Stress is a fact of life, and it’s impossible to get rid of it completely. In fact, you probably wouldn’t want to! Some degree of stress may help push you to accomplish tasks and stay engaged in day-to-day activities. When stress becomes excessive, however, or it begins to interfere with your ability to relax and enjoy your life, there are things you can do to help alleviate it. If you’re looking for some simple ways to take the edge off, these suggestions from Healthline may help.
Get Some Exercise
Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress and improve your overall mental well-being. It’s a good way to combat anxiety and promote restful sleep. It also encourages the release of endorphins, those “feel-good” chemicals you’ve heard about that serve as natural mood boosters and painkillers. Do whatever feels good to you – take a brisk walk in the morning or evening, go for a family bike ride, or download a workout app on your phone. It’s all good for you!
Light a Candle
Candles infused with essential oils or your favorite scent can help you shrug off the effects of a stressful day. Certain scents have been identified as being particularly soothing, so choose your favorite, light the wick, and indulge in some aromatherapy with these fragrances:
- Lavender
- Rose
- Sandalwood
- Orange blossom
- Geranium
Go Easy on the Caffeine
If you’re a regular coffee or tea drinker or a chocolate addict or energy drink fan, consider curbing the habit. Caffeine is a stimulant that causes some people to be jittery or anxious. It can also interfere with the quality of your sleep. People have different tolerance levels for caffeine, so this may not be a problem for you. But test the waters by cutting back a little on your caffeine consumption to see if it makes a difference in your ability to relax.
Write It Down
Recording your thoughts and feelings is an approach many mental health professionals highly recommend to ease stress and anxiety and promote contentment. And you don’t just have to write about what’s stressing you out; it’s also a good idea to jot down things you’re grateful for. This helps you focus on the good as well as the not-so-good, and identify positives in your life that you might otherwise take for granted.
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Learn to Say No
If you’re the kind of person who is constantly piling more and more onto your already overflowing plate, you might want to take stock. Saying no to requests that are going to add undue stress to your life is not a bad thing – it’s an important aspect of self-care. You don’t have to shoot down everyone who asks you for something; just be more selective about what you’re agreeing to. You’ll probably find that it gets easier once you’ve done it a couple of times, and you’ll definitely notice a reduction in your stress levels.
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