at bay by reducing the stress hormone cortisol. Go for a walk, do housework, and join a local workout group(if you have trouble staying active and accountable). There are endless options for getting your exercise in!
Stress relieving hobbies
Hobbies are a great way to relieve stress. Between work, school, family, and friends it becomes harder and harder to set aside time for ourselves to be creative with activities we enjoy. Hobbies can also improve mental well-being, mood, and bring fun and contentment to life can help reduce the impact chronic stress has on your body. Having a game plan for when your stress levels get out of control can help you quickly release emotional build-up. Here are a few ways to help manage stress and have some fun in the process!
- Listening to music
- Reading
- Preparing a meal from scratch
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Painting
- Photography
- Going for a walk in nature
- Playing with an animal
Planning
Cut down on last-minute scrambling and unneeded stress by making it a priority to plan your week and day in advance. Spending an extra few minutes every day can you save you loads of stress and help make your life peaceful. Click here to check out our free printables that will help you get organized. I like to start with a brain dump every morning to clear my mental plate. Then I choose my top three priorities for the day. Brain dumps are a great tool if you use them correctly. What I mean by that is you’re not going to accomplish everything on your brain dump that’s why I choose three items to focus on and I leave the rest for another day. Because if everything is a “priority” then nothing is a priority.
Let go
If it no longer serves a purpose LET IT GO. Clutter and being unorganized adds to stress levels. If your space is cluttered your mind is cluttered. Make it a priority to get your living space organized and clutter-free. Give your mind and body an environment to thrive in by letting go of old clothes, books, and anything that no longer serves you. This is a great opportunity to make some extra money. Sell old clothes and shoes on mercari or Facebook marketplace for extra cash, or donate to a local shelter!
Managing stress can be fun if you make it! It started becoming fun for me when I changed my mindset from “ugh I have to do this” to “ I get to do this to take care of my body and mind”. The thoughts you have are what create your reality. All you have to do is consciously make an effort to train your thoughts. I find myself being all around happier and more at peace when I make the effort to appreciate taking care of myself.
Check out our free resource library to find printables that will help you stay organized and stress-free. Let us know if they help!
