Little things mean a lot - from micro stresses to micro wellness rituals that impact our health

In 2023 the World Economic Forum reported on the impact of micro stresses, or 'life’s little annoyances', which on the face of it are nothing more than bothersome, but over time and as they add up, can have a long-term impact on physical and mental health.

Of course, there are big infrastructure conversations that can be had about noise pollution, air quality, pesticides and so forth that all pepper our lives with antagonising elements. However, what can we all do every day? The wellness industry is responding with the concept of 'micro wellness rituals' - little actions that can help boost our wellbeing.

Micro stresses: what they are and what they do

Harvard Business Review describes micro stresses as "the relentless accumulation of unnoticed small events — in passing moments" that drastically impact wellbeing. The key is not to consider their small nature as making them less relevant - over time, they take their toll on all of us, impacting our wellbeing but also our productivity levels.

Where stress is big and obvious, micro stresses are insidious. Harvard Business Review says:

"Microstresses come at us so quickly, and we’re so conditioned to just working through them, that we barely recognize anything has happened. They tend to seem fleeting, simple to deal with, or too minor to hurt us for more than a second. And even when we do register microstress, we don’t necessarily think about its impact on our lives."

They consider it very much in a work context - perhaps having to stand up for a colleague who isn't being recognised, or when a manager suddenly changes a project and all your work goes to waste. These aren't the only types of micro stresses we encounter though.

Noise pollution

Background noise (like the sound of traffic in the city), is something most of us tune out, but in fact it puts a lot of stress on us all the time.

Harvard Medicine said:

"... noise pollution not only drives hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypersensitivity to sound, but can cause or exacerbate cardiovascular disease; type 2 diabetes; sleep disturbances; stress; mental health and cognition problems, including memory impairment and attention deficits; childhood learning delays; and low birth weight. Scientists are investigating other possible links, including to dementia."

Gut health

The nature of modern life, if we're fortunate, is that we're often not handling the kind of stresses our body was built for (running away from predators etc), which were short, sharp bursts of stress designed to make us take action. Instead, modern life showers us with lots of little stresses all the time. Another way this impacts us, is our gut health, which in turn influences both physical and mental wellbeing.

Noting that it's estimated the body is designed to be stressed for about 10% of our lives, Clinical Nutritionist, Stephanie Moore writes:

"The modern world throws so many challenges at us; some are obvious and some are subtle, from sleep that’s disturbed by light pollution to environmental toxins, things in our food that shouldn’t be there and so forth. They’re all little stabs of stress all the time that keep us in a state of stress for longer than our bodies are designed for. That stops the opposite response which we should be in most of the time, which is rest, relax and digest – when the immune system is more functional and the body mends."

The result of all of this isn't that we need to change the world, but adapt our habits to support our wellbeing.

Micro wellness rituals: how to add a little wellbeing into your day

"Health experts say 'Micro-Wellness' routines that take as little as 60 seconds could transform your life as stress levels soar across the UK" writes CambridgeshireLive, drawing on comments by Behavioural Psychologist, Jo Hemmings, who corroborates a growing movement towards the benefits of small actions. It's in response to a nationwide OnePoll survey that found 70% of us are experiencing symptoms of burnout.

She's quoted:

"It is important that people recognise the signs and symptoms to avoid prolonged or ongoing stress which can affect their wellbeing. To help combat this, I would recommend allowing yourself some time for self-care, whatever that looks like for you. Start with micro-wellness rituals, such as mindful breathing for a few minutes a day and build up from there. Identify triggers that leave your mind feeling exhausted and work on these, this could be a reduction in screen time or a step away from technology that allows you to reconnect to real life with a more mindful and positive attitude.”

In an interview with Spa Business recently, Paul Hawco, the Executive Global Director of Integrated Wellbeing at Banyan Group spoke about the leading wellness brand's integrated approach. As part of it, he discussed 'intangible micro rituals which add up to make a difference' to the guest, and staff, experience.

For example, receptionists invite guests to inhale essential oils on arrival, and incorporate water from local hot springs into the bathrooms, as well as breath work rituals. Of course, this is what spas do extremely well - we think of them as being luxury escapes from daily life, and they are, but they're also more than that. Look closely, and these are places that give us little hints and ideas that can be incorporated into everyday wellbeing, helping to manage the micro stresses.

Micro wellness rituals to try at home

There are lots of things you can do to support wellbeing each and everyday - little habits you can gradually work into your routine. The key thing about micro wellness rituals is that it's not another thing to add to a lengthy to-do list - it's an easy action that can be easily incorporated into your day. Here are just a few of our favourite, spa-inspired ideas.

Start the day with a little lemon

It's not a new idea to start your day with a glass of hot water and lemon to boost your wellbeing, but sometimes the classics are the best, and infused waters are a staple of the spa experience. Perhaps first and foremost, having a hydrating drink rather than diving nose first into the coffee, is generally good practice. The lemon is a good way to bring vitamin C into your diet, and to gently get your digestive system started. It's also anti-inflammatory, and great for the immune system. Adding ginger into the mix supercharges the mixture, and a pinch of good quality salt can help to boost hydration and your electrolyte balance. The only caveat is that you may want to drink the mixture through a straw (non-plastic) to preserve your teeth.

Essential oils to boost your mood

Inhaling essential oils is a particularly good one - lots of spas make sure the different spaces smell exceptional. Often steam rooms will be imbued with essential oils like eucalyptus which encourage us to breathe deep and in turn helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. You don't need to be in a spa to do that - although it's nice if you can be. Rollable aromatherapy oils can be used at your desk or going about your day, essential oils can be added to a tissue to keep in your pocket, or you can add them to home diffusers.

Breathe deep

Deep breathing is a powerful way to help reduce stress and calm the nervous system. The University of Toledo writes:

"One of the most effective coping strategies you can use for anxiety symptoms (particularly the physical ones) is to use deep breathing and relaxation techniques." When we're in fight, flight, or freeze mode, they write that "less oxygen is sent to our thinking brain in our prefrontal cortex which makes it difficult to think clearly. Deep breathing and relaxation activate the other part of your nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, which sends a signal to your brain to tell the anxious part that you’re safe and don’t need to use the fight, flight, or freeze response."

30-second dance party

Quite literally, shaking it off can help to reduce stress. This is a great one to do with the kids - spontaneously get up, dance, shake hands, legs, fingers and toes, or, as we like to put it - have a 30 second dance party to release tension, store up energy and let go a little. Surrey University writes:

"Dancing not only lifts our spirits but also plays a significant role in effectively managing stress, strengthening resilience, and improving overall wellbeing, according to a new international study from the University of Surrey, Radboud University, University of Roehampton, and University of Southern Denmark."