A million Zoom meetings. Your never-ending to-do list. The news. The workload at home and on the job. Sometimes, we’re so used to the stress that we forget what peace feels like.

Then there’s the unrest over social injustices facing the Black community and the impact of COVID-19 on those you love, or caring for children and parents while working full-time.

With all that’s going on, self-care is really self-defense. It’s how we can stand up to personal, cultural, and political stress. Now — even with everything going on — is the time to give your heart some TLC.

The Release the Stress 7-day Challenge is all hitting pause on some source of drama, just for a bit.

Whether it’s a car speeding through a red light, caring for a sick loved one, or stirring in worry about what’s on the news, stress can lead to high blood pressure. Here’s how:

1. A stressful situation causes your body to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream.
2. These hormones get your body ready to combat the stressor by raising your blood pressure temporarily.
3. When this stress is sustained, it is called chronic stress, and it can lead to high blood pressure and cholesterol.

This is why putting a pause on any unnecessary stress is a must for your heart and mind. We can’t negotiate this into last place anymore.

Stress-reducing habits like getting enough exercise each day and sufficient sleep each have to become as important as handling our business at work or in the home.

These changes are small but mighty. Whether you choose to get moving or get some more sleep, your stress levels can go down — and so can your blood pressure.

1. Pick your start date. When do you actually have time to commit to releasing your stress? For instance, don’t pick your busiest work week of the year.
2. Make a plan. Mark your 15 minutes of exercise on your calendar for each of the 7 days. Or, organize your evenings to allow for an hour of extra sleep (and reach out to your support system ASAP). 
3. Talk to your healthcare provider. Let them help you achieve your stress-releasing goal. 

Try one of these videos on Headspace to start releasing your stress now:

Between the naysaying voice in your head and daily assaults Black women face for just being black and female, it’s easy to talk ourselves out of taking these steps to reduce stress and protect your heart. But here’s a way to combat those doubts:

• Daily Yoga (iOS and Android), a fitness, yoga, and stretching app great for beginners 
• Glo (iOS), a yoga, meditation, and, Pilates app for all levels 
• GirlTrek, a national health movement inspiring Black women to be change-makers in their communities through walking 
• Fitness on Fire, online personalized fitness training 
• Yes, Girl! podcast, episode with Dr. Patrice A. Harris, the American Medical Association’s President, on how Black women can maximize their heart health 
• Practicing Mindfulness: 75 Essential Meditations to Reduce Stress, Improve Mental Health, and Find Peace in the Everyday, a book to guide you through meditation
• Essence: Here’s How You Can De-Stress at Home, an article how to de-stress during a global pandemic

• SleepScore (iOS and Android), a sleep tracking app to monitor sleep cycles and find soothing sounds to fall asleep to
• A white noise and fan sound machine to block out the noise
• A silk eye mask to block out the light