Quick Tips To Lower Stress
This is a collaborative post
Almost everyone has some level of stress in their lives. In fact, it can be hard to avoid. But, over time, high levels of stress can turn into chronic stress – and chronic stress can leave us with a huge range of physical and mental problems.
Reducing our stress levels can be a very individual process, and it is important to find what works for you.
Shake It Out
Jumping around and shaking your arms and legs might sound like it won’t help the situation. However, it can release a lot of the tension we are holding in our muscles.
This also works when you are having a moment of feeling overwhelmed.
Another version of shaking it out is to find your favourite music, find somewhere quiet and dance around.
Moving our bodies is already good for us; it gives us a boost of the happy hormones we need to combat the stress hormones.
Meditation
Meditation isn’t easy to get into, but it can make an enormous difference in how we feel each day. Most likely, you will start with just a few minutes at a time until you find that you can comfortably meditate for half an hour or more.
Meditation helps to control stress as you will be focusing on your breathing and being in the moment – rather than thinking about what it is that is bothering you right now.
Art
Letting yourself feel free to be creative and let your brain just take some time off can be great. Going back to combatting the stress hormone, when we are taking part in a hobby, it increases our happiness.
The more we do it, the more we increase those happy hormone levels, and over time we will see a reduction in stress.
Diet
Eating a well-balanced diet gives us enough vitamins and minerals for our bodies to function at their highest. Adding in too many fatty foods or high sugar foods has been shown to have big energy crashes later in the day. Start you diet with a healthy breakfast, like scrambled eggs, spinach and smoked salmon. This way you can be sure you’re taking everything you need in order to ensure you’re looking after your body and lowering your stress as best as you can.
Otherwise, those energy crashes can make you feel like you don’t have the energy to tackle your day – and then give you even more stress
Massage
It can be very beneficial to book in for aromatherapy or a massage to help relieve the tension in your muscles. Many people find they hold a lot of tension in their necks – however, it can be all over the body.
And most of the time, other muscle groups overcompensate for our tenseness and cause even more issues. Book a massage with The Wellness Sanctuary so that you can begin to reduce your stress levels.
Ten Minutes
We know that we should be getting at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, but if your day is too demanding, then try to get at least 10 minutes with the sun on your face. Maybe you could try walking or cycling to work instead of driving? Perhaps your company offers a bike scheme or supports cycle to work day. It’s worth looking into, as it’s an easy way to get some exercise into your day.
Those ten minutes will give you a boost of vitamin D. Take ten and give yourself more energy and less stress.
Sometimes it can be specific moments that are the source of your stress, sound familiar? Check out: 3 Ways To Make Family Mealtimes Less Stressful.
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