Make improving your sleep a top priority, as it’s one of the fastest and most impactful ways to reduce stress, improve mood, motivation, physical health, energy, focus, and reduce anxiety. Aim for 7.5-8 hours if currently sleeping less, as sleep deprivation significantly impacts your stress response.
Develop a conscious morning routine to intentionally start your day in a calm and positive state, which helps reduce the accumulation of micro stress doses and sets a positive tone for the rest of your day. Avoid immediate phone use, negative news, or work emails upon waking, and consider activities like breathwork, meditation, journaling, or quiet reflection for even 5-15 minutes.
Learn at least one breathing technique, such as the 3-4-5 breath (inhale for 3, hold for 4, exhale for 5), to carry with you and use anywhere. This helps send calm signals to your brain, switching off the stress response and promoting relaxation, especially when your out-breath is longer than your in-breath.
Cultivate the skill of not taking things personally, recognizing that much stress is internally generated by how you interpret external events. Most people’s behavior reflects their inner state, not you, and choosing not to absorb their emotions increases your peace and contentment.
Actively manage your future health to reduce stress caused by worry, understanding that chronic diseases develop over many years and can be influenced by lifestyle. Focus on key biomarkers like fasting insulin, HbA1c, homocysteine, and liver function tests, and make lifestyle changes to improve them.
Actively work to stop accumulating so many micro stress doses (small, manageable stressors) in the first place, especially early in your day, to prevent reaching your personal stress threshold and feeling overwhelmed.
Take regular pauses throughout the day, such as a 20-minute walk at lunchtime without your phone, to de-stress and move further away from your stress threshold. This helps prevent the continuous accumulation of micro stress doses and reduces reactivity.
If you do react to a stressful situation, later reflect honestly on why you reacted and if it was necessary, without judgment. This practice over time can help you create space between stimulus and response, allowing for calmer reactions.
Eliminate choice where possible in your life, as too much choice can be a stressor and use up cognitive reserve. Simplifying decisions can reduce mental load and contribute to a calmer state.
Work on reducing your reliance on external validation, as a deep insecurity and need for approval often underlies the tendency to take things personally. As this need diminishes, you naturally take external events less personally, fostering inner security.
As soon as it’s light outside, expose your eyes to natural light for 15 to 20 minutes to help set your body’s daily circadian rhythm. This practice helps you sleep better that night and improves overall well-being.
Be mindful of your caffeine consumption, as it can significantly impact your sleep even if consumed in the morning. Consider not having caffeine after 12 o’clock noon, or try a 7-day caffeine break to assess its effect on your sleep, remembering that tolerance can change with age.
Create a consistent one-hour (or 30-minute) routine before bed that signals to your brain that the day’s activity is over and it’s time to wind down. Dim the lights, avoid work-related activities or screens, and engage in relaxing activities like reading, stretching, listening to music, or practicing breathwork.