May 2023 Newsletter | De-stress “Snacks”
April 29, 2023
In recent years, the idea of exercise “snacks”—short physical activities done throughout the day, as opposed to one long period of exercise—have become popular. Studies showed that these short bursts of activity over the course of the day lead to improvements in overall health. We have known for quite some time that taking breaks throughout the day leads to an improvement in work productivity. If you are feeling particularly stressed, try taking a de-stress snack break, focusing in particular on a short activity that will provide stress relief.
A de-stress snack is an intentional distraction from what is causing stress at a particular moment. We often think of distractions as only negative, as events that disrupt our focus from where it should be. But when it comes to stress, small distractions can be a useful way to refocus our attention away from unhelpful thoughts, so that we can clear some space, begin to calm down, and move forward more happily.
How to Take a De-stress Snack
The first step may be the most difficult part of all: recognizing that you are in an unhelpful state of distress that you need to step away from. When something bothers us, we focus on it. We turn it over in our heads and analyze all the different ways that it makes us feel unhappy. Worst of all: we often don’t realize we’re doing this. This habit is so ingrained in the way we handle our most stressful situations that it can be invisible to us, occurring automatically. But we can learn to detect when these automatic thoughts are occurring. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness provide tools for becoming better aware of automatic thoughts and redirecting our attention.
Once you are aware that you need to take a break, figure out which type of snack will best serve you. Maybe an exercise snack is just what you need or perhaps an entertainment snack would be best. You may even need an actual food snack; we can be at our most stressed points when we are hungry. Below are some possible snack options.
Exercise snack: A short (less than a minute to up to 10 minutes) burst of activity like jumping jacks, squats, or even just a brisk walk around the block or office building. If you’re able to take a stretch break, that’s another wonderful option for calming nerves.
Entertainment snack: This could be listening to a part of a podcast or watching a part of a movie or tv show (trust children for the best tv snacks to de-stress); reading a few poems, pages of a book, or paragraphs in an article; or listening to a couple songs (think 5-10 mins). Try to avoid scrolling through social media or news websites: this should be fun and is not intended to make you stressed about something else.
Meditation snack: A short, guided meditation, or meditating on your own, is a great option for a de-stress snack. Meditation can help lower blood pressure, creating a calming feeling in your body.
Food snack (or meal): In high stress situations, eating enough can often be left by the wayside. Taking time away from your computer or phone to enjoy a snack or meal is an important part of each day.
Nature snack: If you’re able to, go outside! Forest bathing is great for your health, but since we don’t all have access to forests in our everyday lives, simply spending a bit of time outside when you’re feeling overwhelmed can help diffuse the tension.
Friends and family snack: Chances are, other people in your life are probably dealing with stress each day, too. Plan a de-stress snack with someone you love. This could be a quick text check in, a scheduled time to meet up for a short walk around the neighborhood, or a coffee date.
With each of the de-stress snack ideas above, the idea is to intentionally take your mind off of whatever is causing distress for a short period of time. You’ll likely find that, once you return to the situation, you will feel less tension about the concern and more confidence in your ability to work through it.