Relax, follow these steps to reduce stress
Appointments, work deadlines, family obligations – you live in a demanding world that can extinguish your energy levels and leave you feeling stressed or overwhelmed. In extreme cases, anxiety, depression and an inability to cope may occur.
Unfortunately, it’s not always so easy to eliminate the stressors in your life. After all, jobs need to be worked so bills can be paid. And although familial responsibilities can sometimes leave us feeling depleted, there’s usually nothing more fulfilling than our family. However, there are ways you can take an active roll in feeling better and more relaxed and still take care of all the demands put upon you.
Some Things to Consider
• Exercise: Exercise can do wonders to improve both physical and emotional health. It gets the blood pumping through your body and releases endorphins – chemicals in the brain that are responsible for positive moods. Also, exercise activities such as kickboxing, boxing and other contact sports can work out stress-related aggression in productive and safe ways. Building up your endurance through exercise will also provide you with more energy to make it through particularly demanding days.
• Eat healthy foods: Stress can take a physical toll on your body and leave you feeling depleted. Fueling yourself with well-balanced foods can keep you going. Avoid sugary or starchy foods that may only fill cravings for a moment and then cause plummeting energy levels later. Reaching for healthy snacks, like nuts, fruits and whole grains, can give you the boost you need.
• Change of scenery: Sometimes simply removing yourself from the stressful situation for a few minutes can do wonders. Don’t skip your lunch break at work. Take that opportunity to get a breath of fresh air, walk around the neighborhood or take a quick drive to clear your head.
• Pick up a therapeutic hobby: Gardening, knitting, sculpting, playing a musical instrument, painting – anything that puts you in your “happy place” work wonders. You don’t need to spend much time in the garden to feel refreshed – just a few minutes with the earth between your fingers and you’ll feel the tension in your shoulders flowing into the soil. Aaah, that’s better!