Building Healthy Habits

One of the most hopeful thing that has been discovered with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research is that reducing the impacts of toxic stress can be achieved with relatively moderate changes to your life.

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For some children, events that happen are intense or too frequent for a child to manage. When a child is stressed often, for a long period of time, or experiences a severe stressor without the support of a caring adult, their body may react with a what is called a “toxic stress” response.

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The strategies found here may be challenging and difficult at first, but they have been discovered to lower the impacts of toxic stress in the life of a child or youth, as well as reduce the impacts on adults who may have experienced toxic stress as children, and make it easier to create positive childhood experiences (PCEs).

 

Here are some suggestions for reducing toxic stress from your life:

• Relationships are important for the health and well-being of every family. All families face difficulties, if you have support from family and friends your stress can be reduced.

• Get enough and high quality sleep. Although the amount of sleep you get each day is important, having high quality sleep also contributes to better health and well-being.

• Consistent, healthy routines can help children feel safe and trusting of the world around them as well as caregivers. Good nutrition and mealtimes together is one of a family’s most important daily routines.

• Exercise is also a good way to fight the effects of toxic stress. It can reduce risks and health problems. Daily physical activity for everyone can help improve behavior and concentration, boost the immune system, and reduce stress hormones.

• Children may have a difficult time getting themselves back to a relaxed state once they become stressed.Mindfulness exercises for the whole family can help turn the stress response down.

• Mental health is just as important as physical health. Depression can be just as crippling as a broken arm and often needs assistance to overcome. Seeking mental health treatment is about taking action as soon as you notice a problem.

• ​Time in nature can be a powerful antidote to the negative impacts of trauma and stress in children’s lives. Benefits for everyone include: improved mental or physical health, reduced stress, better communication, healing, and stronger relationships.