Hour-by-hour: How to beat the day’s stress before it beats you – from a cricket alarm to the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise
FROM traffic jams and hyper kids to presentations and sleepless nights, ditch your worries and find daily zen.
Many of us deal with various kinds of stress from the moment we rise to the moment we eventually drift off to sleep.
And we’re so familiar with it that we’ve become immune to the warning signs – but stress should never be ignored.
Consistently elevated levels of the hormones cortisol and adrenalin can lead to sleep problems and weight gain, as well as digestive issues, headaches, muscle tension and mental ill health.
Around 40% of Brits are stressed at any given time, according to the weekly YouGov mood tracker.
But the good news is that small approaches to daily rituals could make a big difference.
Our experts reveal how.
6.30am
Being jolted awake by your alarm – the sound of which is often a stressor in itself – could increase your levels of cortisol, which already naturally rise in the morning.
“Start your day gently by switching to a soothing alarm tone,” suggests hypnotherapist Chloe Brotheridge, author of The Anxiety Solution.
“I have the sound of crickets! Or try a sunrise alarm clock that simulates natural light, easing you awake gradually.”
If you wear a fitness tracker or smartwatch, check to see if it’s equipped with a silent vibrating alarm.
“Not only is the vibration on your wrist a much gentler way of rousing you, it has the added benefit of not disturbing your partner if you need to wake up at different times,” adds Karden Rabin, nervous system medicine practitioner and co-author of The Secret Language Of The Body.
“Dedicate the first 15 minutes of your day to a calming routine, like stretching, a workout or mindfulness meditation, to start the day right,” says Chloe.
7.30am
You’ve just made it out of bed and ping, your phone notifies you about an email from your boss.
Naturally, you can’t help but check your inbox, but it causes a surge of anxiety.
“This can activate your body’s fight-or-flight response,” says Jennifer Mann, certified mind-body practitioner and co-author of The Secret Language Of The Body.
“The anticipation of potential criticism, additional tasks or urgent matters can lead to increased heart rate, heightened alertness and overwhelm, which can set a negative tone for the rest of the day.
“Before opening the email, take a moment to pause.
“Close your eyes and take three deep breaths, inhaling through your nose for a count of four, holding for four, and exhaling for four.”
You could also turn on your phone’s “do not disturb” feature outside work hours.
8.15am
You’re commuting and the train is packed.
A lack of space can be another way of activating your body’s fight-or-flight response, leaving you feeling stressed.
Try the “anchoring” technique to help shift your attention.
“Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose, counting to four as you inhale,” says Jennifer.
“Silently repeat a chosen word or phrase such as ‘relax’ or ‘I am OK’ to yourself.
“As you exhale, imagine releasing the tension and stress from your body.
“Continue this cycle for several minutes, or until you feel more relaxed and centred.”
Stuck in traffic?
“Build a sufficient buffer into your commute, so that being slowed by traffic doesn’t make you late.
It’s better to be early than stressed and frustrated,” says Karden.
If you’re already late, try to enjoy the scenery instead of worrying about something you can’t change.
10.30
You have an important presentation that you’ve been working on for weeks.
Leanne Spencer, author of Cadence: The Secret To Beating Burnout And Performing In Life And Work, says there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself.
“Ensure you have a good night’s sleep and then minimise tasks prior to the presentation, so your primary focus is getting a good outcome in the meeting itself.”
Try to take some downtime before a big meeting, rather than going over and over your presentation.
“This might be reading the news or just gazing out of the window, thinking about nothing,” says Leanne.
“Your performance is likely to be better if you’re in a relaxed state.”
3pm
A WhatsApp group starts sending a constant stream of messages discussing a date for plans (which you can’t afford to go to anyway).
When your social diary is already packed, it’s OK to tighten the purse strings a little and turn down events.
“Be honest about your situation, making it clear you’re fine with sitting this one out,” says Chloe.
“It might be that other people in the group are also struggling for money, and you shouldn’t feel judged or uncomfortable to open up to your friends – if you do, then there may be a deeper-rooted problem.
“You could also suggest a low-cost or free alternative.”
This way, you’re offering a solution that allows you to be involved without the financial stress.
5pm
It’s one of those days and you just want to get home as your brain is frazzled – but you haven’t ticked off half of your to-do list yet.
“Stand up, move your body or stretch to get blood flowing to the joints and brain,” says Leanne.
“Next, prioritise your tasks in order of importance, including delegating things where possible.
“Set yourself a realistically achievable list of what you want to accomplish in whatever time you have left that day, and then get to work.
“It’s more productive to have a set number of tasks for a specific time period, rather than the overwhelm of a never-ending set of tasks that need completing eventually.”
7pm
You’ve got through the kids’ mealtime, but now they won’t start to wind down before bed.
Instead, they’re screaming the house down, which is triggering your nervous system.
Jennifer suggests the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise.
“This helps redirect your focus away from the stressor and back to the present moment, promoting feelings of relaxation,” she says.
“Acknowledge five things you can see around you, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.
“Then check in with yourself again and notice how much more capacity for your emotions and those of others you actually have.”
10pm
It’s the end of another busy day, and just as you’re hitting the sack, every possible worry and anxiety starts whirring around your brain.
Chloe suggests using the Feelings Wheel (Feelingswheel.com) or downloading the How We Feel app, before you go to bed to help with sleep. “This is a list of all the possible emotions we can feel.
“Identify two to three feelings you’re experiencing in that moment.
“Try to be as specific as possible.
“For example, saying to yourself: ‘I am feeling disappointed and frustrated.’
“Labelling and naming our emotions has a calming effect on the brain.”
If you think you’ll wake up in the middle of the night worrying, Chloe adds: “Keep a notepad by your bed to jot down thoughts that keep you up.
“This way, they are out of your head and on paper so you can deal with them tomorrow.”
- The Anxiety Solution by Chloe Brotheridge (£12.99, Michael Joseph)
- The Secret Language Of The Body by Jennifer Mann