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Recover from stress and restore your energy

Written by Tarja, Nokia Wellness Diary team

Stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the outside world. It is not necessarily a bad thing, since it warns you about potentially dangerous or harmful situations, makes you alert and motivates you to perform to the limits of your ability. However, when you experience too much stress or lack good skills to cope with stress, it takes its toll both physically and emotionally. To manage your stress you need time to de-stress. This means time to relax and restore your energy before facing new challenges.

Early signs of insufficient recovery from stress include lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and a bad mood, such as irritation or low spirits. The need to withdraw from social situations may also be a sign of poor recovery. If recovery continues to be insufficient for a longer period of time, it can lead to health problems, such as burnout.

New de-stress monitor in Wellness Diary will help you to assess how you have recovered

When recovering from stress, both your mental and physical resources are restored to their normal level and your stress decreases. You no longer feel exhausted and tired, and your mood improves. You should experience moments of recovery each and every day in order to feel healthier and happier.

With the new De-stress monitor in Wellness Diary, you can track how well you recover from daily stress and assess whether your recovery is sufficient. Monitoring your feelings of recovery helps you to recognise which activities boost your energy and reduce your stress.

When you estimate how well you have recovered, ask yourself: “Do I feel relaxed and energetic? Am I in a good mood?” The best time to assess your recovery is right before going to sleep. You should think about the entire day – how it has been. In addition to De-stress, you should also consider using the Sleep and Exercise monitors. Sleep is the most important time for recovery, and regular physical activity increases your energy level and strengthens your body.

How can you recover from stress?

There are four main strategies to de-stress and to restore your resources: 

1. Stop thinking of the stress factor, for example work. Occupy your mind with something else during your free time.
2. Relax and take a deep breath. Take time for yourself to do relaxing things you enjoy, for example, listening to music, walking in nature, reading a book or meeting friends.
3. Take control of your free time. Are you able to choose what you do in your free time? If not, think about what you could do to increase your ‘me’ time.
4. Do something in which you can experience success and mastery. Strengthen your self-esteem and skills through inspiring challenges, such as learning a new language or a new hobby.

What do you do to manage you stress and feel better after the day’s challenges?

Share your experiences with us.