Stress is very common that it pushes most of us to experience physical and psychological
symptoms on a regular basis. When the most common causes of stress
involve job pressure, money, health, relationships, and poor nutrition,
it’s no surprise that we get burnt out. After all, most of us get a
heavy dose of these stressors on a daily basis.
What is surprising is that few of us actually take measures to reduce that stress–and
that’s because it can take a lot of time and effort. Getting on the
treadmill? No, thank you! The good news is that you don’t have to stick
to a strict exercise regimen to beat stress. With these 30 quick stress relieving activities, you can reduce your stress levels now. Choose one to start beating stress in under five minutes.
1. Snuggle, Kiss, or Hug Someone You Love
A strong support network is a great way to beat stress during a rough time. One study shows that social support is a hugely effective
stress management mechanism with students learning to cope with stress.Another study showed that frequent hugs from a partner can
lower blood pressure.
Kick-start that support by cuddling up with someone you love. Knowing
someone is there is often enough to help you manage your stress more effectively.
2. Take a bath with Epsom Salt
Taking a hot bath with Epsom salt is a quick and effective way to let
your worries go. Why add Epsom salt to your bath? The salt increases
the water’s specific gravity, making you feel more light-weight and
buoyant while helping
your muscles relax. Your body also absorbs the salts, which helps replenish magnesium stores, a mineral that is reduced with stress. Magnesium can help decrease irritability since it reduces the effect of adrenaline on the body.
3. Get Outside and Feel the Sun on Your Face
The sun acts as a powerful weapon against stress. That’s why in areas where people get little sun in the winter, much of the population experiences depressive symptoms.
This is because sunlight affects the body’s level of serotonin, a
feel-good neurotransmitter that helps maintain good mood. If you can,
try coupling your outdoor session with some exercise, like walking or
biking, to further boost your mood.
4. Dance
You probably already know that exercise can boost your mood. In fact,
researchers at the University of Texas at Austin say that a single
40-minute exercise session can immediately boost mood. But what good is
it if you hate the exercise? Get up and dance like nobody’s watching!
You’ll get the stress relieving mood boost that comes with exercise while enjoying yourself.
5. Meditate
Meditation comes in many forms, but whichever you choose to go with, it will likely help reduce stress.
Start in a comfortable position and focus on clearing your mind. If
your mind begins wandering, find something to focus on, like your
breathing, a mantra, or an object in front of you. Check out these other
forms of meditation to figure out which one best fits your personality
and schedule.
6. Pet an Animal
Human-animal interaction can have positive effects on humans. That’s why it’s common to see children with
autism,
elderly patients, or other disabled individuals with support
pets–usually cats and dogs that help them emotionally. Spending time
with your own pet can help relieve your stress, too. If you don’t have a
furry friend, meet up with a friend who does or volunteer at an animal
shelter, where you can play with and walk the cats and dogs.
7. Try Aromatherapy
Certain scents like lavender have been shown to reduce stress levels.
Draw a bath and add a few drops of lavender oil into the tub, light a
candle, or light some incense. Other easy ways to enjoy the effects of
essential oils include using a diffuser, adding it to your lotion before
applying it, or letting the oil evaporate off a nearby cotton ball.
8. Drink Soothing Tea–Like Chamomile
Herbal
remedies like chamomile tea are great for relieving stress
due to their calming properties. Chamomile tea promotes muscle
relaxation, helping you unwind. Plus, it’s good for cramping, pain, and
gas, so it can help relieve physical pain, too.
9. Get a Massage
Studies show that after just a five-minute touch massage, heart rate is decreased significantly, pointing to a reduction in the stress
response. If you have the time and money, head to a nearby spa for a
professional treatment. If not, ask a friend or family member to rub
your back for a few minutes, or give yourself a self foot, face, and
calf massage.
10. Enjoy a Yoga Session
Yoga is a method of meditation that helps relax the muscles and clear the mind. Not only can it provide a quick stress relief now, but ongoing yoga sessions can improve chronic low
back pain, lower blood pressure,
and improve overall health. It doesn’t have to take a huge time
commitment–or even a lot of money–to start. Begin with the Yoga Zone
videos on Hulu for free 30- to 60-minute sessions (although it shouldn’t
take that long to start feeling the stress-relieving effects).
11. Listen to Relaxing Music
I don’t know about you, but I get frustrated quickly with
slow-to-start yoga videos–and I’ve been known to sneak out of yoga
sessions early because I find it more frustrating than relaxing.
Instead, I turn on this 8 hours of relaxing music (don’t worry–you don’t
have to listen to the whole thing) and do whatever stretches I feel my
body needs while focusing on my breathing. Sometimes I just lie on the
floor consciously relaxing every muscle in my body while listening to
the music. Beware of starting a session if you have somewhere to go; you
might fall asleep!
12. Eat a Piece of Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a tasty treat that’s loaded with nutrients with stress relieving properties, helping to lower stress
hormones. But be careful. Some “dark” chocolates aren’t as “dark” as
you might think. Most run around 45 percent cocoa content, but you’ll
want at least 70 percent cocoa content to get the most health benefits
out of it.
13. Talk it Out
Stress can escalate by keeping it all in. Help your mind work through
it by talking to a friend, praying, or even talking to yourself. This
is a great way to sort out your stressors, come up with solutions, and
put things in perspective. You’ll likely feel a weight lifted off your
shoulders with a sense that everything will be alright.
14. Skip the Junk Food
It may seem like a simple solution to eat your feelings, but digging
into the junk food isn’t going to help. Foods like alcohol, candy, and
those high in sodium and fat are actually very bad for reducing stress.
Instead, opt for a healthy diet high in whole foods, and when you have
to indulge, indulge in a sweet fruity snack. Fish–with their omega-3
fatty acids–are also good for reducing the symptoms of stress.
15. Take a Break From Technology–Especially Your Smartphone
Media overload–be it television, radio, Internet, or social networking–is the sixth top cause of stress
in the U.S. Given that your smartphone can deliver all of these–at
once!–it’s probably best to stay away from it when you’re trying to
reduce stress. Staying away from your smartphone for a while gives you time to focus on yourself, clear your mind, and work through your stress without distractions.
16. Download a Stress App (And Use It)
If you simply can’t get away from your smartphone, use it to your
advantage. Apps like Relax Melodies feature anxiety-relieving music, and
Breathe2Relax guides breathing
exercises. The
Acupressure: Heal Yourself app helps reduce stress levels by teaching you where to find your body’s acupressure points, and Worry Box — Anxiety Self-Help acts as a journal to help you
deal with your stressors.
17. Smile
When you’re
stressing, you
probably don’t feel like smiling, but simply going through the motions
can help you feel the happy emotions associated with it. If you need a
bit of help, put a pencil between your teeth to simulate the smiling
effect.
18. Take a Nap
A common cause of stress is lack of sleep. Furthermore, stress can
make it difficult to sleep. It’s an awfully vicious cycle. If you’ve
only got a few minutes, lay down and set an alarm to allow yourself a
few minutes of rest. At night, try to get at least seven to eight hours
of sleep to reduce your day-to-day stress.
19. Find Video Clips on YouTube that Make You Laugh
In addition to boosting your immune system, memory, aerobic endurance, and creativity levels, laughter has been shown to reduce stress
hormone levels. Along with that, laughter helps relax tension in the
muscles, promote blood flow to the brain, and move more air through the
lungs to deliver a cleansing effect similar to deep breathing. A simple
way to get in a good laugh is to watch funny Youtube video clips. My
favorite ones that get me every time come from the Talking Animals
Youtube channel. If you’re an animal lover, you’re really appreciate
these!
20. Play With Your Kids
Kids have such a unique way of looking at the world that interacting
with them can help you enjoy their worry-free views. The great thing
about playing with your kids is that you get a stress-relieving kick in
numerous ways. You become preoccupied to let go of your worries, you get
exercise, and you get to interact with loved ones. If you don’t have
kids, offer to babysit a friend’s to get your mind off your worries.
21. Start a Gratitude Journal
Staring a gratitude journal is a great step toward looking at life
optimistically. By simply listing a few things you’re thankful for in
your life, you can work up the courage to face your stressors, making
them appear less difficult to deal with. As you’re listing things you’re
grateful for, you may realize that a lot of the things you’re stressing
over are pretty trivial, putting you in a position to let go of some of
it and focus on what really matters.
22. Outsource Your Tasks
Whether at work or at home, stress can grow quickly as your to-do
list gets longer. Reduce your stress as you shorten your to-do list by
handing off tasks to others. Is there someone in the office who can help
you with your project? At home, can you have your children or partner
pick up some of the chores?
23. Perform an Act of Kindness
Acts of kindness can help boost confidence, optimism, and happiness
while reducing stress. In fact, studies show that people who volunteer
are overall healthier and happier than those who don’t. If you have a
lot of time, consider volunteering in organizing a community event.
Truth be told, you don’t need to devote hours of time to a volunteer
opportunity to enjoy these benefits, though. Simply look for
opportunities throughout the day to perform a random act of kindness
like the ideas listed here.
24. Go Swimming
Whether you take a dip in your outdoor pool, head to the community
pool, or laze on the beach, taking a dip in the water is a great way to
beat stress and reduce depressive symptoms. Not only will the exercise
give you a mood boost, but the water can have a calming effect on the
body.
25. Chew Sugar-Free Gum
A 2008 study showed that gum chewing can reduce levels of cortisol in
the body, a stress hormone. Research subjects reported feeling more
alert with less anxiety after chewing gum. Opt for a sugar-free option
that’s healthier on the teeth.
26. Let Your Imagination Run Wild
“Guided Imagery” is a stress-relieving technique that has many of the
same benefits as deep breathing. The method works by getting yourself
in a quiet, comfortable position and letting your imagination take you
to your “happy place.” You might, for instance, imagine yourself walking
along the beach while imagining sounds and smells and focusing on your
breathing. If you can’t seem to focus, search for a guided online
podcast that will help walk you through the process.
27. Give a Compliment
Sharing compliments with others not only makes you feel better about
yourself, but it can change the way people treat you, effectively
reducing tension in your work and home life. When you’re stressing over
relationships, use a “kill them with kindness” approach to change the
environment you’re living in and boost your mood.
28. Treat Yourself
You probably feel pretty special on your birthday when you’re treated
to presents and cake. It’s a pretty great stress buster, right? Treat
yourself like it’s your birthday! Buy yourself a present, or go out for a
tasty meal–whatever it is that makes you feel special.
29. Look Up Cat Photos
You might roll your eyes at the people who “waste” time looking at
cat photos online, but the truth is that focusing on cute images can
help produce positive feelings. This practice can even help you perform
tasks more carefully afterward, says a 2012 study, so you really
shouldn’t feel guilty about looking up cat pictures at work!
30. Go for a Walk
Aside from the exercise you’ll get from your walk, taking a short
stroll is a great way to let go of stress. Studies show that even a
moderate-paced walk can help reduce muscle tension and decrease anxiety.
Try meditating as you walk by repeating a mantra. This has been shown
to further promote positive mood and reduced stress.
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