Are you stressed out? Ok, that was a trick question. I think nearly everyone today is stressed out. Stress has a negative effect on people's overall health. The question is how to deal with it. Here's some tried and true stress relief tricks from a reader.
Everyone deals with stress nowadays, whether related to family issues, work problems, or other factors. Research shows that 79% of Americans experience stress daily. And while medical treatments are effective, most are expensive, and not everyone affords them. So what can you do to relieve your anxiety without breaking the bank?
Here is an extensive list of ways to decrease stress.
When you’re stressed out, your body and mind feel it. Therefore, to loosen up, you should release each muscle group in your body, starting with your fingers and toes and extending to your back, abdominals, and chest.
When your body feels relaxed, your mind easily follows. Progressive relaxation is a technique many therapists use to improve depression and anxiety symptoms. Check online to find out how to perform progressive relaxation at home.
Yoga
The combination of yoga and deep breathing is a potent stress relief treatment. Studies show the two techniques can help especially college students who’re experiencing massive levels of stress during the exam period.
Yoga comes in many styles, so you can pick the variant that better fits your style. You can start with Hatha yoga that implies gentler movements; you can perform when you want to achieve a calm state. You can use an app to connect you with an instructor who can help you with the poses that work best for your body and flexibility. Another way to relieve stress is to join a yoga class at your local gym, where you can practice together with a group.
Massage
Massage is one of the oldest ways to relieve stress. A good rub down with scented oils can work wonders on your job-caused stress. Massage is widely used for improving physical pain but can also be beneficial when your mind feels tired.
If you’re too busy to have a full session once a week, opt for an abbreviated version. Many salons and spa centers offer 20-minute massage sessions for people always on the run. Massage reduces stress levels and lowers blood pressure to improve your health and make you feel better. If you don’t afford a massage session at a local spa center, you can ask your partner to give you a rub.
Sleep
Lack of sleep can trigger stress, anxiety, and even depression. When you spend the nights tossing and turning, all you can think about is a quick power nap, and you fail to focus on your daily tasks. A way to fix the issue is to have a 20 minutes nap at noon to refuel your energy levels. But when your schedule doesn’t allow it, you feel drained and cannot perform as expected.
When you deal with insomnia, you should look for ways to improve it because prolonged lack of sleep can cause stress and anxiety. Change your habits to encourage sleep. Get rid of all tech devices from the bedroom, and replace social media scrolling with reading a book. Have a hot bath with essential oils to calm your senses and relax.
Meditate
People are overthinking nowadays, and the habit causes high levels of stress. Meditation triggers mental silence, something everyone needs nowadays when they want to stay away from stormy days. However, meditation requires some mental focus because it’s not easy to get rid of all the negative thoughts that crowd your mind.
When you come back at night, find a quiet place in the house, lie or sit down comfortably, close your eyes, and breathe deeply for a couple of minutes. It’s challenging to still a turbulent mind, so you need to focus on an outside object or repeat a meaningless word. Whatever works best for you. Some people even play chill music in the background to help them relax. You can use CBD to relieve stress and get into the meditation stress. Check the lab reports to find out how it works. You can find CBD in many forms, from gummies to nugs, so it’s easy to use them.
Read
Sometimes you feel like the world is too much to handle, and you would do anything to escape it. But you don’t afford to have an exotic holiday every few months to improve your mood and get away from the factors that stress you out. When you cannot escape in the real world, you can do it in the fantastic one. A book works like a portal you step through when you want to detach yourself from everything that makes you feel anxious. Determine what your favorite genre is, and you’ll notice how easily a book takes your mind away from your daily worries. If you’re always on the run, you can switch from physical books to e-books or even audiobooks. It’s easy to slip your kindle in your bag or press play on your smartphone when you leave the house.
Walk outdoors
Fresh air and sunlight can boost your mood and help you feel better when dealing with stress and anxiety. The high feeling athletes get when they sprint results from a rush of endorphin, a natural chemical your brain produces to make you feel better. Exercising outdoors works like a natural stress reliever and doesn’t cost a penny. It also raises the levels of feel-good chemicals while lowering stress hormones like cortisol. But to get that high feeling, you need to walk or run at a higher intensity. Cardio training makes your brain to pump chemicals that improve your mood and make you feel better. If your physical health doesn’t allow for you to engage in cardio training outdoors, have a meditative stroll in the park. Spending time under the sunlight and enjoying nature can do wonders to your stress. Don’t rush; walk at a pace that feels natural and peaceful for you.
For a happiness boost, get your dog for a walk because there’s nothing like having a wagging tail to join you for a walk when you feel anxious and stressed out.