By Rachel Terrill, Player Engagement Insider
NFL players experience more transitions, more quickly, than almost anyone else in any other profession. Getting drafted or signed by a team, moving to a new city, losing a job, getting a new job, earning and losing money, and enduring physical injuries are just some of the realities of NFL life.
These transitions and changes can be joyful – they can also be stressful. In fact, high levels can contribute to depression, an increased risk of physical injuries, high blood pressure, heart disease, and weight gain[1]. Increased stress can also lead to overall physical and mental decline. How you deal with that stress can make all the difference.
Here are five easy ways to help combat the stress in your life:
- Get More Sleep: Adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. But, according to the American Psychological Association[2], the average American sleeps for just 6.7 hours each night. Adults who get fewer than eight hours of sleep each night report feeling more irritable and overwhelmed than those who sleep for eight hours or more.
Going to bed even one hour earlier than normal can help keep you healthy[3]. More sleep can help you feel less stressed, lower your risk of injury, lessen the intensity of chronic pain, put you in a better mood, and even help you control your weight.
- Write: Keeping a gratitude journal can help reduce stress. Jotting down even a few things for which you’re thankful helps keep your brain focused on the positive aspects of your life. The more you focus on the positive things around you, the faster your brain will notice those things in the future.
Additionally, researchers at Harvard University suggest that writing through stressful or traumatic events from your past may help reduce the stress caused by those events. Creating a coherent story of the emotions and events that you experienced may help your brain break free of its constant attempts to make sense of that stress.
- Listen to Music: Music can get you pumped up for a workout or game and it can also help you wind down at night. Listening to music has been shown to lower cortisol levels that are associated with stress.
The secret to the effects of music may be in the music’s tempo. Some research suggests that the number of beats per minute can influence the listener’s heart rate. A faster tempo (120 beats per minute or more) may help you feel more energized. A slower tempo (around 40 beats per minute) can help slow down your heart as you drift to sleep.
Listening to music has also been shown to relieve depression, reduce the sensations of pain, and reduce anxiety and stress levels.
- Spend Time with Friends: Spending time with loved ones and fostering friendships matters. Having strong friendships can help you stay healthy and add quality years to your life. Spending time with friends and loved ones can also reduce stress and anxiety in both children and adults. A landmark study[4] of more than 300,000 men and women found that not having close friends increased risk of death by about 50% compared to the lifespan of those who had more close relationships. Reach out to others. It may sound cliché, but being a friend is the best way to make a friend.
- Breathe: Breathing deeply can help reduce your cortisol levels and lower your blood pressure. Try placing your hand on your stomach as you try to push it out with your breath. Breathing slowly and deeply, take as deep of a breath as you can. Hold it for a second or two before slowly exhaling. Use this stress-relieving trick when you are feeling overwhelmed. You may find that you are able to breathe away the stress of the day.
[1] http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/causes-of-stress?page=2#1
[2] http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/sleep.aspx
[3] http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/9-reasons-to-sleep-more?page=2
[4] http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2006938,00.html