Let's Talk Managing Stress with Georgina, Chief Pharmacist
Where has this year gone. It’s already October, the last term of school is underway, and we are on the verge of (dare I say it) Christmas! In the lead up to this silly season, and World Mental Health Day on October 10th, we are talking about ways to manage stress so that you can navigate the chaos that often comes towards the end of the year.
Everyone experiences stress at different times in their lives and everyone has different triggers. The hormones involved in chronic stress can have flow-on effects to other health conditions. Your pharmacist can help you manage the early signs of stress to prevent these chronic problems
- 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every day can release endorphins that balance out stress hormones. Exercise also decreases risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Over half of all Australia do not do the recommended amount of physical activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Schedule in your daily activity to stay on track and change it up to stay motivated
- A healthy balanced diet can help boost your immune system which can be lowered due to higher cortisol levels during stressful times. It’s important to fuel your body appropriately to be handle stress
- A good sleep can do wonders in managing stress levels. The basics of getting good sleep start with having a routine, good sleep hygiene, limiting caffeine and alcohol before bed and exercising. When sleep wake cycles are disrupted, it can be hard to get back into a regular sleep pattern. Ask your Alive Pharmacist about new options that may be available to assist in getting to sleep and staying asleep