#Collaborative post
No one likes the feeling of being chronically stressed out — and not only is the sensation of stress unpleasant in and of itself, but as we’re all aware, stress can also be very detrimental to our health, by inhibiting our immune function, causing organ damage, and more.
There are many different potential sources of stress that you may encounter in life, ranging from accidents that result in you filing accident claims, to arguments with friends, office politics, and more.
There are plenty of different techniques and approaches that people often use in order to help to counteract and better manage stress in their lives — but one of the most significant tips, and one that many other tips rest on, is to simply stick to a set routine.
Here are some ways in which a set routine can help to minimise stress in your life.
By reducing uncertainty in any given moment
Dealing with uncertainty always has the potential to be stressful in and of itself, and being in a state of heightened stress will generally make it more difficult for you to face and deal with feelings of uncertainty, as well.
Under conditions of stress, uncertainty is more likely to look like a threat and a source of danger, than like opportunity and potentially pleasant surprises waiting around the corner.
Sticking to a set routine — such as with regards to the time you wake up, the time you go to sleep, the times you eat meals, and the hobbies you regularly engage in — has the effect of significantly reducing uncertainty, moment by moment.
By helping you to stay on top of chores and responsibilities
Feeling snowed under by endless chores and responsibilities that you don’t have a good handle on can certainly be highly stress-inducing even at the best of times. When you’re already stressed by other things in your life, those un-managed chores and responsibilities can magnify that stress dramatically.
Stress is often connected to a sense of not being in proper control of things — and of being overwhelmed and faced by events and situations that you can’t properly manage.
Having a regular set routine generally makes it a lot easier to stay on top of your chores and responsibilities — and the inertia of having a particular (and productive) habit in place can often keep you consistent with your chores, even when you’re feeling overwhelmed in other areas of your life.
By helping your body to get into healthy rhythms
A consistent routine, with regards to when you go to sleep and wake up, how much bright light exposure you get in the morning (and how little you get at night), and when you eat, are all essential for properly calibrating your body’s circadian rhythm.
According to leading researchers, maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm is essential in ensuring good health overall, and in helping to manage things like chronic stress.
There’s also evidence that, among other things, eating at consistent times helps your body to prime itself for efficient digestion and energy production.
Sticking to set routines can help to get your body into healthy rhythms.