Are you ready to actively do something to reduce stress on a daily basis? If not, I encourage you to take up and develop a daily habit that will help you do just that. Stress not only decreases your quality of life, it can negatively impact your health. There’s a reason they say stress kills. Start doing something about it and enjoy life to the fullest with some of these simple techniques that will help you stress less.
Start meditating
One of the best stress relievers is meditation. You can start with a simple breathing meditation by getting comfortable in a quiet place and focusing on relaxing and thinking about nothing but your breath. From there, you can try some of the free guided meditations. There are even some wonderful apps that will turn your smartphone into your new favorite meditation device. Take a few minutes each day to meditate and watch the stress melt away.
Keep a journal
This may come as a surprise to you. A journal is an effective tool to help you worry less and stress less. The simple act of writing about what’s on your mind can be incredibly freeing. A journal is also a great tool to help you look back and figure out what triggers or causes periods of high stress. This is valuable information because you can’t work on reducing or eliminating a trigger if you don’t know what it is.
Take a walk
Another simple but very effective technique is to go for a walk. If possible, go outside, but if that’s not a good option, get on a treadmill or walk around your house. It’s not necessary to do a lot of walking before you notice the benefits. If you only have ten minutes, walk. If you have an hour for lunch, walk for 20 minutes and spend the rest of the time relaxing and eating. Make it a habit to walk regularly.
Hug
That’s the spirit. Something as simple as a hug can help you relax and combat stress. Make sure the hug is genuine on both sides, and it’s best to hold it for at least twenty seconds. You will feel yourself calming down and the endorphins will flood your body. Don’t have anyone nearby to hug right now? Laughing out loud is also very effective. Turn on a funny comedy that makes you laugh.
Get your diet in order
Last but not least, take a look at what you put in your mouth. A clean diet that consists mostly of whole foods and is low in sugar and preservatives will nourish your body and combat much of the damage that stress causes. It will also help you feel calmer and more in control. Start making some small changes and see if you don’t feel better.
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