Dealing with the Stress Letdown
The stress letdown. Ever heard of it? Remember after a big stressful event (finals, completion of a project, the first week of a new job...) you first felt relieved, but then depleted and maybe even ended up sick? That's the stress letdown.
We all know stress management is important — especially leading up to a big event -- but keeping with a stress management routine after the stressful event is just as important. Stress compromises the immune system and puts a lot of well...stress (aka allostatic load)...on our bodies. If you don’t continue to manage the stress — even after you think it’s gone — you become more susceptible to things like colds and fatigue.
The good news is that there are many things you can do to alleviate the stress letdown and keep your body healthy, and they can be so simple.
Here's a few ideas you can start with:
Connect with friends
Get a good night’s sleep (8 hours)
Five minutes of eyes closed deep breathing
Gentle exercise or stretching
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to nourish your body and mind
Cozy up with a good book
Unplug from social media
Do you have a stress letdown action plan? Share it!