5 Practical Ways You Can Lower Your Stress During Recovery

Everyone experiences stress sometimes, but people in recovery can be particularly sensitive to stress and stressful situations. Knowing how to manage it is critical to reducing the risk of relapse, and to maintaining sobriety long-term. Fortunately, several practical steps can help to lower your stress during your recovery so that you can successfully navigate your path to a healthier, happier life.

How Stress Affects Your Mind and Body

It’s important to understand the negative effects of stress on both your mind and your body.

In terms of the body, stress can lead to a host of physical symptoms, some of which can lead to health problems. These symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Muscle tension
• Fatigue
• Elevated blood pressure
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Problems sleeping

Mentally, stress can cause anxiety, irritability, restlessness, lack of motivation, and depression. The point is that stress leads to poor overall well-being, which is a dangerous state to be in for someone in recovery. The risk of relapse is elevated when you don’t feel well physically and mentally.

The Connection Between Addiction and Stress

You may or may not realize it, but stress may have been a factor in your substance use to begin with. It is well documented that stress is a risk factor in the development of addiction. Chronic stress can alter parts of the brain, particularly those related to reward, which affects your ability to feel pleasure. This leads to seeking drugs or alcohol to cope with the negative feelings that come with stress. Using substances then becomes your means to feel pleasure. Over time, substance use alters neurotransmitters in your brain so that you have difficulty feeling pleasure without drugs or alcohol.

During recovery, your brain can recover, but stress can still trigger cravings that can lead to relapse. That’s why it is so important to learn how to manage and reduce stress.

5 Practical Ways to Lower Stress

You can’t remove stress completely from your life because, well…life happens, you can manage it in several ways. It’s also important to note that some stress is a positive thing because it can trigger motivation to handle situations and to achieve goals. It’s when stress becomes overwhelming that it leads to problems, like cravings.

Here are five practical ways to reduce stress to protect your recovery.

Get Moving

Exercise is a well-known way to manage stress. It reduces the level of cortisone, a stress hormone, in your body, thus reducing stress levels. Exercise also causes the release of endorphins, which are natural mood boosters, so exercise can significantly improve how you feel. Exercise also increases the levels of serotonin and dopamine in your brain, which are neurotransmitters that regulate your mood.

Engaging in exercise can also make you feel more positive about yourself, boosting your confidence and your overall mental well-being. Additionally, it can increase your physical well-being, which can boost your mental well-being. If you feel good physically, your mood is better, your confidence is boosted, and you feel more motivated and energetic.

Outdoor exercise in particular can be a good stress reducer because being outdoors and exposed to natural light helps to restore your body’s circadian rhythm, which can help to balance your hormones and improve your mood.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Eating a healthy diet provides nutrients which can boost your mood and stabilize stress hormones. Here are some specific foods that can provide certain benefits that help to reduce stress.

• Fruits and vegetables contain a host of vitamins and minerals that can reduce oxidative stress and reduce cortisol levels. Berries and leafy greens are particularly beneficial.
• Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish, nuts, and seeds, can help to stabilize mood.
• Whole grains boost the production of serotonin, a mood stabilizing neurotransmitter.
• Lean protein can also boost serotonin production.
• Dark chocolate can boost your mood and reduce cortisol levels.

Foods to avoid include processed foods, refined sugars, unhealthy fats, and caffeine. It’s also important to eat regular meals to keep your blood sugar levels stable.

Get Your Sleep

Adequate sleep is necessary for your mind to reset, and to stabilize your mood. Try to stay on a regular sleep schedule and get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. If you have trouble sleeping, you can try several different things to help you get to sleep and stay asleep.

1. Cut Screen Time

Stop using your phone or computer at least an hour before your bedtime. The light from the screen can interfere with your body’s melatonin production.

2. Chill Out

Do something relaxing before bed like taking a bath or reading a book. Choose whatever works best for you.

3. Keep It Dark and Quiet

Block out as much light as you can in your bedroom and keep it quiet. If there is noise you can’t control, try running a fan to block it.

4. Stay Cool

Most people sleep better when they are not excessively warm. Keep your thermostat at a level that you find comfortable.

5. Supplements

You might try a cup of chamomile tea before bed, or a melatonin supplement.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness means focusing on the present moment only, without distraction from other thoughts. A popular example of this is eating an orange. When you eat an orange, focus on the orange. Take note of the color, the texture, the process of peeling it, and the taste. When you are focused only on what you are doing, you’re not worrying about anything else. This practice calms you, relaxes you, and reduces the activity of your brain’s stress response areas.

It takes a conscious effort and practice to be mindful, but it can be very beneficial in terms of stress reduction.

Get Back to Nature

Studies have shown that spending time connecting with nature can reduce stress hormone levels. Go to a park or for a walk in the woods and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and smells. Focus on the beauty and the magic of the life around you. Practicing mindfulness while you’re out in the natural world gives you the benefits of both, and if you’re walking, you’re also getting a boost from exercise.

In Closing

Stress is a natural part of life, but in recovery, it’s important to keep your stress to a minimum to reduce the risk of relapse. Following a few practical steps can help you to do so, so that you can stay on a positive path to a healthier, happier future. If you need information or resources to help you on your recovery journey, reach out to Bridges of Hope. We are here to assist and support you.