Chronic stress kills! It plays a key role in heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, anxiety, and many other conditions and it is rampant in our modern hustle and bustle society.
So, you have a plan to make your life less stressful. Maybe you’ve even scheduled an appointment with a professional to start dealing with your anxiety, but that’s not for a month. You need to reduce your stress right now, but you don’t know-how.
Don’t stress about not being able to reduce stress! You’ve got enough stress already. What you need to do is kick back, and read on. Here are five ways you can reduce stress today.
Light Some Candles
Candles, especially the scented kind, are great stress reducers. Finding a good candle can be fun too. Go to a store with scented candles and sniff a bunch of them! Find a scent that makes you feel happy and calm. Get a couple so that the smells won’t get old for you.
Then, maybe after the sun goes down and you need to unwind, turn off all the bulbs and light some scented candles. Put on some relaxing music, too. This will immediately put your mind into a more relaxed space.
Put on the Right Song
Songs drive our emotions. They can take us back in time, calm us down, and amp us up. Use songs to your advantage and find some that help you relax
So, put on the right song when you feel stressed. You’ll start feeling better and pretty soon the things you’re doing to help you in the long term will kick in. Your hard work will pay off.
Laugh
There have been many studies that prove laughter can reduce the physical effects of stress (like fatigue) on the body. So, put on a funny video and laugh it up! We developed laughter as a way to feel safe in an uncertain world.
Making jokes can also be a great way to focus yourself and laugh at the same time. Channeling energy into a creative outlet is a fantastic way to relieve stress and it will give you something to be proud of. Write a comedy sketch or standup routine if putting on a funny movie isn’t enough.
Keep a Journal
Keeping a journal can be a great outlet. It also serves as a way to log progress. Sometimes spilling words out onto a page can be cathartic. Journaling is like being your own therapist. When you write everything out, you can see new possible solutions. It will help you organize your thoughts and become less stressed.
So next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, get out your journal and write about it. That alone will calm you down. Some days you may need to analyze your writing and make a plan for the next day. Keep it up and read your old journal entries to see how far you’ve come.
Hit the Gym
On top of the many health benefits to working out, hitting the gym blows off steam. Sometimes people feel stress because they have too much energy. Working outspends that juice and releases endorphins to make you feel happy. It is especially good at relieving pent up aggression.
Regular workouts will improve your heart health and keep your back from getting sore as you age. Don’t forget to diet, too. Improper diet and exercise can make your body feel stressed all by themselves. Try it out! Go for a run and you will feel less stressed immediately.
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