With Fall in full swing, nature is gently encouraging us, with its cooler temperatures and colorful foliage, to also make some changes. Are you listening?
Typically, the Fall season is one that comes with a cultural energy-frenzy of transition (back to school, full office hours, sports and more sports, holiday planning, yard clean-up, 2024 business planning, etc.) and yet nature is trying to tell us to chill out. During Fall, nature begins its cycle of rest and renewal (days get shorter, trees shed their leaves & many plants and animals ready themselves to hibernate). What nature shows is that it’s best to incorporate periods of rest to reduce physical stressors and remain healthy.
Perhaps you find yourself making some small shifts as you enter this season, but are you slowing down like nature innately does? Or are you constantly hurrying around in all the bustle, not giving yourself time to rest? When we don’t take time to rest, the stress builds. Do you know how to best impact stress reduction?
Being mindful of stress reduction techniques serves our optimal wellbeing when things are culturally amping up. Research shows that there are a number of wellbeing practices that improve stress reduction. With the knowledge below, you can intentionally slow down and better align ourself with the wisdom of mother nature.
Here are Five Wellbeing Practices that will lead to Stress Reduction:
1. Nutrition (What you Eat) – Fall is a wonderful time to visit local farmer markets and eat seasonal foods. By prioritizing plants, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins your body will be thanking you for balanced, energy producing meals. When we properly nourish ourselves, our body operates under less stress, improving the immune system, reducing mood swings, and supporting a more focused mind.[1] What small changes might you make with your food choices?
2. Exercise (How you Move) – Movement is key for stress reduction. It has been shown repeatedly and is widely accepted in the medical community that moderate exercise 3-5 times a week totaling 150 minutes[2] improves mood, increases executive function, reduces depression & anxiety, increases sleep quality, and reduces overall perceived stressors. Movement does not have to be extreme or vigorous to reduce stress. In fact, a recent study found introducing just 5 minutes of walking or mellow movement every 30 minutes improved mood, decreased fatigue,& reduced blood sugar and blood pressure.[3] Want to super charge your stress reduction? Let the beautiful fall weather invite you outdoors for a daily walk where you can practice ‘mindful awareness.’ Leave the phone at home, skip the music or podcast, and bring your full awareness to the moment with all your senses. That extra dose of nature will soothe the nerves and leave you feeling more grounded and centered.
3. Sleep (Unconscious Rest) – With more darkness in the fall and winter months, going to bed earlier might feel easier. Studies show we all need somewhere between 7-9.5 hours of sleep nightly, and this varies by person. Adequate and quality sleep improves emotion regulation and reduces perceived stressors; we simply don’t get as stressed and when we do, we are more likely to regulate the emotions and allow perceived stressors to be processed, getting back to our baseline more quickly. [4] What small changes can you make to get some extra ZZZs?
4. Meditation (Conscious Rest) –Meditation is the antidote to stress. Research has shown meditation to be highly effective at stress reduction; not surprising given its powerful ability to promote deep rest and relaxation. Various meditation styles move us from activity to stillness. This can be experienced as mental and/or physical activity being reduced. Due to the interconnectedness of mind & body, when we settle & focus the mind, the body also calms. Through meditation, we can reach a deep level of rest in which the body releases toxic stress and rebalances itself, much like when we get a good night’s sleep. By committing to a daily practice of meditation, even just 12 minutes, the negative physical & mental effects of stress are alleviated.[5]
5. Sense of Purpose – When we have purpose we possess clear, long-term goals that allow us to focus on something greater than ourselves. Although our purpose may change throughout life, research shows having a sense of purpose is important to our wellbeing and promotes stress reduction. People with a sense of purpose report less anxiety in stress producing situations than those who don’t have a sense of purpose. Additionally, the stress hormone, cortisol, is much lower in purpose filled people than those with no sense of purpose.[6]Not only does purpose reduce stress, it increases our overall wellbeing through improved sleep quality, immune system function, reported happiness, motivation, and engagement. Take some time to evaluate your values, what’s important to you, and ask yourself how you can make a difference (however small it may seem)in your family, community, business, or the world.
As with everything, taking on too much at any particular time, might, well, feel stressful. This fall, we suggest picking one area of highest interest to you and experiment with achieving the stress reduction you deserve. You will then know what moves the needle on your stress response.
[1] Grajek M, Krupa-Kotara K, Białek-Dratwa A, Sobczyk K, Grot M, Kowalski O and Staskiewicz W (2022) Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health. Front. Nutr. 9:943998.doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.943998
[2] Godman, Heidi. “Top ways to reduce daily stress.” 1 March 2022. Accessed 1 September 2023. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/top-ways-to-reduce-daily-stress
[3] Guildford, Dr. Anna. "5 minute walks every 30minutes may help counter effects of too much siting." Medical News Today. 12 Jan. 2023. 30 Oct. 2023. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/5-minute-walks-every-30-minutes-offsets-effects-too-much-sitting
[4] Mass, Dr. James, Robbins, Dr.Rebecca. “Sleep for Success. Everything you must know about sleep but are tootired to ask.” Author House, 2011.”
[5] Jha, Dr. Amishi. “Find your Focus: Find you attention in 12 minutes a day.” Mindful.org. 25 October 2021.1 September 2023. https://www.mindful.org/find-your-focus-own-your-attention-in-12-minutes-a-day/
[6] Hill PL, Sin NL, Turiano NA, Burrow AL, Almeida DM. Sense ofPurpose Moderates the Associations Between Daily Stressors and DailyWell-being. Ann Behav Med. 2018 Jul 13;52(8):724-729. doi: 10.1093/abm/kax039.PMID: 30010709; PMCID: PMC6052784.
