How to Stay Healthy When You’re Feeling Stressed

We’ve all been there before. Life gets hard, we get stressed, and without realizing it, our health falls down to the bottom of our list of priorities. But the truth is, the more we neglect our health, the more difficult the hard times become.

In order to power through stressful situations, you need to know how to stay healthy no matter the circumstances and put your knowledge to use. To help you do just that, we’ve put together a guide that you can use to live healthily and put your wellbeing first in any situation.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know.

Get Moving and Stay Moving

We get it. When you’re stressed, the last thing you probably want to do is get active. But this is an extremely destructive mindset because exercise is the best thing you can do when you’re not feeling your best mentally.

So the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, resist the urge to sit on your couch and think about how overwhelmed you feel. Instead, get off the couch out hit the trail, the treadmill, the pool, whatever gets you moving.

Health organizations such as the CDC recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity per week for a reason. Exercise not only boosts your physical health and adds years to your life but keeps you mentally and emotionally healthy as well.

Stay On Top Of Your Diet

Another common mistake people make when they’re going through a stressful time in their life is eating junk food rather than staying on top of their diet.

Now, the key is moderation, there’s no need to cut out snacks and desserts altogether. However, the bulk of your diet should always be made up of whole, nutrient-dense foods, especially when you’re feeling low.

Eating processed snack foods might feel comforting in the moment but will only make us feel worse down the line. Too much junk food will drain our energy, tank our mental health, and can even lead to these warning signs of high cholesterol.

Instead of reaching for snack cakes and bags of chips, do your best to eat single-ingredient foods more often than not. This means plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. You should also include healthy fats and carbs for a balanced diet.

Get the Right Amount of Sleep

Stress affects health in a wide variety of ways, but one of the most harmful side effects is damage to our quality and quantity of sleep. Sleep is the foundation for health; without it, every other aspect of your life will suffer.

For the best results, aim for 7-9 hours of high-quality sleep per night. Any more or less and you’ll make staying healthy much harder for yourself.

If you’re the type of person who sleeps a little too much when you’re going through a difficult time, create a sleep schedule and stick to it. Sleeping too much can worsen depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.

On the other side of the coin, sleeping too little is even more detrimental to your health. If you find that stress is making it hard to fall or stay asleep, there are a few things that you can try.

First, cut back on your caffeine intake. Limit coffee and sodas to the morning hours and stick to water in the afternoon and evening.

You should also create a soothing nighttime routine for yourself. Put your phone and other electronics away at least an hour before bed and do things that relax you instead. This could be practicing meditation, taking a hot bath, or reading your favorite book.

Take a Break

In today’s fast-paced, all work no play society, taking a break has become borderline taboo. Don’t let this misguided view impact you and your health. To stay healthy as often as possible throughout your life, you need to take breaks and plenty of them.

Don’t work yourself to the bone or run yourself ragged with errands, chores, and other responsibilities. Yes, work must be done. Yes, the house should be cleaned. But every moment of every day shouldn’t be spent on your various obligations.

Make time for yourself every single day. Do something you enjoy! Get outside and ride your bike, practice a musical instrument, or sign up for a painting class.

Being productive is important but so is your wellbeing. There’s nothing wrong with being a little selfish when it’s the best thing for you in the current moment.

Reach Out for Help

You’re getting active every day, you’re eating healthy, and you’re sleeping 8 hours a night, but you still feel down or stressed. When this happens, it’s time to reach out to a professional for help.

Feeling stressed every now and then is normal and healthy but intense, prolonged stress impacts health in a negative way and needs to be addressed. A mental health professional will help you discover the root of your problem and work through it in a healthy way.

You might discover that you have chronic anxiety or another mental health disorder. If this is the case, your therapist can help you to create a plan of attack against the condition and prescribe medication to lessen or resolve your symptoms.

Improve Your Life by Learning How to Stay Healthy No Matter the Circumstances

Difficult and stressful times are an unavoidable part of life that we all must face, it’s all about how we handle them. If you allow yourself to fall victim to the tough times, you’ll find it harder to escape them.

But if you remember how to stay healthy, even in the face of the most challenging moments, you’ll be able to push through and get back to enjoying your life sooner.

Interested in learning more about improving your health and wellness? Take a look at our blog!