4 techniques to stay grounded and reduce stress in times of change
4 techniques to stay grounded and reduce stress in times of change
Periods of change are often associated with increased stress and anxiety. We get used to things being one way and when that changes it can leave us feeling uncertain or ungrounded.
As Covid restrictions come to an end and people transition away from remote working some of these feelings might be coming up for you. Whether you feeling anxious about Covid, the current political situation, the thought of a return to the pre-Covid pace of life, or something else entirely, having an understanding of stress and how to manage it can help develop resilience and cope with change.
Whilst stressful situations are inevitable, stress itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s actually a survival mechanism that keeps us safe in times of danger.
Problems occur if we’re exposed to long-term (chronic) stress because our body becomes unable to switch off the stress response after the stressful period has passed, resulting in exhaustion.
We all have mechanisms for managing our stress and staying grounded, some might be more nourishing than others.
If you’re looking for practices to keep grounded and reduce stress here are a few you can try for yourself:
Pause for 5 minutes
Taking slow measured breaths, with long exhalations is often described as the panacea for reducing stress because it can initiate a parasympathetic nervous response (PNS).
The PNS is part of our autonomic nervous system. It keeps our bodies running smoothly. Among its functions, the PNS is responsible for slowing our heart rate when we’re resting and enabling various digestive functions to take place.
If breathing slowly and focusing on your exhale is helpful for you it can be a great way to reduce stress.
Find a quiet spot, and begin focusing on your breathing. Gradually start to lengthen your breath and then begin counting (in your head) the length of both your inhale and exhale. If it feels comfortable for you, gradually extend the length of your exhale so that it’s longer than your inhale. A ratio to try could be 4:6, so if you inhale for the count of 4 you exhale for the count of six. Always stay within what feels comfortable for you without straining your breath.
If you’re going to try this exercise it’s important to be aware that taking long slow breaths isn’t relaxing for everyone. For some people, it can have the opposite effect.
If this technique doesn’t feel right for you. There are many other practices you can try to bring you into the present moment and help reduce feelings of stress or anxiety.
Here are just a few:
Observe your breath without judgement or trying to change it in any way.
Observing a sensation that’s present in your body. Perhaps the feeling of your hands making contact with each other or your clothing, maybe a feeling of pressure in your feet or any other sensation that comes to your attention. You could even observe your hands by looking at them rather than feeling into a sensation.
Pausing to tune in and listen to sounds in the environment around you. These could be sounds in the room you’re in or maybe sounds further afield. Once you tune in and listen you’ll be surprised how much you hear.
Do some chair-based stretches
One of the symptoms of stress is tight muscles. When we feel stressed our body's sympathetic nervous system (SNS), another branch of the autonomic nervous system elicits “the fight or flight” response. This enables us to think or act quickly. Blood is diverted away from our gut and kidneys into our muscles and they tense up ready for action in case we need to make a fast getaway. When we experience stress for a prolonged period our body can remain in its fight or flight response causing our muscles to become chronically tight.
Having a desk-based job or sitting for long periods without moving can exacerbate the problem. Taking regular breaks to do some movement will relieve tension in your muscles and focusing on the felt sense of moving your body will bring you back to the present moment.
Why not give it a go? If you need some inspiration here’s a 10-minute video of chair-based stretches you can try.
Schedule some time for you
However, you choose to switch off scheduling some downtime is essential to build resilience and allow your body time to recover from the effects of stress.
Whether it’s eating some chocolate, taking a bath, having a walk outside or spending time with a friend. Whatever you find nourishes you, make sure you make it part of your regular schedule.
Establish a regular yoga practice
I’m guessing you’re reading this because you’re already sold on the benefits of yoga. However, I understand it’s not always easy to fit yoga into your schedule. Especially as life picks up pace again.
If you're trying to establish a regular yoga practice it’s important to remember little and often works best. If you’re short on time try setting aside 10 or 15 minutes a day. More importantly, be kind to yourself, if you don’t have time to get to a class or do “your full” practice that’s ok.
If you’re not sure how to shorten your practice. Here’s a 40-minute ashtanga-based practice you can try at home (suitable for those with some yoga experience).
I’ve also written a separate post to help you fit yoga into your schedule. You can read it here.
Each of us will have different coping mechanisms in times of stress and different ways to feel grounded. Let me know what works for you.
