Exit
of sleep in order to curb their
stress. Not catching the recommended seven to eight hours of
sleep per night can severely affect stress and your physical
health, according to research
published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The study
showed that severe sleep loss
had the same negative effect on
the immune system as exposure
to stress, decreasing the white
blood cell counts of those sleepdeprived participants.
Naps can also be an instant
stress reliever. Studies have
shown that taking naps can reduce cortisol levels, as well as
boost productivity and creativity
— as long as they’re kept short.
Professionals recommend fitting
in a short, 30-minute siesta early
enough in the day so it doesn’t affect your sleep cycle at night.
THEY SOCIALIZE.
When calm people start to feel
anxious, they turn to the one
person who can make them feel
better — their BFF. Spending
some time with your friends can
reduce your stress and buffer
the effects of negative experiences, according to a 2011 study.
Researchers monitored a group
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of children and found that those
participants who were with their
best friends during unpleasant
experiences logged lower cortisol
levels than the rest of the participants in the study.
Recent research also found
that becoming friends with your
co-workers can help you feel
calmer at work. According to
the Lancaster University study,
people form the strongest, most
Letting in a little
stress isn’t all bad — in fact,
it may even help.”
emotionally-supportive friendships in their work environments, which helps create a buffer in high-stress workplaces.
Carlstrom suggests burning off
some steam with people you feel
closest to, whether that’s friends,
co-workers or family, “as long as
there’s a diversity in your social
relationships.”
THEY DON’T KEEP IT
TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.
Calm people don’t have everything together 24 hours a day,
they just know how to manage