Feeling Overwhelmed? Here Are 4 Things You Can Do To Turn Your Day Around

Stress can be defined as, “a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation,” which is something that naturally occurs in life. Stress can be helpful for growth, but like anything else, needs to be managed in a controlled manner. Understanding when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed and being aware of this is the first step to managing these stressful times. Below are a few tips to try when you need a little boost to turn your day around.

Get Outside For A Walk

Getting outside is an easy way to improve someone’s mood. It increases your vitamin D, which can help to improve attitude and outlook and provides a way to take a break from stressful situations which is beneficial for mental clarity. Even making five minutes for yourself to go on a walk can help to reduce stress and improve mood.

Recommendation: When you need a moment, take a lap around the block or office and get some fresh air!

Practice Deep Breathing

Deep breathing does two things to help you when you’re feeling overwhelmed. It forces you to slow down, which is a great way to manage stress. Practicing deep breathing exercises also activates your diaphragm, which is a muscle that is involved in our “fight or flight” response. Slowing down breathing helps to slow down that response in the system and level out your mood.

Recommendation: During stressful times, find a quiet space and take five deep breaths.

Drink A Cup Of Water

Determining how much water to drink in a day is difficult and very dependent on each person and their current health status. On average, men should drink approximately 124 ounces of water and women should drink approximately 92 ounces of water³. Drinking water not only helps the body to maintain its normal resting state, but also forces a person to slow down during a time of over-stimulation.

Recommendation: Take five sips of water every hour you are awake, this will make your drinking purposeful and allow yourself to take a break.

Seek Professional Support

50 million Americans utilized mental health resources in 2022². Counseling and therapy may be a beneficial resource to deal with the increased stresses of life. A counselor or mental health professional can help to develop coping and stress management strategies to improve your process to handle difficult situations.

Stress can take a physical toll on the body; it can cause increased pain and tightness, leading to physical symptoms and injuries. If you feel like your stress is leading to aches and pains, reach out to an Athletico physical therapist for a free assessment. They can provide recommendations for your care, as well as answer any questions or concerns you may have. Free Assessments are available in-clinic and virtually through our Telehealth platform.

Request a Free Assessment

*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

Resources
1. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/stress
2. https://mhanational.org/issues/2022/mental-health-america-adult-data
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
4. https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/covid-19/2020/04/when-youre-stressed-go-outside/#:~:text=When%20you%20move%20your%20body,and%20decreases%20your%20heart%20rate.