Today, I wanted to talk about something that affects us all: stress. Did you know that stress can have a big impact on how our bodies heal when we get hurt? It's true! But don't worry, I'm here to help you understand why it's important to manage stress and how creating a morning routine can make a big difference!
When we're stressed, our bodies release something called "stress hormones." These hormones can actually slow down the healing process. Imagine your body is like a race car speeding towards the finish line. When stress hormones come into play, it's like pouring tar on the car's engine—it slows down the car and makes it harder to reach the destination. Just like the race car needs a smooth engine to go fast, your body needs less stress to heal and recover quickly.
Research shows that stress can make it take longer for wounds to heal and injuries to get better. For example, a study found that people with high levels of stress took about 40% longer to heal after a surgery compared to those with lower stress levels. Think about that terms of a long term surgery like a knee replacement or ACL reconstruction. This could extend your recovery period for up to around 4 months!
Tips for Managing Stress
Now that we know how stress can affect our healing, let's talk about some ways to manage it. Here are some super simple tips that you can start using right away:
Take deep breaths: When you're feeling stressed, take a deep breath in through your nose and then slowly breathe out through your mouth. It can help calm your body down and make you feel better. There are many different breathing techniques, like box breathing, that can help you regulate your stress levels.
Get moving: Doing some exercise or playing outside can help reduce stress. It's like giving your body a chance to let go of all that tension. Get in touch with your inner child or better yet grab your actual child and have some fun!
Talk to someone: Sharing your feelings with a trusted adult or friend can really help. They can listen, give you advice, or just be there for you.
Creating a Morning Routine
Now, let's talk about the magic of morning routines! Having a morning routine means doing certain things every morning to start your day off right. It can make a big difference in how you feel and help reduce stress throughout the day. Here are some ideas for your morning routine:
Start with movement: Spend a few minutes stretching your body. Reach for the sky, touch your toes, and wiggle around. It helps wake up your muscles and gets your blood flowing. Don't limit yourself to just stretching either! If lifting weights or running is your jam do that!
Eat a healthy breakfast: A good breakfast gives you the energy you need for the day. Try to include foods like fruits, whole grains, and protein. They help your body stay strong and keep you focused.
Try for a little mindfulness: A quick meditation, 10 minutes of reading, or a breathing session in the morning can help you detach from whatever stress is present in your life and allow you to start the day off fresh.
Stay away from technology: Everyone is hooked to their phone these days, but what good does your phone really bring before work besides stress? If you can try not to access your phone for the 1st hour of your day. It will allow you to prioritize the things that are important for your own self-care before jumping head first into your day.
Figure out your M.I.T: Once you've taken care of yourself and your feeling rejuvenated decide on your M.I.T. or most important thing. If you understand your most important thing you can work towards this throughout your day. If you accomplish nothing else, but the M.I.T you're more likely to feel like your day was a success. And likely you'll end up doing even more!
So there you have it, stress can really impact how our bodies heal, but we have the power to manage it! By taking steps to reduce stress and creating a morning routine, we can give our bodies the best chance to heal and feel good. Remember, it's important to take care of ourselves and ask for help when we need it. So take a deep breath and let's conquer stress together!