Dealing with stressDealing with stress

Dealing with stress

The Canalside Life Coach Guide to Dealing with stress

How to reduce stress after 50

Benefits of spending time in nature for stress

Being outside makes a positive difference to our serotonin level

  • in green spaces or anywhere you can in the daylight, even on a dull day - it really makes a difference to serotonin levels, which contribute to our happiness levels. I go out to a garden and look at the birds or walk along the canalside near me...there is always something different each day, and the natural world is calming.
  • if you live in the northern hemisphere and experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), some people find that light therapy can help improve their mood considerably*

Two women are sitting talking in front of the sea with waves rolling in.They are wearing outdoor clothes.

SIMPLE ways to reduce stress

  • cuddle a loved one or a pet, listen to music that you love, sing out loud

MINDFULNESS and MEDITATION for beginners over 50

  • use an APP, for example, Balance has a free option and different short meditations and mindfulness practices designed for the realities of everyday life: Balance.app

  • Even if you feel this is not for you, it's helpful to be aware of your breath and how to use it to calm your mind and body. Some people use relaxing music to help with this - find the right track to help you drift off....

OR try this below:

YouTubeYOGINIMELBOURNE

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

  • lots for your exploration - start with 10 minutes and make it easy to fit into your day...do you want to cycle, hit the gym, ride a horse, swim, run...? Or dance around at home, do some yoga? Or relaxing slow stretches and standing balances in the kitchen when you wait for the kettle to boil?

GET CREATIVE

  • make something with your hands, write a poem, cook up food you like to eat, play an instrument, splash some colour with a painting app or real paints, have fun daydreaming as you gaze into the distance...

JOURNAL WRITING for stress relief

  • some people find this really helpful, but it can end up being an end in itself - try to keep it short and simple during the period that you are doing your coaching sessions.

You could use an online app like LogSeq (logseq.com) if you write a lot and want to be able to search easily using hashtags - or simple pen and paper if that's your preference (and gives you a break from technology!)

A woman over 50 with long blonde hair sits in a modern office chair beside a desk with an open journal. She is holding a Parker pen and pondering what to write.

Identify your stress triggers

A stressor is an event or situation that causes a person to feel stresed. They can be internal or external, and vary in type, intesnsity and duration. What is stressful for one person may not be for another.

It's really worth quietly considering this as you may have been holding onto tension due to a stressor that has become so familiar that you are not aware, for example, an ongoing family demand or an environment with noises or distractions that disturbs your sleep or day to day peace.

To help you to start understanding the stressors impacting on you at the moment, make a list in your own way - do a voicenote/write a list/draw a mindmap - with one or two words or sentences under each of these headings

  • Feeling too busy (with family commitments, work)

  • Health/bereavement (own health, death of a loved one or pet, any other major loss)

  • Major life changes (Home move, job move, breakdown of an important relationship, family dynamics)

  • Financial

  • Personal characteristics/behaviour (for example, never saying no)

  • Social (societal or family)

  • Environmental (overcrowding, bright lights, extreme temperatures, loud noises)

  • Other sources?

A headshot of Anne Brookes Canalside Life Coach. She has curly short brown hair and is wearing red glasses and a pale jumper.

The Canalside Life Coach will help you boost the positives in life's challenges and changes

Want to start your personal coaching now? Book your free life coaching introduction voice or video call today!

Life coaching for stress management

UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU NEED

When you have something to keep you stable, it's feels easier to explore. If you sense you're drifting and are out of balance, a safe space to refocus really helps. You will feel even better when you can move towards a future you are focused on positively.

With Anne as your personal Life Coach you will have a reliable reminder to check in as regularly as you decide - this helps you have a sense of control and achievement.

It can be hard to recognise our own positives, especially when we feel overloaded or just plain exhausted.

I'm always happy to help but I am not a health coach or medically trained to advise on acute stress or severe chronic stress. Please consult a qualified expert if this is your situation.

IMPORTANT: If you feel very low or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can call Samaritans free on 116 123 (UK)

The Samaritans provide non-judgemental listening services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year (UK)

Contact Samaritans

Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. If you feel you are in danger of taking your own life, call the emergency services on 999.

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