Feeling stressed? You are not alone. Stress is a common experience for many adults. As common as it may be, one should not take it lightly. Failure to manage stress can lead to physical and mental health issues affecting your quality of life. Here are some of the effective strategies to help combat stress in your daily life.

1. Identify and manage stressors.¹ When you feel troubled, recognize the cause. It could be work-related, financial concerns, health problems, major life change, relationship issues, societal pressure, and many more. Once identified, take your time to find out how to manage them or minimize the impact. If it’s a problem you can solve, go ahead and take action. If it’s not, remind yourself that you have the power to manage your response to it. Focus on self-care, develop coping strategies, cultivate a positive mindset, and seek support when needed. You can build resilience and navigate stress in a healthier way.
2. Physical relaxation or stimulation. Take a few minutes to relax your muscles, organize your thoughts, and visualize a peaceful and calming place/situation. Other relaxation techniques that you may try includes the progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) technique², meditation, yoga, aromatherapy, and massage. Exercising improves mood by releasing endorphins (happy hormones) so this is a sign for you to exercise regularly!
3. Eat and sleep well. Consume well-balanced meals and do not skip any throughout the day. Doing tasks on an empty stomach may put you in a bad mood and increase stress. Sufficient sleep is also essential for your mental well-being. For adults, at least 7 hours of sleep is recommended.³ Do get professional treatment if you are suffering from any sleep disorder.
4. Set your own pace. Life is not always a race. Everyone has their own goals in life, but you do not have to be chasing them all the time. Slow down when you feel tired. Social media use has been associated with lowered self-esteem so if you find yourself comparing your life negatively with others you see online, self-reflect and spend less time online.⁴ Most of the time, people share their success and happy moments online, and keep their struggles to themselves. You may be in the struggling phase but have faith in yourself and you will get there too one day. Utilize the mute and unfollow functions when you encounter toxic accounts. These contents may affect your mental well-being without you noticing.
5. Engage with the world around you. Give full attention to what you are doing and focus on one thing at a time. Your mind may find joy in what you are doing and the results may turn out better too. You will probably feel more satisfied as you have put your best effort and attention to it. Do not forget to engage in self-care. Love yourselves first so you can love others too.
6. Manage time wisely.  If there’s a big task you have to get done soon, break it down into smaller achievable tasks first and set realistic deadlines for each of them. Prioritize the tasks well and avoid overestimating your capacity.
7. Money management. Personal finance can be a major stressor. Learn to manage it, create a budget plan, and avoid impulsive buying.⁵ Slowly save up for big purchases. This gives you more time to compare prices and evaluate whether it is a need or simply a want. Make a habit of saving up a portion of your earning, even a little. Make an emergency saving of 6 months of expenses just in case you are faced with financial distress at an unexpected time. Strictly assess your own financial standing before applying for a credit card or loan. Your application may be successful but that does not mean you can afford to commit to the repayment.

Remember that stress is a normal part of life, but when all your efforts to manage it fail, do not hesitate to seek help from healthcare professionals or mental health experts for better understanding and guidance in managing your stress effectively.

REFERENCES

1. Healthline. Causes of Stress: Recognizing and Managing Your Stressors. https://www.healthline.com/health/stress-causes (accessed 24 May 2023).
2. Varvogli, L.; Darviri, C., Stress management techniques: Evidence-based procedures that reduce stress and promote health. Health Science Journal 2011;5(2):74.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Much Sleep Do I Need? https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html (accessed 22 May 2023).
4. Midgley, C.;  Thai, S.;  Lockwood, P.;  Kovacheff, C.; Page-Gould, E., When every day is a high school reunion: Social media comparisons and self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2021;121(2):285.
5. The Balance. 10 Simple Ways To Manage Your Money Better. https://www.thebalancemoney.com/ways-to-be-better-with-money-960664 (accessed 24 May 2023).

In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining optimal energy levels is essential for accomplishing our daily tasks and pursuing our goals. Having sufficient energy makes a significant difference in how we approach our daily tasks and engage with people around us. Many adults find themselves in need of energy boost at times. With various energy boost products available in the market now, it is essential that you understand the science behind them and choose only what your body needs.

Ideally, a well-balanced diet is enough to maintain your nutritional and energy needs. However, there are special situations where this does not work well and it may be the case for you. If you constantly feel tired, consider these three factors:

1. Increased nutrient requirement. You may have an increased energy need when you are pregnant, breastfeeding, going through intense physical training, or recovering from illnesses.
2. Dietary restrictions. Allergies, intolerances, and dietary choices such as vegan or vegetarian diets may put you at risk of certain nutritional deficiencies. You may find other food alternatives that can provide the same types of nutrition else consult healthcare professionals to evaluate whether you are in need of targeted supplements.
3. Convenience and lifestyle. Limited time and money for some of us can potentially be a challenge in maintaining a well-balanced diet. You may be busy with work that you tend to eat out most of the times or order a delivery. In certain countries, fast food may be way cheaper than healthy meals too. It is best that you consider changing your lifestyle looking into the long term effects, but if it is the best you can go about now, consult your healthcare professionals. Supplements may be recommended under their guidance to ensure adequate nutrient intake for optimal energy levels.

Types of supplements that maybe needed to improve energy level:

1. B Vitamins

B vitamins are water soluble so they cannot be stored in your body and needs to be supplied daily. They are involved in energy production process in your cells hence deficiency in one or more types of B vitamins is often associated with fatigue. You may have heard of B- complex vitamins which is a combination of all 8 types of B vitamins, each playing important functions closely related to converting food into energy.^{1, 3} Most of them are involved in formation of healthy blood cells and can correct anaemia when present. This leads to sufficient transport of oxygen throughout the body for use in energy-generating metabolic reactions.

• B1 (thiamine) – involved in breakdown of nutrients for energy and production of bioactive compounds essential for brain function¹
• B2 (riboflavin) – key component for cell growth, energy production, and breakdown of fats, steroids, and medications²
• B3 (niacin) – convert nutrients into energy, create and repair DNA, act as antioxidant²
• B5 (pantothenic acid) – build and break down fats, act as antioxidant, and potentially reduce cholesterol level²
• B6 (pyridoxine) – involved in breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and supports immune function and brain health²
• B7 (biotin) – for carbohydrate and fat metabolism and regulates gene expression³
• B9 (folate) – required for cell growth, amino acid metabolism, and formation of red and white blood cells³
• B12 (cobalamin) – for development of brain and nerve cells, and formation of red blood cells and DNA²

2. Vitamin C and Zinc

Vitamin C is also water soluble and requires daily supply while zinc is needed in trace amount for nearly 100 enzymatic reactions to proceed.⁴ Similar to B vitamins, vitamin C is essential for many energy-yielding metabolisms. More importantly, both are powerful antioxidants responsible for protecting cells from oxidative stress that is confirmed to be a key contributor to chronic fatigue.^{5, 6}

Supplements are a great alternative when your body is not able to absorb nutrients naturally but keep in mind that the dosage matters. Speak to your healthcare professionals to determine what is right for you.