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Tips for expat stress management


August 07, 2018
 

Living abroad as an expat can be stressful, especially in the beginning. If you are finding it difficult, there are lots of things you can do to help alleviate expat stress.

Moving abroad to work as an expat can be a fantastic experience but it brings with it several major life events:

This makes those of us working as expats particularly susceptible to stress, from a multitude of sources:

  • New workplace
  • Changes to home and family life
  • New cultural environment

What are the symptoms of expat stress?

Our bodies reaction to stress is similar, no matter what the source. Some of the most common symptoms of stress according to the Mayo Clinic include:

  • Disturbed sleep
  • Inability to relax
  • Upset stomach
  • Aches and pains
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Lack of motivation
  • Over or under eating
  • Drug or alcohol abuse
  • Angry outbursts
  • Social withdrawal

If you are experiencing some of the above symptoms then you may well be experiencing expat stress.

What is the impact of expat stress for you and your employer?

Although you may be tempted to ignore the symptoms of expat stress, have a coffee and push through, this may have a negative impact on your health in the longer term. Emotional pressure, over a long period, can result in chronic stress which has been associated with health conditions like high blood pressure, insomnia, heart disease and expat depression.

Tips for expat stress management

Avoid caffeine and alcohol

We know this may seem counter intuitive when you are feeling tired and anxious due to stress, but having a second cup of coffee or a post work glass of wine could be exacerbating your stress. Caffeine may increase anxiety and alcohol may leave you feeling worse the next day, both will further disturb already difficult sleep.

Get some exercise

Physical activity is shown to have a very positive impact on stress. Pick what works for you, it could be a gym session, a walk around the block, a swim at your local pool or hike up your favourite hill or mountain. Although the activity changes none of the things going on in your life, the feel-good endorphins produced will help lower feelings of anxiety.

Eat well

When you are feeling stressed try to eat as well as you can. Often the temptation is to ‘comfort eat’ high carb foods when fresh fruit and vegetables will help your body deal with the physical symptoms more effectively.  

Learn to meditate

Meditation is flexible. You can meditate in a moment, ten minutes or over three hours, if you have them to spare. Studies show taking only 10 minutes out of your day can reduce stress, lower your blood pressure and build the resilience needed to deal with the modern world.

Socialising with family and friends

Reconnecting with family and friends can help improve your stress levels. If you are under pressure in your new role or facing challenges at home, try to make time to be together and do something fun as a family in your new country. If your family aren’t with you, pick a hobby you enjoy and join a group or class. Having a support network while abroad is important for stress management.

Working as an expat there are many places you can seek help for stress:

Look after your physical and mental health with a flexible and affordable expat health insurance plan tailored to you. Get in touch if you have any questions.
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Find your happy place

Allianz Care and Vanessa King, Science of Happiness Expert, have created a Happiness Hub. With a series of videos and articles the hub is designed to help expats find their “happy place” no matter where they are.