I’m a nutritional therapist – here are the 7 ways you can reduce stress in 24 hours

WE ALL can feel stressed from time to time, and it’s perfectly normal.

But if you’re feeling more nervous than usual, maybe it’s time to look at the factors in your life that are making you uncomfortable.

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The NHS states that stress can cause many different symptoms that affect your behaviour.

It’s not always easy to recognize when stress is causing you to feel or act differently.

Physical and mental symptoms can occur, which are often difficult to treat.

But one expert has said you can conquer those feelings in just 24 hours if you take a few simple steps.

1. Eat right

Speaking to Sun Health, nutritional therapist Hannah Braye said that skipping meals and cravings for sugary foods and refined carbohydrates are common when we’re stressed.

Hannah, the in-house expert at Bio-Kult, said this can send our blood sugar on a crazy roller coaster ride of ups and downs, which in turn makes us more stressed.

“So avoiding sugary drinks and snacks and eating regular meals that include complex carbohydrates and high-quality protein at every meal is one of the best things you can do to get through a stressful period,” she said.

2nd exercise

Despite feeling tired, many highly stressed people tend to engage in vigorous exercise to relieve stress, Hannah said.

However, overtraining during times of high stress can do more harm than good, she warned.

“Physical exercise is another stress on the body and activates exactly the same physiological responses as psychological stress.

“Gentle exercise such as walking, jogging, swimming and yoga is much more beneficial in stressful phases,” says the expert.

3. Take care of your gut

Stress, late nights, drinking alcohol, and eating high-sugar foods have all been shown to have a detrimental effect on gut flora, Hannah explained.

Therefore, supplementing your diet with live bacteria can help restore gut flora balance and improve immune function, she added.

4. Power off

When you’re stressed and anxious, it can be difficult to turn those thoughts off.

Though life can get busy, it’s important to take 10 minutes each day to take deep breaths and focus on calming the mind, Hannah advised.

“Try walking in the park on your lunch break, downloading an app that offers short guided mindfulness meditations, going to a yoga class, or just doing some sun salutations when you wake up in the morning,” she said.

5. Increase fruits and vegetables

Hannah said that when our bodies are stressed, they have an increased need for certain nutrients.

“These include the B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. Therefore, it is important that we get more of it through our diet.

“Eating a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables is the best way to do it. Green leafy vegetables are especially important, so make sure you’re getting at least 1-2 servings each day,” she said.

6. Relax naturally

In our quest for relaxation, stress can make us feel drained, Hannah said.

However, resorting to stimulants like caffeine and alcohol is a bad idea, the expert said.

“Caffeine can increase cortisol production even hours after drinking it, and alcohol and other drugs can affect our mood by interfering with our neurotransmitters and reducing the absorption of important nutrients (of which we need more during times of stress),” Hannah added added.

7. Sleep well

When we’re tired, our coping mechanisms are reduced, making already stressful situations 10 times worse, Hannah said.

“However, when we have had a good night’s sleep, we have better memory and concentration, we are better able to make decisions and we lose temper less.

“Ideally, phone, computer and television screens should be avoided for at least an hour before bed, and apps that filter blue light can be used to reduce exposure at other times of the day.

“Don’t eat late and enjoy a routine that includes a regular bedtime and some time to relax, like reading a book or taking an Epsom salt bath,” Hannah added.

If you feel your stress is getting out of control, it’s important to seek medical advice.

The NHS advises you try to talk to your friends and family about how you are feeling.

You can also contact Samaritan, Call: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org if you need someone to talk to.