Stress Relief Tips – Part Two
Stress takes a toll on us -- here is the second part of our series of stress relief tips!
Fix the source of the stress!
Deal with your anger. If your stress is caused by anger, find a non-destructive way of dealing with it. Don’t let it boil under the surface – deal with it now. Talk to – or write a letter to – the person who caused the anger. Sometimes writing a letter can be relaxing in itself, even if you never send it.
Set boundaries. Is your stress caused by trying to do too much for too many people? Learn to set boundaries – understand that you don’t have to do so much…that you need to have time for yourself! Draw a line in the sand and stick to it!
Change things. Did you lose a job? Are you in a bad relationship? Find a way to change your situation – stop stewing over it, stop worrying about it – find a way to do something about it. Did you realize that Bill Gates founded Microsoft during a recession? And he’s not the only one who’s done something amazing when times were tough. Put your mind to it and we bet you’ll be able to do something amazing too.
Consider Yoga or a Spiritual Approach
Another great way to relax and prepare for sleep is to practice yoga or something similar. When many of us think of Yoga, we picture a guru and strange ritual. But it’s not that complicated and it’s great for health, well-being and yes, even beauty!
Here are a few reasons to consider Yoga:
- Yoga helps increase your flexibility while stretching ligaments & tendons, lubricating joints and toning muscles!
- Some of the Yoga positions (particularly the Forward Bends) can help you shrink your tummy!
- Yoga helps restore elasticity of the spine and improve your posture.
- Almost all Yoga postures help to massage internal glands and organs, which helps keep the body’s systems functioning properly. This includes the endocrine system, the digestive system and the cardiovascular system!
- Regular meditation after your yoga session can help to calm your mind, decreasing anxiety and leaving you in a better mood.
- Yoga’s breathing exercises will help expand your lung capacity.
Proven Stress Relief Tips – Part one
Managing stress can take a lot of weight off your shoulders and help you have more opportunities for restful sleep, ensuring that you wake up every day looking and feeling your best! Here are a few suggestions for keeping your stress levels in check!
Exercise. If you’ve got a stressful job, sign up for a kickboxing class, a basketball league or even a bowling team. Exercise helps raise endorphin levels (endorphins trigger the body’s opiate receptors and reduce the sensation of pain and play a big role in emotions) and helps you “work off” some of the stress! Plus, sometimes stress can trigger the human “fight or flight” instinct (and related hormones). Exercise can help the body clear these “fight or flight” hormones out of the body giving you a better state of mind.
Meditate. Meditation is so much easier than it sounds – all you need to do is to sit down and relax. Get comfortable. Find a sitting position that works best for you – some people like to sit cross-legged, others don’t. Just do whatever works for you! Once you’re comfortable, close your eyes and start relaxing. Once you start to feel relaxed, start thinking about your hands. Think about your feet. Think about your fingers and your toes. Different thoughts will undoubtedly pop up into your mind and then drift away. After 15-20 minutes, your head should feel clearer and you should be a much more positive, relaxed place.
Read. If you enjoy reading, it’s a great way to escape for a little bit. Just curl up in a comfortable environment with your favorite book and enjoy!
Take a bath. Remember the old commercials for Calgon? “Calgon, take me away!” Well, with or without Calgon, a relaxing bath can take you away. Find a comfortable temperature, then sit back and watch your worries float away. Even better: Light an aromatherapy candle suited for relaxation and use some relaxing bath salts.
Sing. Remember the tune everyone used to sing about singing on Sesame Street? Maybe it’s just that simple: “Sing. Sing a Song. Sing it loud.” Sing your favorite song, sing along to the radio – just sing. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the uplifting results!
Putter. Yes, you read that right. Just putter. Take a stroll through the local second hand store, just hang out around the house or talk a leisurely walk…don’t focus on any one thing and just try to “be”… You’ll be surprised at where your mind ends up and at how relaxed you feel afterwards!
Find inspiration. Go to a mountain overlook, go to the beach, take a hike, go to the lake – anywhere you find inspiration. Nature is a miracle…ponder that for a few minutes and your state of mind is sure to change.
Enjoy classical music. Plug into your Ipod and listen to some classical music. Close your eyes, sit back and relax!
Listen to your music library. Clint Black once wrote a song that described how songs can take you do a different place and time (and “completely change your state of mind.”) We think he’s absolutely right. Listen to your favorite song from your youth, from your college days or even from last summer. We bet you’ll be instantly transported to a different place and time and that the song will change your state of mind.
Sleep. Go to bed early or take a nap. Sleep deprivation hurts our natural ability to fight stress. Think about it: How many times have you been in an awful mood only to fall asleep and wake up refreshed and in a better place the next morning? A new day gives you a new perspective on your situation!
Put a smile on your face. Yes, it’s that easy. Smiling can actually trick your brain into feeling happier. Give it a try right now! Did it work?
Put things into perspective. Are you too close to the situation to see the big picture? Look at it this way – say you’re watching your favorite TV show at home on your big screen TV. How well can you see the show if you’re sitting right in front of the TV with your nose touching the screen? You can see a little bit of the whole picture very clearly, but you’re missing all the rest. Sometimes that’s how life is. We look too closely at a couple small things and forget to look at the big picture. Will you remember this situation in a month? In a year? Chances are, you’ve probably been in a similar situation before…and things turned out just fine. So, sit back and put some perspective on your situation!
Go sailing. If you’re lucky enough to live near water, spend a couple of hours out on it – whether it’s a sailboat or a paddleboat, the motion of the water is sure to relax you and encourage your mind to give up its burden.
Get some sun. If you live in an “unsunny” climate, there’s a chance you just need some sun to help you forget your worries. Get some sun or talk with your doctor about how you can combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (yes, it even has a clinical name!)
Talk it out. Sometimes it’s good to just get it off your chest. If you’re the type of person who feels better after talking to a good friend or confidante, go for it! Get it off your chest and feel the stress melt away.
Leave it at work. We know that it’s not always possible, but it’s good to try and leave work stress at work – don’t bring your work home with you.
Get a hobby! Only you will know what will take your mind of the stress. Is there something you really enjoy doing? Maybe you like to collect baseball cards, maybe you like to knit – whatever it is, find a hobby. You’ll be able to focus your energy on something you enjoy and afterwards we bet your mind will clear up!
Volunteer. Spend time at the local hospital, the animal shelter or at your favorite community center. You’ll help the community, get your mind off things and probably feel better about yourself afterwards!
Think positive. There’s almost always a silver lining when things go bad. If you’re just stressed, there’s going to be a great big beautiful tomorrow – it’s all yours to make of it what you will! If something bad has happened, there’s probably a silver lining in it as well. Did a relationship end? It could be the beginning of the best relationship of your life! Did you lose your job? It’s tough to believe this right now, but there are thousands of people out there who WISH they would lose their jobs…either they’re sick of their boss or they just wish fate would give them the kick-start they need to do something different with their life. What about you? Remember, think positive and try to look at things from a different perspective.
Journal. Write about your feelings! This is another way of getting things off your chest and it can work great.
Indulge. What makes you happy? Keep an ongoing list of things that make you happy – maybe it’s a massage or getting your nails done. Now and then, you just need to indulge.
Reduce Stress and Look Younger
Stress can really take a toll on you both mentally AND physically! If you feel stressed out, you probably look stressed out...and no one wants to look stressed out! Staying stressed out for too long can lead to long term ailments including premature aging! Here are some tips to help reduce stress so that you look more relaxed and comfortable!
The key to reducing stress is to prevent it. Getting enough sleep, eating right, avoiding excess caffeine and other stimulants and taking time out to relax might help you prevent the majority of it! Of course, there are times you won’t be able to avoid stress – bad things happen and they can’t all be avoided. When something happens that’s out of your control, remember that it’s out of your control and try to deal with it as best you can.
Did you know that many stress relievers work because of the power of the placebo effect that comes from having faith in the procedure or the therapist? Other unique approaches can achieve the same results because they reduce feelings of helplessness and provide a sense of control over the problem.
Just as stress is different for each of us there is no stress reduction strategy that is a cure all for everyone!
Jogging and other aerobic exercises, different types of meditation, prayer and yoga are great for many people but might be boring or stressful to others. Of course, there is no shortage of stress relievers and in addition to the above, various progressive muscular relaxation exercises, autogenic training, deep breathing, massage therapies, visual imagery and self hypnosis practices are popular.
There are also acupuncture, acupressure, biofeedback, and other similar techniques. Some people find that listening to music, hobbies, volunteer work, keeping a daily journal of events and how they feel, laughter, playing with pets, taking short breaks or shopping help them to relax. Others find relief for their stress related symptoms from aromatherapy, nutritional supplements or other unique methods.
If you’re really struggling with your stress, talk to your doctor or therapist.
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