Life and all it brings us gives the opportunity to meet the challenge while staying focused, sleeping well, smiling, laughing out-loud, sweating with exercise, eating great foods, and simply breathing.
Take a break. It may seem difficult to get away from a big work project, a crying baby, taking care of an ill loved one, or a growing credit card bill. But when you give yourself permission to step away from it, you let yourself have time to do something else, which can help you have a new perspective or practice techniques to feel less overwhelmed. It’s important to not avoid your stress (those bills have to be paid sometime), but even just 20-minutes to take care of yourself is huge.
Exercise. The research keeps growing — exercise benefits your mind just as well as your body. We keep hearing about the long-term benefits of a regular exercise routine. But even a 20-minute walk, run, swim or simply walking the dog in the midst of a stressful time can give an immediate effect that can last for several hours. Having problems sleeping? Getting the proper daily exercise can help with that, helping you to fall asleep faster & staying asleep longer.
Smile and laugh. Our brains are interconnected with our emotions and facial expressions. When people are stressed, they often hold a lot of the stress in their face. So laughs or smiles can help relieve some of that tension and improve the situation, with bonus of feeling & looking happier & younger.
Follow a Regular Sleep Routine This may very well be my favorite stress reducer. The simplest advice is the best advice. Following a regular sleep routine can help you decompress, recharge and rejuvenate your body and mind after a particularly stressful day. Try going to bed at the same time every night and aim for 7- to 8-hours of sleep. Resist the urge to stay up late, watching TV. In fact, avoiding screen time altogether before bed–that includes tablets and smart phones. Studies have proven that reading on a backlit device before bed interrupts the body’s natural process of falling asleep. These devices also impact how sleepy and alert you are the following day. So lets get a great nights sleep so we can feel energized and ready to take on the new day!
Breathe. Simply breathing will help the mind and body to release tightness to relax and focus. Mindfulness can help people see new perspectives, develop self-compassion and forgiveness. Much like exercise, research has shown that even breathing with focus briefly can reap immediate benefits.
Partial credit given to the American Psychological Association findings -2017-http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/manage-stress.aspx
